2010 Political Megathread: The Randvolution Will Be Livecast On The Blog-O-Matics.

SabreMau

What, Already?

Indeed. The day after Labor Day is the traditional kickoff date for the election season in any given year. From now until November 2nd, you're going to see a whole lot more political commercials, ads, articles, whines, complaints, satires, buh-buh-buh-buh-boooos, and a return of the phrase "and I approve this message."

I've been a close observer of the political process since 1993, though I prefer to deal with them on a polling data and trends macro level, rather than a personal argumentative level where everyone goes on, at length, about how every single one of the tens of millions of people who vote against their preferred choice must be either A) duped, ignorant sheeple or heartless unfeeling monsters who hate all good things and want you and your pet hamster DEAD. Political talk on the internet is especially susceptible to this.

So, I'm starting this thread partially because I hope it'll be more informative than what would otherwise pop up as Election Day draws near, but mostly so it'll wick unwelcome political chatter out of lighthearted fun threads, and let it burn on its own in a safe, designated corner of SE++.

Electoral Schedule

2010 is what we call a midterm year, right in the middle of two presidential election years. The US electoral calendar runs on a repeating four-year schedule:

• (2008) Presidential Year: President, 11 State Governors, 1/3 of the Senators, All House Seats
  
• (2009) Off-Year #1: Governors of Virginia and New Jersey
  
• (2010) Midterm Year: 36 State Governors, 1/3 of the Senators, All House Seats <== You Are Here
  
• (2011) Off-Year #2: Governors of Louisiana, Kentucky, and Mississippi
  
• (2012) Presidential Year: President, 11 State Governors, 1/3 of the Senators, All House Seats

President: The presidential race isn't on this year, although the day after the midterm elections is usually the unofficial start of the primary season, where candidates start planning their moves and jockeying for position. I shan't say more of this because right now is far, far too early to speculate anything there.

Governors: 48 states elect their governors to four-year terms, with only New Hampshire and Vermont electing their governors every two years. Five US territories also elect governors on the four-year schedule, with American Samoa and Puerto Rico electing on presidential years, Guam and the Virgin Islands electing on midterm years, and the Northern Mariana Islands electing on the year in between.

States with Gubernatorial Elections in 2010: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah*, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Wyoming

*- Utah is one of those states that usually elects governors on presidential years, not midterms, but this year is a special election to fill the remaining term of an ambassadorial appointee.

Representatives: All 435 seats of the US House are up for election every presidential and midterm year, plus 6 non-voting members from the five territories and the District of Columbia. They're apportioned by population, so bigger states get more than smaller states, although every state is guaranteed at least one. Even though all 435 are up for election every two years, in practice, the way the district lines are drawn, about two-thirds of all representatives are in safe seats that are virtual locks for reelection, and every election season is fought over those in the middle where the outcome is in doubt.

Senators: There are 100 senators, but they serve six-year terms instead of two-year ones, and so every two years, either 33 or 34 of them are up for election, and the remaining two-thirds get to sit around and just watch. The senators are divided into three classes, Class 1 (their current term is 2006-2012), Class 2 (theirs is 2008-2014), and Class 3 (2004-2010). Class 3, the one with 34 senators, is up to bat this year.

States with Senatorial Elections in 2010: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware*, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York*, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia* and Wisconsin.

* - Due to temporary vacancies, New York is electing two senators this year, one in a special election, and Delaware and West Virginia are each having special elections.

Previous Congressional Elections

Over the last 40 years, just because it's a nice round number and going too far back would make this too tall. Also, many years the numbers don't add up because of party switches, resignations, appointments, independents, and other miscellaneous events.

Year - House

---

Senate
1970: 255-180 (+12)
______54-43_ (+1)
1972: 242-192 (+12)
______56-42_ (+2)
1974: 291-144 (+49)
______61-38_ (+3)
1976: 292-143 (+1)
______61-38_ (+0)
1978: 277-158 (+15)
______58-41_ (+3)
1980: 242-192 (+34)
______53-46_ (+12)
1982: 269-166 (+27)
______54-46_ (+1)
1984: 253-182 (+16)
______53-47_ (+2)
1986: 258-177 (+5)
______55-45_ (+8)
1988: 260-175 (+2)
______55-45_ (+0)
1990: 267-167 (+7)
______56-44_ (+1)
1992: 258-176 (+9)
______56-44_ (+0)
1994: 230-204 (+54)
______52-48_ (+8)
1996: 228-206 (+8)
______55-45_ (+3)
1998: 223-211 (+5)
______55-45_ (+0)
2000: 221-212 (+1)
______50-50_ (+5)
2002: 229-204 (+8)
______51-49_ (+1)
2004: 232-202 (+3)
______55-45_ (+4)
2006: 233-202 (+31)
______51-49_ (+6)
2008: 257-178 (+21)
______59-41_ (+8)
2010: TBD

State of the 2010 Races

Note: TL,DR summary's at the bottom.

01- Alabama

Safe Rep: Senate, House-1/3/4/6
Likely Rep: Governor, House-5
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem: House-2
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: House-7

02- Alaska

Safe Rep: Governor, House-AL
Likely Rep: Senate
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem:


03- Arizona

Safe Rep: Senate, House-2/6
Likely Rep: Governor
Leaning Rep: House-3
*****Toss-Up: House-5
Leaning Dem: House-1/8
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: House-4/7


04- Arkansas

Safe Rep: Senate, House-3
Likely Rep: House-2
Leaning Rep: House-1
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem: Governor, House-4
Safe Dem:


05- California

Safe Rep: House-2/4/19/21/22/24/25/26/40/41/42/44/46/48/49/50/52
Likely Rep: House-3/45
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up: Governor, House-11
Leaning Dem: Senate, House-18/47
Likely Dem: House-20
Safe Dem: House-1/5/6/7/8/9/10/12/13/14/15/16/17/23/27/28/29/30/31/32/33/34/35/36/37/38/39/43/51/53


06- Colorado

Safe Rep: House-5/6
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: House-4
*****Toss-Up: Senate
Leaning Dem: House-3/7
Likely Dem: Governor
Safe Dem: House-1/2


07- Connecticut

Safe Rep:
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem: Senate, House-4/5
Likely Dem: Governor
Safe Dem: House-1/2/3


08- Delaware

Safe Rep:
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem: House-AL
Likely Dem: Senate
Safe Dem:


09- Florida

Safe Rep: House-1/4/5/6/7/9/10/12/13/14/15/16/18/21
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: House-8/25
*****Toss-Up: Governor, Senate, House-2/22/24
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: House-3/11/17/19/20/23


10- Georgia

Safe Rep: Senate, House-1/3/6/7/9/10/11
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: Governor
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem: House-8/12
Likely Dem: House-2
Safe Dem: House-4/5/13


11- Hawaii

Safe Rep:
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem: House-1
Likely Dem: Governor
Safe Dem: SenateHouse-2


12- Idaho

Safe Rep: Governor, Senate, House-2
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem: House-1
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem:


13- Illinois

Safe Rep: House-6/13/15/16/18/19
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: Governor, House-11
*****Toss-Up: Senate, House-10, House-14
Leaning Dem: House-8
Likely Dem: House-17
Safe Dem: House-1/2/3/4/5/7/9/12


14- Indiana

Safe Rep: House-3/4/5/6
Likely Rep: Senate
Leaning Rep: House-8
*****Toss-Up: House-9
Leaning Dem: House-2
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: House-1/7


15- Iowa

Safe Rep: Senate, House-4/5
Likely Rep: Governor
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up: House-3
Leaning Dem: House-1
Likely Dem: House-2
Safe Dem:


16- Kansas

Safe Rep: Governor, Senate, House-1/2/4
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: House-3
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem:


17- Kentucky

Safe Rep: House-1/2/4/5
Likely Rep: Senate
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem: House-3/6
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem:


18- Louisiana

Safe Rep: House-1/4/5/6/7
Likely Rep: Senate
Leaning Rep: House-3
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem: House-2
Safe Dem:


19- Maine

Safe Rep:
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up: Governor
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: House-1/2


20- Maryland

Safe Rep: House-6
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up: House-1
Leaning Dem: Governor
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: Senate, House-2/3/4/5/7/8


21- Massachusetts

Safe Rep:
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem: Governor
Likely Dem: House-6/10
Safe Dem: House-1/2/3/4/5/7/8/9


22- Michigan

Safe Rep: House-2/3/4/6/8/10/11
Likely Rep: Governor
Leaning Rep: House-7
*****Toss-Up: House-1
Leaning Dem: House-9
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: House-5/12/13/14/15


23- Minnesota

Safe Rep: House-2/3
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: House-6
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem: Governor, House-1
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: House-4/5/7/8


24- Mississippi

Safe Rep: House-3
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: House-1
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: House-2/4


25- Missouri

Safe Rep: House-2/6/7/8/9
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: Senate
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem: House-3/4
Safe Dem: House-1/5


26- Montana

Safe Rep: House-AL
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem:


27- Nebraska

Safe Rep: Governor, House-1/3
Likely Rep: House-2
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem:


28- Nevada

Safe Rep: House-2
Likely Rep: Governor
Leaning Rep: House-3
*****Toss-Up: Senate
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: House-1


29- New Hampshire

Safe Rep:
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: Senate, House-2
*****Toss-Up: House-1
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem: Governor
Safe Dem:


30- New Jersey

Safe Rep: House-2/4/5/7/11
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem: House-3
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: House-1/6/8/9/10/12/13


31- New Mexico

Safe Rep:
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: Governor
*****Toss-Up: House-2
Leaning Dem: House-1
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: House-3


32- New York

Safe Rep: House-3/26
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: House-29
*****Toss-Up: House-24
Leaning Dem: House-25
Likely Dem: House-1/13/19/20/23
Safe Dem: Governor, Senate-1/2, House-2/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/14/15/16/17/18/21/22/27/28


33- North Carolina

Safe Rep: House-3/5/6/9/10
Likely Rep: Senate
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem: House-8/11
Likely Dem: House-2
Safe Dem: House-1/4/7/12/13


34- North Dakota

Safe Rep: Senate
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: House-AL
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem:


35- Ohio

Safe Rep: House-2/3/4/5/7/8/14
Likely Rep: Governor, House-12
Leaning Rep: Senate, House-1/15/16
*****Toss-Up: House-13
Leaning Dem: House-18
Likely Dem: House-6
Safe Dem: House-9/10/11/17


36- Oklahoma

Safe Rep: Senate, House-1/3/4/5
Likely Rep: Governor
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: House-2


37- Oregon

Safe Rep: House-2
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up: Governor
Leaning Dem: House-5
Likely Dem: Senate
Safe Dem: House-1/3/4


38- Pennsylvania

Safe Rep: House-5/9/16/18/19
Likely Rep: Governor
Leaning Rep: Senate, House-6/15
*****Toss-Up: House-3/7/8/10/11/12
Leaning Dem: House-17
Likely Dem: House-4
Safe Dem: House-1/2/13/14


39- Rhode Island

Safe Rep:
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up: Governor* (race is between Democrat and Independent)
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: House-1/2


40- South Carolina

Safe Rep: Senate, House-1/2/3/4
Likely Rep: Governor
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem: House-5
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: House-6


41- South Dakota

Safe Rep: Governor, Senate,
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: House-AL
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem:


42- Tennessee

Safe Rep: House-1/2/3/7
Likely Rep: Governor
Leaning Rep: House-6/8
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem: House-4
Safe Dem: House-5/9


43- Texas

Safe Rep: House-1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/10/11/12/13/14/19/21/22/24/26/31/32
Likely Rep: Governor
Leaning Rep: House-17
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem: House-23
Likely Dem: House-27
Safe Dem: House-9/15/16/18/20/25/27/28/29/30


44- Utah

Safe Rep: Governor, Senate, House-1/3
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem: House-2
Safe Dem:


45- Vermont

Safe Rep:
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up: Governor
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: Senate, House-AL


46- Virginia

Safe Rep: House-1/4/6/7/10
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: House-5
*****Toss-Up: House-2
Leaning Dem: House-11
Likely Dem: House-9
Safe Dem: House-3/8


47- Washington

Safe Rep: House-4/5
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: House-8
*****Toss-Up: Senate, House-3
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem: House-1/2/6/7/9


48- West Virginia

Safe Rep: House-2
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up: House-1
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem: Senate, House-3
Safe Dem:


49- Wisconsin

Safe Rep: House-1/5/6
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep: Governor, House-7
*****Toss-Up: Senate
Leaning Dem: House-8
Likely Dem: House-3
Safe Dem: House-2/4


50- Wyoming

Safe Rep: Governor, House-AL
Likely Rep:
Leaning Rep:
*****Toss-Up:
Leaning Dem:
Likely Dem:
Safe Dem:



Overview:

Governors -
Safe Rep: 5 Republicans, 2 Democrats
Likely Rep: 5 Republicans, 6 Democrats
Leaning Rep: 1 Republican, 3 Democrats
*****Toss-Up: 4 Republicans, 2 Democrats
Leaning Dem: 1 Republican, 2 Democrat
Likely Dem: 2 Republicans, 3 Democrats
Safe Dem: 1 Democrat

No Election This Year: 6 Republicans, 7 Democrats

Senators -
Safe Rep: 10 Republicans, 2 Democrats
Likely Rep: 4 Republicans, 1 Democrat
Leaning Rep: 3 Republicans, 1 Democrat
*****Toss-Up: 2 Republicans, 4 Democrats
Leaning Dem: 2 Democrats
Likely Dem: 3 Democrats
Safe Dem: 5 Democrats

No Election This Year: 23 Republicans, 40 Democrats

Representatives -
Safe Rep: 163 Republicans, 1 Democrat
Likely Rep: 5 Republicans, 1 Democrat
Leaning Rep: 5 Republicans, 22 Democrats
*****Toss-Up: 1 Republican, 23 Democrats
Leaning Dem: 2 Republicans, 31 Democrats
Likely Dem: 1 Republican, 23 Democrats
Safe Dem: 157 Democrats

Reference Links

Polls:

• Gallup
• Rasmussen
• SurveyUSA
• Public Policy Polling
• Intrade (technically not a poll, but people use it as such)

Poll Aggregates:

• FiveThirtyEight
• RealClearPolitics
• Cook Political Report

So How Can We Help (candidate/party) Win?

Eh. Don't know, don't care. I'm a dispassionate political observer, not a strategist, analyst, advocate, or cheerleader. Work that out amongst yourselves, I guess. But be sane about it.

Doobh

Goddamn that's a pretty OP.

Uriel

Shitfuck when is the deadline to register?

Fuck I am such a bad american.

Langly

sabre your OPs are always so good, no matter the topic.

Wrench N Rockets

God, California's governor candidates have already been slinging mud for months.

I can't wait for the real campaigning to start...

SabreMau

Uriel wrote: »

Shitfuck when is the deadline to register?

Fuck I am such a bad american.

It varies by state.

Also it wouldn't fit in the OP because I was running up into the 35,000 character limit.

Doobh

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

God, California's governor candidates have already been slinging mud for months.

I can't wait for the real campaigning to start...

It makes me want to headbutt a brick wall. It's been a process of elimination, this year.

Uriel

SabreMau wrote: »

Uriel wrote: »

Shitfuck when is the deadline to register?

Fuck I am such a bad american.

It varies by state.

Also it wouldn't fit in the OP because I was running up into the 35,000 character limit.

Yay time to look into candidates and issues.

Wrench N Rockets

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

God, California's governor candidates have already been slinging mud for months.

I can't wait for the real campaigning to start...

It makes me want to headbutt a brick wall. It's been a process of elimination, this year.

Meg Whitman can go suck an egg.

I'm so tired of her radio ads.

Romanian My Escutcheon

SabreMau for Czar of SE++ OPs.

Langly

i have never understood that phrase.


like, go fuck yourself, that has negative connotations. but suck an egg? why? what? I have been hearing it a lot recently.

Doobh

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

God, California's governor candidates have already been slinging mud for months.

I can't wait for the real campaigning to start...

It makes me want to headbutt a brick wall. It's been a process of elimination, this year.

Meg Whitman can go suck an egg.

I'm not a fan of the concept of a resurrected Governor, either. Time to look at the third part candidates. There's a list to be depended on. :?

SabreMau

Aaaaand that's 14 minutes in before we've got to cross out "Courteous" from the title.

Muse Among Men

What an excellent OP.

GeoMitch

Doobh

Yes. That was in another thread.

GeoMitch

yes but it's more relevant in this one
quit cramping my



style

Wrench N Rockets

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

God, California's governor candidates have already been slinging mud for months.

I can't wait for the real campaigning to start...

It makes me want to headbutt a brick wall. It's been a process of elimination, this year.

Meg Whitman can go suck an egg.

I'm not a fan of the concept of a resurrected Governor, either. Time to look at the third part candidates. There's a list to be depended on. :?

Actually, this is the one time I would vote for a libertarian. If there's one this this screwed up state needs is less government. ...Though the Peace and Freedom party is looking good, with a promised $15 minimum wage, and free education and healthcare.

Seriously though I hate negative campaigning.

Uriel

I am going to vote for the guy who will tell me the best lies.

Doobh

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

God, California's governor candidates have already been slinging mud for months.

I can't wait for the real campaigning to start...

It makes me want to headbutt a brick wall. It's been a process of elimination, this year.

Meg Whitman can go suck an egg.

I'm not a fan of the concept of a resurrected Governor, either. Time to look at the third part candidates. There's a list to be depended on. :?

Actually, this is the one time I would vote for a libertarian. If there's one this this screwed up state needs is less government. ...Though the Peace and Freedom party is looking good, with a promised $15 minimum wage, and free education and healthcare.

Right, because we have the money for that right now.

Seriously, though, I have to be super picky this year.

Wrench N Rockets

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

God, California's governor candidates have already been slinging mud for months.

I can't wait for the real campaigning to start...

It makes me want to headbutt a brick wall. It's been a process of elimination, this year.

Meg Whitman can go suck an egg.

I'm not a fan of the concept of a resurrected Governor, either. Time to look at the third part candidates. There's a list to be depended on. :?

Actually, this is the one time I would vote for a libertarian. If there's one this this screwed up state needs is less government. ...Though the Peace and Freedom party is looking good, with a promised $15 minimum wage, and free education and healthcare.

Right, because we have the money for that right now.

Seriously, though, I have to be super picky this year.

Yeah, ugly this time. This is my first time voting in California, so I don't know what I'll do. I do have a personal rule that when in doubt, vote communist. It keeps things fresh, and probably my name in an FBI database somewhere.

L|ama

sabre I thought you hated politics

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

God, California's governor candidates have already been slinging mud for months.

I can't wait for the real campaigning to start...

It makes me want to headbutt a brick wall. It's been a process of elimination, this year.

Meg Whitman can go suck an egg.

I'm not a fan of the concept of a resurrected Governor, either. Time to look at the third part candidates. There's a list to be depended on. :?

Actually, this is the one time I would vote for a libertarian. If there's one this this screwed up state needs is less government. ...Though the Peace and Freedom party is looking good, with a promised $15 minimum wage, and free education and healthcare.

Right, because we have the money for that right now.

Seriously, though, I have to be super picky this year.

A recession is exactly the time that (especially higher) education should be at least subsidised by the government.

Doobh

My number one goal this election is to get off my lazy ass and eliminate my party registration. Fuck yo' parties.

Romanian My Escutcheon

Here's the bad thing about living in Florida; no matter how bad Charlie Crist fucks up our state, people will still vote Republican at the polls.

MrMonroe

this is going to be a total shitshow

or at least, the result is

since the Republicans could in theory pick up one or both houses and then exactly fuck-all will get done over the course of the next two years, and then in 2012 people will be screaming for Obama's head over the fact that nothing was done in Congress

edit: plus, the Democrats apparently need a 65-seat majority in the house to do anything anyway, going down to 52*-48* would eliminate their ability to do anything

*does not take into account Joe "The Gigantic Gaping Asshole" Lieberman

Doobh

L|ama wrote: »

sabre I thought you hated politics

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

God, California's governor candidates have already been slinging mud for months.

I can't wait for the real campaigning to start...

It makes me want to headbutt a brick wall. It's been a process of elimination, this year.

Meg Whitman can go suck an egg.

I'm not a fan of the concept of a resurrected Governor, either. Time to look at the third part candidates. There's a list to be depended on. :?

Actually, this is the one time I would vote for a libertarian. If there's one this this screwed up state needs is less government. ...Though the Peace and Freedom party is looking good, with a promised $15 minimum wage, and free education and healthcare.

Right, because we have the money for that right now.

Seriously, though, I have to be super picky this year.

A recession is exactly the time that (especially higher) education should be at least subsidised by the government.

I work at a school district. Things are insanely tight, right now. A fundraiser had to be held to hire just one more teacher so we wouldn't have to combine a classroom.

So, yeah, I'd love for the state to do at least a little better.

GeoMitch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsrSOZn3M1M&feature=related

L|ama

'the' bad thing about florida

Wrench N Rockets

The answer is to send all kids to prison.

Uriel

Man parties are like the worst way to summarize your political positions.

I agree with the democrats on a lot of their publicly stated positions but I don't think I'm going to bother associating with their party like some kinda favorite sports team.

Not least because the democrats can't ever agree on anything.

L|ama

Dubh wrote: »

L|ama wrote: »

sabre I thought you hated politics

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

Dubh wrote: »

Wrench N Rockets wrote: »

God, California's governor candidates have already been slinging mud for months.

I can't wait for the real campaigning to start...

It makes me want to headbutt a brick wall. It's been a process of elimination, this year.

Meg Whitman can go suck an egg.

I'm not a fan of the concept of a resurrected Governor, either. Time to look at the third part candidates. There's a list to be depended on. :?

Actually, this is the one time I would vote for a libertarian. If there's one this this screwed up state needs is less government. ...Though the Peace and Freedom party is looking good, with a promised $15 minimum wage, and free education and healthcare.

Right, because we have the money for that right now.

Seriously, though, I have to be super picky this year.

A recession is exactly the time that (especially higher) education should be at least subsidised by the government.

I work at a school district. Things are insanely tight, right now. A fundraiser had to be held to hire just one more teacher so we wouldn't have to combine a classroom.

So, yeah, I'd love for the state to do at least a little better.

well not so much state governments

the federal government can handle a pretty big deficit without it really effecting much of anything, especially the US

getting unemployed people without many job prospects into universities and technical colleges is a good thing, especially when otherwise they would just be sitting around collecting benefits and looking for jobs which they probably won't find for a long time

Romanian My Escutcheon

L|ama wrote: »

'the' bad thing about florida

Look, let's focus on the immediate threat.

We can focus on the fucked up educational system, right-to-work bullshit, and Civil War guilt later.

L|ama

Uriel wrote: »

Man parties are like the worst way to summarize your political positions.

I agree with the democrats on a lot of their publicly stated positions but I don't think I'm going to bother associating with their party like some kinda favorite sports team.

Not least because the democrats can't ever agree on anything.

what is the deal with belonging to parties in the US anyway, you have to be a member to vote for who gets to represent the party right? Here nearly all actual party members like... work for the party a lot of the time, I think.

And yeah identifying your political position by "I am a [party]" is generally a good sign that you haven't thought about things enough.

Doobh

Shoving people into universities is something that's going to bite us in the long run. See how useless Bachelor's degrees often are. It'd be nice to see vocational school pushed a little more, but I really don't have a whole lot of answers for my concerns.

L|ama

you know what is a completely zany concept when you're unfamiliar with it? At-Will Employment.

Wrench N Rockets

L|ama wrote: »

Uriel wrote: »

Man parties are like the worst way to summarize your political positions.

I agree with the democrats on a lot of their publicly stated positions but I don't think I'm going to bother associating with their party like some kinda favorite sports team.

Not least because the democrats can't ever agree on anything.

what is the deal with belonging to parties in the US anyway, you have to be a member to vote for who gets to represent the party right?

Yes, though that is just internal to the party. So makes sense that they would want members to vote for them.

Romanian My Escutcheon

L|ama wrote: »

you know what is a completely zany concept when you're unfamiliar with it? At-Will Employment.

What is At-Will? Is that like some not-batshit-crazy version of Right-to-Work?

GeoMitch

at-will means employers can fire you for whatever the fuck they want, right?

Wrench N Rockets

Romanian My Escutcheon, Doxy wrote: »

L|ama wrote: »

you know what is a completely zany concept when you're unfamiliar with it? At-Will Employment.

What is At-Will? Is that like some not-batshit-crazy version of Right-to-Work?

You can be fired for no reason, however you can also quit for no reason.

Langly

I am always talking about this, but vocational/community college numbers are off the roof, and have never really been low. As much as Mike Rowe talks about there being an apocalypse of no-plumbers in america, he is wrong. Those schools are booming, in general.

Doobh

GeoMitch wrote: »

at-will means employers can fire you for whatever the fuck they want, right?

I think the U.K. doesn't operate by at-will

but I may have imagined Janson saying this!