# Can the D's get 50 Senate seats? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [June 8, 2019, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205 "2019-06-08T09:55:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/41 "2019-06-09T14:56:43Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Trump and the GOP are traitors on a far wider scale than just this country. > > They have been nearly unanimous for decades in their opposition to doing anything about climate change, usually denying its very existence. And now, as the shit is hitting the fan, they haven’t changed a bit. Here’s Trump [blocking written testimony from the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research](https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2019/06/08/white-house-blocked-intelligence-aides-written-testimony-saying-human-caused-climate-change-could-be-possibly-catastrophic/?utm_term=.2e94bedcc73d) outlining the catastrophic threat climate change poses - one whose effects, as the story at the link notes, our military is already preparing for. > > ETA: The Bureau of Intelligence and Research was the intel agency that [got Iraq right](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bureau_of_Intelligence_and_Research#History). Just like the economy, he will be dead before it harms him. It’s somebody else’s problem. He has stated as much. What a guy. All the while, the senate is just kicking the can down the road. They’ve got theirs after all, why should they worry? And these assholes have convinced those of… lesser means… to support them, because, “Don’t worry, we are really on your side” Are they deplorable as Hillary stated? Sure, that exists on both sides. I’ll just call Trump’s base easily manipulated. That’s the kindest thing I can do. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/42 "2019-06-09T15:05:07Z")
It needs to be said: the GOP’s intransigence with respect to global warming is likely an existential threat to a significant portion of the human race. If we do nothing about it, then there will be droughts, there will be famines, there will be island and coastal flooding, there will be storms, all of a quantity and severity this generation has never seen. The human race will surely survive, but the number of people this planet can support will be reduced. The Republican Party is, quite simply, traitors to the human race. This should be shouted from the rooftops. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/43 "2019-06-09T17:19:06Z")
> [@](#): > > Quoth **enipla** : > > I believe that Trump is at least in the colloquial, a traitor. We are not at war with Russia… Russia says that we are. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/44 "2019-06-09T18:21:35Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I believe that Trump is at least in the colloquial, a traitor. We are not at war with Russia, so the constitutional 'giving aid and comfort to the enemy may not apply. JFTR, ‘being a traitor’ and ‘having committed treason’ are two different things. The latter implies the former, but not vice versa. _Treason_ is a specific crime which (as you say) is mentioned in the Constitution. A _traitor_ is _someone who betrays_, and betrayal isn’t a crime in and of itself. To cite the most infamous instance of betrayal, Judas committed no crime when he betrayed Jesus. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/45 "2019-06-09T20:20:15Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > … wishing that Trump wrecks the economy. That’s an ugly thing to wish for, even if you perceive it will bring you some political advantage. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/46 "2019-06-09T20:58:52Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > That’s an ugly thing to wish for, even if you perceive it will bring you some political advantage. I doubt very much that is what Sage Rat was saying. And this has fuck all to do with political advantage. It has everything to do with people that support a criminal. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/47 "2019-06-09T21:50:33Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > … I’ll just call Trump’s base easily manipulated. That’s the kindest thing I can do. If they are so easily manipulated, why haven’t you manipulated them into not supporting President Trump yet? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/48 "2019-06-09T22:05:03Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > If they are so easily manipulated, why haven’t you manipulated them into not supporting President Trump yet? Troll along HD. Your bullshit is not worth responding to. ---
**Author:** ![sps49sd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sps49sd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sps49sd)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/49 "2019-06-09T22:43:55Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Troll along HD. Your bullshit is not worth responding to. His bullshit should be taken as a check on your wishful thinking. But go ahead. How about _you_ (and RTFirefly) shout from the rooftops, instead of wishing someone else will do it for you? ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/50 "2019-06-09T22:48:46Z")
> [@sps49sd](#): > > His bullshit should be taken as a check on your wishful thinking. > > But go ahead. How about _you_ (and RTFirefly) shout from the rooftops, instead of wishing someone else will do it for you? Neither you or HD will shout from the rooftops as you are happy to have a moron for a president. I will vote. That worked until republicans accepted and invited foreign countries to play with our elections. My shouting is done from here. For now. ---
**Author:** ![sps49sd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sps49sd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sps49sd)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2019, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/51 "2019-06-09T23:25:00Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Neither you or HD will shout from the rooftops as you are happy to have a moron for a president. I will vote. That worked until republicans accepted and invited foreign countries to play with our elections. My shouting is done from here. For now. Still not an answer to his question. Why are those who disagree with you the easily manipulated ones? And why would you think I am happy with Trump? :smack: ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/52 "2019-06-10T01:51:20Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Troll along HD. Your bullshit is not worth responding to. Warning for an accusation of trolling outside The BBQ Pit. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/53 "2019-06-10T01:55:06Z")
ENOUGH! EVERYONE: Quit quibbling over the quality of Trump and/or the the quality or intelligence of his supporters and address the actual question in the OP. [/Moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/54 "2019-06-10T07:48:30Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > That’s an ugly thing to wish for, even if you perceive it will bring you some political advantage. If by “you”, you mean the Democrats then I can’t really speak for their intentions. If you literally meant me, then I was simply stating the reality of things, as they are today. The people vote based on the economy in that precise moment, regardless of who or what caused it to be in that state (good or bad). Protesting, putting up signs, calling people, wearing t-shirts, placing stickers on your bumper, it’s probably all mostly moot. Either the economy is for you or against you, and you’re just boned with the current map, as a Democrat, unless the economy is in your favor. My point was that the answer to that is up to the gods, not to us, and the gods aren’t real. Frying sausages isn’t something that will actually work and any call to get frying shouldn’t be read as an endorsement. I would, however, contend that it’s not an ugly thing to wish for though. No one died in the Financial Crisis. No one even died in the Great Depression. There’s no bump in the death rate during those years that anyone has found (so far as a quick Google says). Depressions and recessions are certainly bad, but it would also be bad to lose my arm. If the alternative is that the gangrene gets to my heart and kills me, though, I’d rather that we cut earlier than later. ---
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/55 "2019-06-10T12:38:55Z")
> [@pjacks](#): > > Keep in mind that if a miracle occurs and the Dems somehow eke out 50 Senators alongside a Dem VP, Joe Manchin would then likely flip to the R side just as he flirted with doing in 2010 and 2014. > > Face it, McConnell is there to stay, and since he is Lawful Evil to Trump’s Chaotic Evil, things won’t improve much at all when the next president gets sworn in. I couldn’t see Manchin flipping under a D President, it wouldn’t make sense. I could see it happening had the Senate been 50/50 in 2018 and Pence was still VP. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2019, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/56 "2019-06-10T21:31:19Z")
This might alter the expectations in this thread a bit: [538: Republicans Just Scored A Strong Recruit In The Michigan Senate Race](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/republicans-just-scored-a-strong-recruit-in-the-michigan-senate-race/) > [@](#): > > … Peters starts as a favorite, but James gives Republicans a real chance of winning Michigan’s Senate race in 2020. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/57 "2019-06-11T19:59:09Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > This might alter the expectations in this thread a bit: > > [538: Republicans Just Scored A Strong Recruit In The Michigan Senate Race](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/republicans-just-scored-a-strong-recruit-in-the-michigan-senate-race/) Yeah, DSeid had that same link back on post #9. I would put that one in the “Lean R” column, for now. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/58 "2019-06-11T20:01:08Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > Yeah, DSeid had that same link back on post #9. I would put that one in the “Lean R” column, for now. The same guy already lost (in a previous election), I believe. I’d have it at a tossup at worst. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/59 "2019-06-11T20:54:25Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > If they are so easily manipulated, why haven’t you manipulated them into not supporting President Trump yet? Manipulating them is very easy but it requires exploiting their racism, xenophobia, misogyny, ignorance and insecurity. We’re not willing to stoop that low. I know, I know, “liberals are the real racists”, etc. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2019, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205/60 "2019-06-11T22:16:00Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > This might alter the expectations in this thread a bit: > > [538: Republicans Just Scored A Strong Recruit In The Michigan Senate Race](https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/republicans-just-scored-a-strong-recruit-in-the-michigan-senate-race/) What’s he going to run on? _“Rick Snyder simply polluted Flint’s drinking water. I’ll order the Michigan Air Guard to carpet bomb that God forsaken place and be done with it.”_ :rolleyes: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-ds-get-50-senate-seats/835205.md?page=4)