# GOP still trending to win Senate **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 13, 2014, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426 "2014-08-13T10:52:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [August 14, 2014, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/41 "2014-08-14T14:03:45Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > He’s just as good a “speaker”. Being an effective communicator is a level above that. Reagan and Clinton knew how to reach an audience, explain to them how what they were talking about mattered to them. Obama’s awesome as a speaker, but in a professorial way. Plus he’s overly political, which is why such a large portion of the public tunes him out. When you attack Republicans so overtly and so consistently, of COURSE anyone who identifies as a Republican or even likes some things about the Republicans is going to stop listening. Because at that point it’s just another political speech. Most of this is complete nonsense. This is opinion, of course, on both sides. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/42 "2014-08-14T14:15:41Z")
But again, what’s not opinion is that there’s no political consequences for thwarting him and hasn’t been for his entire Presidency. I double dog dare Democrats to try it if Republicans win in 2016, just to prove the point. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2014, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/43 "2014-08-14T14:26:12Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > But again, what’s not opinion is that there’s no political consequences for thwarting him and hasn’t been for his entire Presidency. I double dog dare Democrats to try it if Republicans win in 2016, just to prove the point. There’s no political consequences _in some districts_ in thwarting him. But there may be long-term consequences for the party in general. Republican attempts to oppose Obama between 2010 and 2012 likely hurt the Republican party in the 2012 election. Republican talk about impeachment probably hurts the party now. Another debt-ceiling debacle will also hurt the party, most likely. So no, I think you’re wrong here too. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/44 "2014-08-14T14:30:36Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Obama is just as talented a communicator as Reagan or Clinton. But there are larger segments of the population and of the political opposition who refuse to listen to anything Obama says, no matter how he says it, and no matter what he’s saying. And ramming things through with 51% of the vote is doing wonders to alleviating this. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/45 "2014-08-14T14:33:24Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > There’s no political consequences _in some districts_ in thwarting him. But there may be long-term consequences for the party in general. > > Republican attempts to oppose Obama between 2010 and 2012 likely hurt the Republican party in the 2012 election. Republican talk about impeachment probably hurts the party now. Another debt-ceiling debacle will also hurt the party, most likely. > > So no, I think you’re wrong here too. On the debt ceiling, yeah, they went too far and if not for the ACA rollout, it might have cost them Congress. But the debt ceiling isn’t an Obama issue. They have yet to pay a price for thwarting his agenda. In 2012, they lost in Congress because the Democrats were able to seize on a “War on Women” message. Let’s not forget that up until late in 2012, the Republicans were favorites to take back the Senate. Todd Akin and Dick Mourdock blew that one. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2014, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/46 "2014-08-14T14:35:29Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > And ramming things through with 51% of the vote is doing wonders to alleviating this. I think there’s literally nothing that could alleviate this, so I’m fine (and even glad) with the idea of “ramming things through with 51%”. I want to see actual governing happen – every two years we get a chance to vote people out if we don’t like what they did. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/47 "2014-08-14T14:37:54Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > But the debt ceiling isn’t an Obama issue. Nonsense. And (some of) the Republicans made it an “Obama issue” – if he’s for it then they’re against it, whatever “it” is. > [@](#): > > They have yet to pay a price for thwarting his agenda. Opposing him as they did played a role in Romney’s loss, and the Republican failure to take the Senate in 2012. > [@](#): > > Let’s not forget that up until late in 2012, the Republicans were favorites to take back the Senate. Todd Akin and Dick Mourdock blew that one. The Republican party at large blew that one by failing to moderate itself on some of the crazier anti-Obama messaging, including from guys like Akin, Mourdock, Angle, etc. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/48 "2014-08-14T14:45:20Z")
I didn’t know that forcible rape had anything to do with Obama. No gaffes, Republicans take the Senate in 2012. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/49 "2014-08-14T14:47:50Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I didn’t know that forcible rape had anything to do with Obama. No gaffes, Republicans take the Senate in 2012. Yes, if the Republicans made no gaffes and ran perfect campaigns, they probably could have won in 2012. In the real world, candidates make gaffes, and the party is somewhat responsible for which candidate is nominated, and for the mood that their party foments in what sorts of candidates the party base wants, etc. All of this stuff is related. Akin and Mourdock may not have been nominated if the stuff like Joe Wilson’s “You lie!” had been forcefully rebuked by Republican leadership. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/50 "2014-08-14T14:52:37Z")
But he does lie. And don’t bitch about decorum when you call out Supreme Court justices in situations where they can’t respond. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2014, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/51 "2014-08-14T14:59:59Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > But he does lie. In that case, he didn’t lie, and even if he did, that was enormously disrespectful. > [@](#): > > And don’t bitch about decorum when you call out Supreme Court justices in situations where they can’t respond. Bullshit. Nearly every President (and every one in my lifetime) has made political points and tried to score points politically during State of the Unions. Obama said nothing that was out of the ordinary in that respect. The disrespect from Joe Wilson, and the lack of a strong rebuke from his party, was the thing that was out of the ordinary. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/52 "2014-08-14T15:07:00Z")
It is out of the ordinary to make politicized attacks on the Supreme Court during a State of the Union, with them sitting right there. Alito called him a liar too, although with a little more decorum. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2014, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/53 "2014-08-14T15:23:36Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > It is out of the ordinary to make politicized attacks on the Supreme Court during a State of the Union, with them sitting right there. Alito called him a liar too, although with a little more decorum. Alito mouthed “that’s not true”, which is not calling someone a liar. And no, it’s not out of the ordinary to make politicized attacks against anyone in the State of the Union. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/54 "2014-08-14T16:49:19Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > And ramming things through with 51% of the vote is doing wonders to alleviating this. You mean, passing bills with a majority as elected by We the People? If your concern is that the minority view is not being respected, well, what respect is due to “Fuck off, we’re going to do everything we can to stop everything you try to do, the will of We the People be damned” ? :dubious: If there’s more to it than that, it’s about damn time they showed us. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/55 "2014-08-14T16:54:56Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > And ramming things through with 51% of the vote is doing wonders to alleviating this. How is stopping things with 41% more democratic than passing things with 51%? Historically, I think the filibuster has been a good thing, allowing for cooler heads to prevail in the passion of the moment. But the Republicans of today have abused this power to ridiculous extremes to where the minority tyrannizes the majority. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/56 "2014-08-14T17:13:44Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > How is stopping things with 41% more democratic than passing things with 51%? Non-sequitur. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/57 "2014-08-14T17:44:56Z")
Non-response. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/58 "2014-08-14T19:13:16Z")
The odds were stacked heavily against the Republicans in 2012. It would have taken a miracle for them to win the Senate. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/59 "2014-08-14T19:16:15Z")
[There’s a historical record, you know.](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2011/09/28/odds_favor_gop_gaining_senate_control_in_2012_111492.html) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/60 "2014-08-14T19:23:54Z")
[Data tracking](https://www.intrade.com/v4/markets/contract/?contractId...) shows a reversal after one of their “rape guys” was accidentally honest, although there were many contributing factors. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426.md?page=4)