# 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:** 63
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1241 "2014-11-04T19:01:10Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Real human suffering? You mean from the 1% cut in funding a GOP Senate is likely to impose on social programs that have seen their budgets doubled since 2000? More like the humans suffering because of GOP controlled states blocking the Medicaid expansion. Real humans dying because the GOP is so ideologically invested in giving the finger to Obama. Not for anything he’s done mind you, but because they simply won’t sit for his term being anything but a failure, even if they have to watch their own citizens die as a result. As for other real human suffering issues: They are insane about climate change. They are for drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. They are for unending war in the Middle East They are against Dodd-Frank and the Consume Protection Bureau They are against spending to maintain infrastructure They are against spending to fully fund the CDC They are for maintaining tax credits to move jobs overseas They are against equal pay for women They were against unemployment and foodstamp increases in the greatest recession in generations They are against raising a minimum wage which has lagged far behind inflation They are for the right to discriminate against LGBT people They are against the estate tax, and thus support the creation of dynastic wealth in the US (which exacerbates income inequality… suffering) They are against abortion rights They are against sex education being taught in schools They are against birth control being put under health insurance They want to repeal Obamacare, a program that helps millions, lowers prices and saves money on the deficit They want to return to pre-existing conditions They want to return to lifetime caps They want to continue to profit on out of control student loans They want to continue to not negotiate for Medicare drugs They want to continue to raid states that have legalized pot They are against Net Neutrality And those were the ones I could steal from a Reddit post. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1242 "2014-11-04T19:03:43Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Real human suffering? You mean from the 1% cut in funding a GOP Senate is likely to impose on social programs that have seen their budgets doubled since 2000? Which ones are those? And are we just talking about nominal values, or are we (more properly) adjusting for inflation and population growth? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1243 "2014-11-04T19:05:48Z")
I can just name two things Democrats do that cause human suffering, and they are big ones: 1. They are against enforcement of the laws of our country if it negatively affects constituencies they need to win the next election. They prefer rule of men, not rule of law. 2. They are against fiscal responsibility. Spending should always go up, taxes should always go up, and when taxes can no longer go up, spending should still go up. If you think what the Republicans do causes suffering, just wait until we have a sovereign debt crisis. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1244 "2014-11-04T19:11:40Z")
> [@](#): > > Barring any changes due to polls released in the next few hours, our Election Lab forecast gives Republicans a 98 percent chance of gaining at least the six seats they need to win a majority. This is to say, in 98 percent of the simulations from our model, Republicans win six seats or more. [Wow. 98 percent.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/11/04/final-forecast-republicans-have-a-98-chance-of-taking-the-senate/) Well, clearly no one could have seen that coming. Why, you’d have to be some sort of psychic prophet to guess that outcome. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2014, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1245 "2014-11-04T19:13:47Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > [Wow. 98 percent.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/11/04/final-forecast-republicans-have-a-98-chance-of-taking-the-senate/) > > Well, clearly no one could have seen that coming. Why, you’d have to be some sort of psychic prophet to guess that outcome. Or you’d have to be Nate Silver, or most other prognosticators, or most Dopers who post in the Elections forum. I’m not sure why you’d value this prediction over Nate Silver or Sam Wang, though – Silver and Wang have a significantly greater record of accuracy. I know you really, really want to feel like we did in 2012… but there’s just not going to be much schadenfreude for you, unfortunately. ☹ We’re just too plugged into reality, for the most part, even when we retain a bit of hope. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1246 "2014-11-04T19:16:04Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I can just name two things Democrats do that cause human suffering, and they are big ones: > > 1. They are against enforcement of the laws of our country if it negatively affects constituencies they need to win the next election. They prefer rule of men, not rule of law. > > 2. They are against fiscal responsibility. Spending should always go up, taxes should always go up, and when taxes can no longer go up, spending should still go up. If you think what the Republicans do causes suffering, just wait until we have a sovereign debt crisis. Of course neither of these things is remotely true - in fact, they are more accurate, objective, descriptions of modern Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1247 "2014-11-04T19:16:18Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I can just name two things Democrats do that cause human suffering, and they are big ones: > > 1. They are against enforcement of the laws of our country if it negatively affects constituencies they need to win the next election. They prefer rule of men, not rule of law. Wow, what a powerful case you’ve made! The human suffering here is undeniable! > [@](#): > > 1. They are against fiscal responsibility. Since when? The Dems have been the more pro-fiscal responsibility party since about 1978. Deficits go up when Republicans are in charge, and they go down when Dems are in charge. Clinton had four budget surpluses, and GWB threw that all away to give tax cuts to the rich. It amazes me, the staying power of the “Republicans are more fiscally responsible” narrative, in the face of the past 35 years of evidence to the contrary. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1248 "2014-11-04T19:16:58Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > They are for drilling in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge. Good. No human suffering there. > [@](#): > > They are for unending war in the Middle East That claim is false. > [@](#): > > They are against Dodd-Frank and the Consume Protection Bureau That’s true, and a good thing, because Dodd-Frank is terrible. > [@](#): > > They are against equal pay for women No. They are in favor of companies paying women (and men) what they wish and what the mployee will accept. They’re not in favor of a mandated pay scale, because that kind of tinkering destroys economies and leads to great human suffering, a fact you’d think leftists would have learned from the Soviets. > [@](#): > > They were against unemployment and foodstamp increases in the greatest recession in generations Because government handouts are a generally poor idea > [@](#): > > They are against raising a minimum wage which has lagged far behind inflation And it should be eliminated. Not even gonna bother with the rest of the absurdity. Thank goodness the GOP will run the Senate as well as the House. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1249 "2014-11-04T19:17:57Z")
Wang was the only one favoring the Democrats at one point though. Polls only is fine in October, not so much in June. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1250 "2014-11-04T19:20:10Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > [Wow. 98 percent.](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/monkey-cage/wp/2014/11/04/final-forecast-republicans-have-a-98-chance-of-taking-the-senate/) > > Well, clearly no one could have seen that coming. Why, you’d have to be some sort of psychic prophet to guess that outcome. Even if this election was no more consequential than a football game, I’d be rooting for the Dems to hold on (Nate Silver gives them a 27% chance; Sam Wang says 37%), just to be able to taunt the WaPo afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1251 "2014-11-04T19:20:33Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > I can just name two things Democrats do that cause human suffering, and they are big ones: > > 1. They are against enforcement of the laws of our country if it negatively affects constituencies they need to win the next election. They prefer rule of men, not rule of law. That is not remotely true. Please don’t assert things like that without citations. > [@](#): > > 1. They are against fiscal responsibility. Spending should always go up, taxes should always go up, and when taxes can no longer go up, spending should still go up. If you think what the Republicans do causes suffering, just wait until we have a sovereign debt crisis. This is not remotely true. Population increase increases spending by necessity. And our taxes are historically low. Please try to learn the details before making sweeping pronouncements. How about instead of changing the subject to nonsense pronouncements, you provide similar issues that Dems overwhelmingly voted for? I don’t doubt the GOP will win the Senate, I doubt they will govern intelligently. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1252 "2014-11-04T19:20:35Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Thank goodness the GOP will run the Senate as well as the House. Good luck dancing on that two-legged stool. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1253 "2014-11-04T19:23:11Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > That’s true, and a good thing, because Dodd-Frank is terrible. Yeah, it’s terrible that the CFPB is cracking down on financial abuses of consumers who often don’t have the resources to fight back on their own. Doesn’t this intrude on the unlimited right of plutocrats to exploit the peons as they see fit? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1254 "2014-11-04T19:23:12Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > That is not remotely true. Please don’t assert things like that without citations. Immigration law. 'Nuff said. > [@](#): > > This is not remotely true. Population increase increases spending by necessity. Given inflation and population growth, spending should not increase by more than 3% a year. There’s also the realities of economic growth. Spending cannot increase by more than 3% per year over the long run anyway. > [@](#): > > And our taxes are historically low. Please try to learn the details before making sweeping pronouncements. I’m aware of that detail and it’s irrelevant. Democrats inability to raise taxes is political, not ideological. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1255 "2014-11-04T19:24:48Z")
[Quote=Bricker] Thank goodness the GOP will run the Senate as well as the House. [/QUOTE] Apart from pleasing your partisan desires, what do you imagine will change? ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1256 "2014-11-04T19:33:26Z")
These next two years can be as productive as Clinton’s last two years. One thing we can do is give Obama a surplus he can take credit for. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1257 "2014-11-04T19:37:06Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Good. No human suffering there. Not true. Some people think we should keep the world in a good state. Outdoorspersons will suffer in the short term, and future generations, robbed of a once beautiful area will suffer long term. “Why not sell off the Grand Canyon as a garbage dump?” — _Early 21st Century Conservative_ > [@](#): > > That claim is false. Is it? We’d still have troops in Iraq if the GOP got its way. > [@](#): > > That’s true, and a good thing, because Dodd-Frank is terrible. Just because \*you \*didn’t suffer in the Great Recession, it doesn’t mean it was laudable. Your assessment is noted, but it doesn’t have any comport with reality. > [@](#): > > No. They are in favor of companies paying women (and men) what they wish and what the mployee will accept. They’re not in favor of a mandated pay scale, because that kind of tinkering destroys economies and leads to great human suffering, a fact you’d think leftists would have learned from the Soviets. Paying women equally for equal work isn’t some leftist ideal. It’s basic human dignity. I get why you don’t care, but to assert that equal pay for equal work is Communism is simply goofy. > [@](#): > > Because government handouts are a generally poor idea An ideological bleat, not a reasoned comment. If you don’t want children starving, you need to have it. > [@](#): > > And it should be eliminated. Again, just rote ideological canting. > [@](#): > > Not even gonna bother with the rest of the absurdity. Just as well, you didn’t do much good with the meager attempts you did bother with. > [@](#): > > Thank goodness the GOP will run the Senate as well as the House. There is nothing good about causing needless human suffering. And being giddy about it, even less so. \<3 ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1258 "2014-11-04T19:45:00Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Immigration law. 'Nuff said. I’m not sure 'nuff was said. How about you elaborate on that? > [@](#): > > Given inflation and population growth, spending should not increase by more than 3% a year. There’s also the realities of economic growth. Spending cannot increase by more than 3% per year over the long run anyway. You’ll note that the Dems want to increase revenue and stop buying so many invisible jets. > [@](#): > > I’m aware of that detail and it’s irrelevant. Democrats inability to raise taxes is political, not ideological. Of course they’d raise taxes. The Clinton levels are demonstrably fine. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1259 "2014-11-04T19:55:37Z")
> [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](#): > > Apart from pleasing your partisan desires, what do you imagine will change? Oh, he’s said it elsewhere. He’s looking forward to Obama being denied the ability to appoint anyone to any Federal court for the next two years. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426/1260 "2014-11-04T20:03:23Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Of course they’d raise taxes. The Clinton levels are demonstrably fine. We are at Clinton levels and then some for the rich right now. For the middle class, not so much. But raising taxes on the middle class is a third rail. So it looks like you guys are going to have to limit your spending ambitions substantially. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426.md?page=62) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-still-trending-to-win-senate/695426.md?page=64)