Before we get to campaign reform, we need a Supreme Court that agrees that gerrymandering is fundamentally anti-democratic (in the broad sense of the term, not referring to the political party). Look at the results in, say, Texas, and ask yourself how it is that just about every House race was decided by a more than 2:1 ratio.
Balok
Muad’Dib pokes head out from under covers, grumbles, goes back to bed
Shake your boooooooty
Shake your booooooty
(/) (|) (_) (|_)
Well, congratulations!
I look forward to the hard work of a responsible agenda.
Regards,
Shodan
:: cautious sigh of relief from north of the border ::
It’ll be interesting to see how this plays out in Canadian politics, since our current PM and governing party seems to want to hitch its wagon to Bush’s now-fading star… but is in a monority position, and if it does anything sufficiently unpopular, all the oposition parties can gang up on it, pass a non-confidence motion, and pull the plug on it…
Happy Happy Happy!
I am twice blessed today; Democrats retake the House, and I win $100!!!
Very happy about the national scene. Locally, however, the knuckledraggers and slack-jawed yokels apparently have said ‘yes’ to more closed-door sessions, more corruption, more cronyism, and continued do-nothing legislative sessions. Crap.
'M quite happy with our retaking the House, and am anxiously watching the returns of VA and MT. And the chances look relatively good.
However, I know better than to tempt the wrath of the whatever from high atop the thing. So I wait. And watch more. And hope.
I’m delighted the House went Democratic. Most importantly, it makes Bush unable to try to push his idiotic Social Security plan (There were reports that he wanted to try again).
I don’t think there’s anyone in the Bush administration who deserves to be impeached; incompetence is not a “high crime or misdemeanor.” However, the House can investigate things like war profiteering.
I’m not yet optimistic about the Senate – it’s still too close. And, yes, Bernie Sanders of VT will be counted among Democrats: that’s how he voted in the House. It’s interesting that we not have a self-avowed Socialist in the Senate, though.
Locally, I’m pretty happy. A local Bush loyalist (he led the charge that disrupted ballot counting in Florida in 2000) was kicked out of office, in a heavily Republican district. But it was suburban – which has been favoring Democrats this year – and he ran a down-and-dirty campaign (the Democrat did the same, but had far fewer misleading charges). He probably lost because of his lawyer: a police report was leaked that implied he had beaten his wife. He said it was nothing and offered to give out the report, but his lawyer told him not to. When he backtracked on that, his campaign fell apart.
New York went Democratic statewide, including for Comptroller, despite the fact that he’s likely to be removed from office due to misuse of funds. But by winning, that will probably happen after he’s sworn in again, so the Democratic governor will appoint his replacement.
But it’s the first good election for me since 1996.
I bought my favorite cookie (from Whole Foods) a few days ago with the intentions of ingesting in celebration (or consolation). I ate the cookie this morning and am both happy about the results and very optimistic about the Senate. 
I don’t want a slash ‘n’ burn Dem party indulging in payback, but given that the Administration has quite literally gotten away with murder, I do want more hearings about the more insidious aspects of the war’s execution and a greater transparency and accountability for all its actions in the future.
Damn! I had recalled you guys agreeing to $100 per seat. Oh well, $100 is still a nice thing.
My dance-fu is weak; I must rely on copying others. But, I promise not to carry on with the Brickey Shuffle for months and months. It’s unseemly.
I nominate this for “classiest good-loser post of the day.”
He’s right, Dems. Good job on the win–now, do something that shows you have a real plan. (Progressive Republican, anti-neocon checking in.)
Breaking news: Rummy just got fired.
More breaking news: The Associated Press has called the Montana Senate race for Tester (the Democrat).
Well, resigned, technically. But I’ll take it anyway. Woo-hoo!
It went down, 52.1% to 47.9%, with 100% of precincts reporting. Hope that’s the result you were hoping for.
I’m happy that Prop 85 (parental notification for teenagers’ abortions) went down, too. To make my joy complete, it got voted down by a larger margin than the near-identical Proposition 73 did last year (85 had 54.1% voting no, 73 had 52.8% voting no) 
Some of its backers are saying they’ll try again in 2008 :rolleyes: - I hope the trend continues if they do.
WASHINGTON (AP) – Republican officials say Speaker Dennis Hastert has told fellow GOP lawmakers he does not intend to run for minority leader when Democrats take control of the House.
WOOOO HOOOOO!!!
Yes, I did the happy dance last night (more like happy headbanging 
) and I’m on pins and needles waiting for the official announcement on the outcome of VA election to see if Senate gets taken…wait for it…wait for it…
More celebrations tonight, absolutely.
A couple of flies in the ointment; notably, Perry re-elected TX Gov and Hutchison re-elected to Senate, but I guess I expected that.
I guess we’ll all meet back here in December for the results of the Virginia senate race! 
I am beyond thrilled about all this. Being a lonely Texas Democrat sucks, but this kind of thing makes me feel much better. Now my neighbors’s blind stupidity can’t screw things up as much on a national/global level.