Wednesday Open Thread

43
  by: Colorado Pols November 9, 2016 at 7:14 AM MST

Apparently it was not a bad dream.

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43 Community Comments, Facebook Comments

  1. JohnInDenver says:
    November 9, 2016 at 7:20 AM MST

    top line:

    2012   Democrat popular vote   65,915,795

    2016   Democrat popular vote   59,233,484

    Seems like the voter suppression by legislatures, court acquiescence, FBI insinuations, and Democratic triumphalism had an impact.

    • Civics101 says:
      November 9, 2016 at 9:22 AM MST

      No, it's been eight years of an imperial Obama presidency, and the assumption that Hillary was "entitled" to be the next Democratic president (remember that, Bernie fans?) that caused about 6 million less popular votes for the Democratic nominee. 

      "Voter suppression" is a myth and a poor excuse for a pathetic political strategy put forth by the Democratic Party.  If a citizen really wants to cast a ballot, there are many ways — and time — to do it.

      The truth is people are tired of the Clintons and all the scandals that seem to follow them.  It is surprising how many "blue" states voted against a "third term" for the Obama presidency and were glad to put the Clintons behind them once and for all.

      Frankly, the national Democratic Party has more internal problems than the national Republican Party does.  The GOP had 17 presidential candidates, including two Hispanics, a woman, and a black.  The Democrats had 5 presidential candidates, two of who were former Republicans.  The last two standing — Sanders and Clinton — were 75 and 69, respectively. 

      It does not seem that the Democrats have much of a bench nationally or even in this state.  It is remarkable that it was the Colorado Republicans, not Colorado Democrats, that had two black candidates on the ballot for federal elected offices.

      Voters, across the nation, weren't buying what Democrats were selling in 2016.  It will be interesting if they continue to pursue the "War on Women" strategy in 2018.  It hasn't worked in the last two cycles.

    • notaskinnycook says:
      November 9, 2016 at 1:40 PM MST

      So did the whiny-ass crybabies who voted third party.

       

  2. Andrew Carnegie says:
    November 9, 2016 at 7:42 AM MST

    In eight years we have gone from Dem President, Dem Senate and Dem House to Republican President, Republican Senate and Republican House.

    Perhaps some introspection as to what the Dems did over the last 8 years that pissed off so many voters is in order.

    In Colorado eight years ago, 4 House members and 2 Senators, now 3 House members and 1 Senator.

    It was not your message, it is what you did with the opportunity.

    • ct says:
      November 9, 2016 at 9:14 AM MST

      You own it now pumpkin, I'd be getting to work if I were you. 

      • Civics101 says:
        November 9, 2016 at 9:32 AM MST

        Well, obviously, voters feel better having Republicans owning it than Democrats. 

        The real question now is will the Senate Democrats be the obstructionists they complained about the Senate Republicans being? 

        Considering 23 Democratic Senate seats (plus the two Independents that caucus with the Dems) are up for election in 2018, I do not think so.  There is already talk that Democratic West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin is thinking about switching to Independent and caucusing with the Senate GOP.  The political pendulum is starting to swing back to the right.  

        • notaskinnycook says:
          November 9, 2016 at 5:25 PM MST

          So? Manchin was always half-Republican anyway. 

        • mamajama55 says:
          November 9, 2016 at 5:59 PM MST

          You don't know shit. Democrats will be as obstructionist as we need to be. The nuclear option on the Supreme Court, for a start. Merrick Garland needs to be confirmed with simple up or down vote. Middle of the night session, recess appointment, whatever it takes. Stop fucking around with these clowns.

          How are Republicans going to keep their charade going when Trump is brought up on racketeering charges, sexual assault and harassment civil suits, IRS penalties, voter suppression (violation of the consent decree), treacherous conspiracy with Russian intelligence, and whatever else he's been flagrantly violating. I think he'll be impeached. This is why he's already threatening Paul Ryan.

          Even in our worst of times with our worst presidents (Harding, Nixon, more), the American people have not stood outright criminals in the highest office in the land.

          • Civics101 says:
            November 9, 2016 at 7:01 PM MST

            Trust me, Mamajama55, if Harry Reid pulls the nuclear option, in the lame duck session, the 54 GOP senators will vote down Merrick Garland's nomination.  Then, the nuclear option will be in effect for the next four years of a Trump presidency.  Be careful what you wish for.

            Frankly, I thought Mitch McConnell and the Senate GOP handled Judge Garland's nomination very poorly.  They should have held the hearings and then voted against his confirmation, if they wanted.  It's happened plenty of times before by both parties.

            If Hillary Clinton wasn't brought up on charges, neither will be Trump.  Civil suits and IRS penalties are not impeachable offenses.  Voter suppression by someone who didn't even hold any political power?  That's a neat trick!  Racketeering charges?  Good luck with that. 

            "Treacherous conspiracy with Russian intelligence?"  I think Russian intelligence got everything they needed from Hillary's private e-mail server, Eric Snowden, and Wikileaks.     

            By the way, you left Jimmy Carter off the list of our worst presidents.

          • notaskinnycook says:
            November 9, 2016 at 11:31 PM MST

            I'm with you on that one MJ. I give him two years until his precious Republican Congress is forced to start impeachment proceedings. There's such a smorgasbord of crimes to pick from. And, as Karen said this evening, by 2020 no one will be able to figure out how he ever won since no one will cop to voting for him.

    • davebarnes says:
      November 9, 2016 at 9:36 AM MST

      I am here you shill.

      What is your real name?

    • DavidThi808 says:
      November 9, 2016 at 4:35 PM MST

      You're right but at the moment most Dems are shooting the messenger. Especially if the messenger is a Repub.

      ps – One piece of good news for us dems!

  3. Gorky Pulviczek says:
    November 9, 2016 at 7:47 AM MST

    Incontrovertible proof that we Democrats are as vulnerable to the echo chamber as anybody else.

  4. Gray in Mountains says:
    November 9, 2016 at 7:48 AM MST

    A lot of people are the brown acid. In spite of the warnings 

  5. itlduso says:
    November 9, 2016 at 7:49 AM MST

    November 8, 2016.  A day that will live in infamy.

  6. Pseudonymous says:
    November 9, 2016 at 8:10 AM MST

    BRITAIN: Brexit is the stupidest, most self-destructive act a country could undertake.
    USA: Hold my beer.

    — Brian Pedaci (@bpedaci) November 9, 2016

  8. allyncooper says:
    November 9, 2016 at 8:37 AM MST

    Al Sharpton, Charlie Rangle, and Ruth Bader Ginzburg all said they would leave the country if Trump became president.  Hopefully they are honorable people and keep their word.

    On January 20, 2017 we will start draining the swamp.

     

    • Conserv. Head Banger says:
      November 9, 2016 at 5:20 PM MST

      Actually, allyn, you won't be draining much of anything. Case in point: Obamacare, what will be done with over 10,000,000 people who now have health insurance? Thus far, I haven't seen much of an answer from my fellow Republicans, altho I thought Orinn Hatch of Utah was working on something. Don't remember details now; it's been a few years. But I recall that I was liking much of it.

      2nd case in point: completely repealing Obamacare eliminates the major increase from the Affordable Care Act in funding to fight Medicare fraud. How is that dealt with?

      In general, there always is room for reforms of one kind or another when the out-of-power party takes over. The issue becomes not throwing the baby out with the bath water. 

  9. Powerful Pear says:
    November 9, 2016 at 10:41 AM MST

    An encore performance is required.

    https://youtu.be/ZAAKPJEq1Ew

     

     

  10. JeffcoDemo says:
    November 9, 2016 at 12:14 PM MST

    Bright spots:

     

    Rachel Zenzinger (Dem)

    47.8%

     

    (36,616)

    Laura Woods (GOP)

    46.1%

     

    (35,310)

    Hans Romer (Lib)

    5.9%

     

    (4,573)

     

     

     

    Thank god for Libertarians.

     

  11. Pseudonymous says:
    November 9, 2016 at 2:04 PM MST

    Sources: Gardner to lead Senate GOP campaign arm

    Colorado GOP Sen. Cory Gardner has locked up enough votes to be the National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman for the 2018 cycle, four sources with direct knowledge of the matter told POLITICO.

    The freshman senator, whose political team has been laying the groundwork to help the Senate GOP’s campaign arm for nearly a year, made a final round of phone calls to win enough support to take the job. His competition, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), is expected to support Gardner’s bid next week in leadership elections.

  12. Conserv. Head Banger says:
    November 9, 2016 at 3:42 PM MST

    Being freely honest, I do not like Trump and consider him a pompous ass. I did not vote for him. But, as a Republican, I have to "own" him and his performance. There is a bright side. Trump is erratic enough that one never quite knows where he will come down on an issue. Had Cruz gotten the nomination and won, we'd be looking at the "rapture" and the beginning of theocracy. And Trump is not a hard line far rightie. Now that he's elected, he can chart his own course; maybe listen at times to Paul Ryan and Ditch McDonnell, or not. The national Dems do have their work cut out for them. Elizabeth Warren is not the answer and Bernie will be too old in 2020.

    Locally, I was generally pleased. Public lands opponent Laura Woods went down. Single payer got wiped out; as did the tax & spend tobacco tax. Death with dignity passed. The JeffCo school tax & bond measures went down; half billion for a district with flat enrollment did not make fiscal sense. And the best news of the evening; SCFD was re-authorized. 

    • notaskinnycook says:
      November 9, 2016 at 11:44 PM MST

      Thank you, CHB. I couldn't imagine that you voted for him. Unlike too many of the loud-mouthed Republicans who troll this site, you obviously have more that three functional brain cells. Unfortunately, POTUS-elect doesn't seem to. 

  13. doremi says:
    November 9, 2016 at 10:35 PM MST

    Andrew,

    You so very regularly misrepresent things.

    Yes.  President Obama was our President for 8 years, but he had a Democratic senate for a very short time.  You'll remember Al Franken was late in being seated, the Scott Brown took Edward Kennedy's seat.

    You also seem to have failed to remember the impact of 8 years of obstructionism by the Republican leaders, most recently represented by their failure to even hold hearings for a Supreme Court justice, a gambit they played well to a populace that doesn't seem to care about the constitution and duties of elected leaders. 

     

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