I'll give the Democrats credit. They won in 2008. All they had to do was nominate someone who could give a good speech and was not named George W. Bush.

The GOP is in a similar spot. Not exactly the same, but similar. Anti-Obama sentiment is high. So I figured all they'd have to do is roll out a decent - not great, even - decent candidate, one who would roll through the primary season and stomp the terra in November.

This is what they've come up with? This is the best the GOP could muster? The November election will be a monument to all that is wrong with our political system and the results will lead us deeper into the quagmire we've been wading through for the past 6 or 7 years.

IMO, both parties jumped the shark a long time ago and I won't pin all of the country's woes on Obama ... or Dubya ... or Slick Willie. Instead, I blame the system. And I keep hoping that the system will right itself and we'll get a government that can actually get something done.

But I look ahead, see what we're headed for in November and can only shake my head.

What a mess.

/end rant

Carry on.

(02-16-2012 07:08 PM)BGSUalum1987 Wrote:  I'll give the Democrats credit. They won in 2008. All they had to do was nominate someone who could give a good speech and was not named George W. Bush.

The GOP is in a similar spot. Not exactly the same, but similar. Anti-Obama sentiment is high. So I figured all they'd have to do is roll out a decent - not great, even - decent candidate, one who would roll through the primary season and stomp the terra in November.

This is what they've come up with? This is the best the GOP could muster? The November election will be a monument to all that is wrong with our political system and the results will lead us deeper into the quagmire we've been wading through for the past 6 or 7 years.

IMO, both parties jumped the shark a long time ago and I won't pin all of the country's woes on Obama ... or Dubya ... or Slick Willie. Instead, I blame the system. And I keep hoping that the system will right itself and we'll get a government that can actually get something done.

But I look ahead, see what we're headed for in November and can only shake my head.

What a mess.

/end rant

Carry on.

I agree with a lot but this is different than 2008.. The Media would have swooned for Hilary or Obama in the General and they will vilify anyone not Obama this time.

It's worse than you can imagine, it's already looking like an Obama landslide meaning he can spend his money helping get another SUPER majority.

A recent Fox News Polls showed Obama has a big lead over all Republican candidates in the swing states. He is an average of +8 over ORama, +9 over Santorum, +12 over Paul, and +20 over Gingrich. If he's a lock this early he'll spend his $1billion helping his leftwing buddies win in the battleground districts.

Hmm... I keep hoping for a government that will quit doing things.

If Obama is re-elected and democrats control both houses, we are toast as a country. Given the makeup going-in of the senate seats up this time, it seems pretty unlikely that democrats could get a filibuster-proof senate, but they could still hang on to control. I still think republicans are more likely to retain the house, but it's not a given.

Good, sobering post.

(02-17-2012 12:39 AM)Owl 69/70/75 Wrote:  I still think republicans are more likely to retain the house, but it's not a given.

Nationwide, Dems and GOPs may split the overall House vote 50/50, but when you really go down the list, district by district, it seems clear to me that the Democrats' ceiling this year is about 206-209 seats, barring some dramatic partisan shift in the next 8 months.

(02-16-2012 07:08 PM)BGSUalum1987 Wrote:  Instead, I blame the system. And I keep hoping that the system will right itself and we'll get a government that can actually get something done.

It's partly the system, partly the nature of the occupation. To be a high-ranking politician, you need to have a Type A personality, be slick and conniving, constantly tell people how great you are, be surrounded by security night and day, and have a thick-as-a-wall skin to handle all the mudslinging and anger directed toward you from half the population, and most of the world, for 4-8 years. Not to mention being OK with your spouse and kids in the glaring spotlight and also subject to ridicule.

It takes a certain kind of someone to look at all that and say, "Oh yeah, sign me up!" The best minds and most level heads are in the private sector or work in non-elected public jobs.

(02-16-2012 07:08 PM)BGSUalum1987 Wrote:  Instead, I blame the system.

Remember, in 1790 the US population was 3.9M. There were 21-25 Senators and 59-65 Representatives in the 1st US Congress.

That's less than 67K people per representative. You don't even get that in State legislatures these days.

The US is woefully underrepresented in the Federal Gov't.

I believe that's part of the problem.