Election: what made you happy, what made you sad?

[blastula]

AP calls it for Tester.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Repudiation in some spots, but in general, those he campaigned for... won and by a decent margin, though tight in Florida, Arizona, and Montana. The posturing with Kavanaugh, the "caravan", the whining about the massing shooting taking the fire out of their torches, ... it all seemed to work, which remains frightening.

Much like how the Dems might have beat the Repubs by 5% and have a notably smaller majority (looking like 21 seat) in the House than the Repubs did with a 1% victory in '16 (47 seat majority).

Flipped the House, picked up seven governorships. The last midterm in a comparably strong economy, 1998, the incumbent party gained seats. And turnout was the highest in 40 years. Can't tell me Trump wasn't responsible.

Expanded Senate lead (albeit generally in red states, and not by much), House majority isn't large, lost few governorships that were attainable. Gains in Texas and California were heavily limited. This wasn't a full on smack against Trump. Sure, it was close in Texas, Arizona, and Florida, but +/- doesn't pass legislation. As I noted in another thread, this is a 1-1 away leg draw. Many positives, but the team still needs to perform in the home draw to move forward.

What bothers me most was Ted Cruz's speech, about how outsiders tried to take Texas away from itself. The rhetoric isn't stopping. That is when you know the Dems won by a good deal, when the TeaBagger shit ends.

 

[Ford]

Sad about Beto. A young, charismatic progressive loses to a truly vile human being. Good job, Texas.

Happy about the House flipping. Hello investigations! Mixed feelings about Pelosi. Glad because she drives the wingers nuts, but come on Democrats, how about some new leadership?

Arizona...not much to be happy about. Governor Douchey won another term. After all the effort of Red for Ed, the voters shrugged and said (mostly) "screw the teachers." Looks like Trumpy McFighterpilot will probably take the open Senate seat. On the bright side my district remained blue and it looks like my co-worker's wife might win her bid to be in the madhouse we call our legislature.

 

[Derec]

Ilhan Omar getting elected in Minnesota.

She is an Islamist, and an antisemite and likely committed immigration fraud. Did not stop people from Keith Ellison's old district to overwhelmingly vote for her.

Marriage discrepancy clouds Ilhan Omar's historic primary victory

And do Muslims now own the 5th Minnesota district? I thought Dearbornistan was bad, but is Minneapolistan next?

 

[abaddon]

Happy: That it wasn't a red wave. I didn't know what I would do but despair if Americans showed how horrible they are. So it's a relief that the results weren't entirely horrible.

Kansas has a native American senator now, who's both female and openly gay. That's surprising for these disgusting pigs in the midwest. And the governor's a Dem, finally. That might be more thanks to Brownback than Trump though.

Sad: No blue wave. I know it's unrealistic considering what humans are. But, that's the problem. It should be realistic considering what Trump is... but, no.

 

[Derec]

Kansas has a native American senator now, who's both female and openly gay.

Elizabeth Warren moved to Kansas?

Seriously though, Kansas did not have a Senate race this year. Who are you talking about?

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

Last time Pelosi became Speaker Bush was president. Much to my disappointment she started her term as speaker by saying "Impeachment is off the table."

What can we expect from Speaker Pelosi this time?

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Last time Pelosi became Speaker Bush was president. Much to my disappointment she started her term as speaker by saying "Impeachment is off the table."

What can we expect from Speaker Pelosi this time?

The main thing to watch for will be the first time Trump challenges her on anything. Will she fold that same day or will she wait until the end of the week to surrender in order to look tough for the base?

It's going to be exciting to see her in action.

 

[Opoponax]

One step at a time. At least we got the house and some governorships. Also though, right now is the best Trump will ever be doing.

Mueller's investigation hasn't reported its conclusions, the Michael Cohen thing is ongoing, and suits involving both domestic and foreign emoluments are ongoing as well. This is before the House begins any of its own investigations. If Trump can actually stagger through to 2020 without getting removed or resigning*, the Republicans will run someone else against him because there's no way in hell he can win.

Also, we still have Ted Cruz to kick around.

*"Resign", by all things good and decent, should be spelled with a "z."

 

[abaddon]

Kansas has a native American senator now, who's both female and openly gay.

Elizabeth Warren moved to Kansas?

Seriously though, Kansas did not have a Senate race this year. Who are you talking about?

Typed "senator" but meant representative.

 

[ZiprHead]

Happy about the House flipping. Hello investigations! Mixed feelings about Pelosi. Glad because she drives the wingers nuts, but come on Democrats, how about some new leadership?

Agreed. For all the shit the right makes about Pelosi, she lets them get away with a lot. The should be grateful to her.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Kansas has a native American senator now, who's both female and openly gay.

Elizabeth Warren moved to Kansas?

Seriously though, Kansas did not have a Senate race this year. Who are you talking about?

Typed "senator" but meant representative.

They also have a Democrat Governor!

I suppose one thing that some people might have overlooked with the happy is Kris Kobach fucking lost!!!

 

[Politesse]

Last time Pelosi became Speaker Bush was president. Much to my disappointment she started her term as speaker by saying "Impeachment is off the table."

What can we expect from Speaker Pelosi this time?

"Impeachment is off the table."

- - - Updated - - -

(were there any recreational ballots this time around)?

I have never heard of anyone voting recreationally.

They do in the territories, sometimes.

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

Isn't it adorable that people still use Hillary as the boogeyman?

She doesn't scare Republicans at all anymore, but if she actually is planning on running again in 2020 the Democrats should be terrified.

That is when you know the Dems won by a good deal, when the TeaBagger shit ends.

The Tea Party movement hasn't been a force in US politics for several years. The Republicans have effectively neutralized it.

That's surprising for these disgusting pigs in the midwest.

THAT's the rhetoric you need. Had there been more talk like that I'm sure the Democrats would have picked up a lot more seats, and maybe even taken the Senate.

Mueller's investigation hasn't reported its conclusions, the Michael Cohen thing is ongoing, and suits involving both domestic and foreign emoluments are ongoing as well. This is before the House begins any of its own investigations. If Trump can actually stagger through to 2020 without getting removed or resigning*, the Republicans will run someone else against him because there's no way in hell he can win.

I don't think so. I think this loss is good for Trump. He needs an enemy to fight against, and the Democrats just gave him one.

The real question is now "so what?" Okay, the Democrats issues tons of subpoenas and think they might have a case against Trump. They do what? Send it to the Senate? The Senate just got more Republican, which means the next judge will be even easier for Trump, so even if by some miracle the Republicans move against Trump the House Democrats won't be able to erase his court appointments.

 

[Derec]

Typed "senator" but meant representative.

I see. You mean Sharice Davids? Her election is bad news too. It looks like Dems are sending a lot of looney tunes to Congress, just like Republicans in 2010.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

The real question is now "so what?" Okay, the Democrats issues tons of subpoenas and think they might have a case against Trump. They do what? Send it to the Senate? The Senate just got more Republican, which means the next judge will be even easier for Trump, so even if by some miracle the Republicans move against Trump the House Democrats won't be able to erase his court appointments.

Ya, the only real thing that subpoena power will allow the Dems to do is to provide information about what Trump is doing. Given that no Trump supporters have their opinions swayed based on information about what Trump is doing and Trump opponents already have enough information about what Trump is doing to be against him, it seems like a fairly moot power.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I'm wondering if the Dems can block Trump's illegal tariffs via the House.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

I'm wondering if the Dems can block Trump's illegal tariffs via the House.

Wouldn't they need both the House and the Senate to do that?

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

I'm wondering if the Dems can block Trump's illegal tariffs via the House.

Wouldn't they need both the House and the Senate to do that?

I'm thinking maybe a lawsuit.

 

[Sarpedon]

The big question is how long we can afford to wait. This election showed one important thing: The Republicans are losing the suburbs. Once their strong base, they are now very much in dispute. They lost the cities long ago. One fun fact of this election is that the republicans lost Staten Island, their last urban district. 75% of Americans live in cities or suburbs.

America is diversifying and urbanizing. A strictly rural party can't win. They have everything gerrymandered in their favor, but the limits of that are staring them in the face.

Do we have the time?