Good news: Dems have a shot at filibuster-proof senate majority

posted at 7:02 pm on May 28, 2008 by Allahpundit

Via the Standard, every few months The Hill runs a story along these lines and every time they do things look a little worse. Cheer up, though: None of the five conservatives on the Supreme Court should be retiring anytime soon, and except for health care, any sweeping policy initiatives likely to be signed by President Obama would also be signed by President McCain, cough, cough. Bring on the golden age!

A flood of recent polls supports Democratic arguments that the party will win a larger majority in the Senate in the next election.

Democrats have now polled ahead or within the margin of error in 11 Republican-held seats, as polls conducted in recent weeks show openings in second-tier targets including Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas…

Democrats have also polled ahead in at least some of the polling in Alaska, Colorado, New Hampshire, New Mexico and Virginia, polling substantial leads in the latter three. They have also been within the margin of error in Minnesota and Oregon.

Though it hasn’t polled close yet, the party is also banking on Rep. Tom Allen (Maine) closing the gap in his race against Sen. Susan Collins (R).

On second thought, defunding the war would count as a rather sharp policy difference between Presidents Obama and McCain, huh? Maybe we should stop thinking about 60 as the magic number and start thinking about the two-thirds majority it would take to override a McCain veto. We’re bound to end up with at least 34 hawkish Republicans, aren’t we? Aren’t we?

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McCAIN DOESN’T LIKE UNIONS
McCain: Unions Have Played ‘Important Role’ But Have ‘Serious Excesses.’ When asked if unions are good for America, McCain responded, “I think the unions have played a very important role in the history of this country to improve the plight and conditions of laboring Americans. I think that like many other monopolies, in some cases they have then serious excesses.” [GOP Dearborn Debate, MSNBC, 10/9/07]

McCain: Teachers’ Unions Serve Unions’ Interest, NOT Children’s Interest. McCain has repeatedly attacked teachers’ unions. “It’s time to break the grip of the education monopoly that serves the union bosses at the expense of our children,” he said. [The New York Times, 2/11/00]

McCain Says Government Workers Are ‘Crippled’ by Union Contracts. In his speech to the Oklahoma State Legislature, McCain said, “We must streamline our workforce, demand high standards of behavior, promote excellence at every level based on merit and accountability, and not let good workers be crippled by the fine print of the latest union contract…. The civil service has strayed from its reformist roots and has mutated into a no-accountability zone, where employment is treated as an entitlement, good performance as an option, and accountability as someone else’s problem.” [Address to the Oklahoma State Legislature, 5/21/07]

Damn near communist, I tells ya:

McCain Crossed a Writers Guild Picket Line to Appear on ‘The Tonight Show.’

McCain crossed the picket line of the Writers Guild of America to appear on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” [Think Progress, accessed 2/27/08]

McCain Voted to Allow Employers to Hire Permanent Replacements During a Strike. McCain voted against ending debate on a bill that would bar employers from hiring permanent replacements for striking workers. [S. 55,Vote #189, 7/13/94]

McCain Voted Against Collective Bargaining Rights for TSA Screeners. McCain voted against a measure to grant Transportation Security Administration (TSA) airport screeners limited collective bargaining rights. The measure would not have allowed them to strike or negotiate for higher pay. [S. 4, Vote #64, 3/7/07]

funky chicken on May 28, 2008 at 11:40 PM

McCain Dismissed Concerns on Mortgage Crisis and Economy. While campaigning in Florida, McCain dismissed concerns about the economy. “Even if the economy is the, quote, No. 1 issue, the real issue will remain America’s security,” McCain said. “And if they choose to say, ‘Look, I do not need this guy because he’s not as good on home loan mortgages or whatever it is, I understand about that, I will accept that verdict. I am running because of the transcendental challenge of the 21st century, which is radical Islamic extremism.” (The New York Times, 1/28/08)

McCain’s Economic Plan Helps Corporations, not Working Families. “McCain offered sweeping rhetoric about the economic plight of working-class Americans…even as he spelled out a tax and spending agenda whose benefits are aimed squarely at spurring corporate growth.” (The Washington Post, 4/16/08)

McCain Offers Massive Tax Cuts for Corporations and the Wealthy. McCain’s plan offers two massive tax cuts for corporations, slashing tax rates from 35 percent to 25 percent, with 58 percent of the benefits going to the top 1 percent of taxpayers. This is an even larger tax rate cut for the wealthiest taxpayers than Bush gave them. (Reuters, 3/10/08; “Five Easy Pieces and Two Trillion Dollars,” Center for American Progress Action Fund, 3/21/08)

Yeah, he’s pretty much exactly the same as Obama.

McCAIN VOTES WITH BUSH
McCain Voted with the Bush Administration 89 Percent of the Time. Since President Bush took office, McCain has supported Bush’s positions 89 percent of the time. McCain’s support of Bush’s policies reached as high as 95 percent in 2007. [Congressional Quarterly Voting Study, 110th Congress]

funky chicken on May 28, 2008 at 11:44 PM

All right, I’ll be positive. How the GOP can win.

Basically, stop doing things which are unpopular, and start doing things which ARE popular. Also, start fighting the battle for public opinion.

1) Every last Republican who goes on TV or radio should be pinning the blame for high energy prices on the Democrats, every day, every week, every month. They are responsible, so lets make them pay the price.

2) The war is a millstone around the GOP’s neck. Due to poor communications by the Bush WH, the American people feel it’s been bungled and they want it done with. Offer them some fixed term plan, say three years, to wrap things up there.

3) There was a recent WSJ opinion poll which found that 59% of Republicans think free trade is a bad for America. Of Republicans, not of independent or Democrats. Yet the GOP is wedded to more and more free trade. The political consequences of this are blindingly obvious. So STOP DOING IT.

4) In case you have not noticed, amnesty and illegal immigration are very unpopular. STOP TRYING TO PASS AMNESTY AND START TRYING TO END ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION.

These few items would go a long long way towards making the GOP a majority party again. Too bad they are opposed by influential minorities within the GOP.

flenser on May 28, 2008 at 11:45 PM

I am running because of the transcendental challenge of the 21st century, which is radical Islamic extremism.”

Who is going to vote for a guy who says things like that? Not your average voter I think.

flenser on May 28, 2008 at 11:48 PM

As long as we are doing news releases.

Senator Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) reintroduced the Climate Stewardship and Innovation Act (S. 280) today with his longstanding ally, Senator John McCain (R-AZ). Co-sponsoring the bill are Senators Barack Obama (D-IL) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), who had co-sponsored the 2005 version of the bill, and Senators Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Susan Collins (R-ME). The most bipartisan of the Senate proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across all major sectors of the US economy, the new bill quickly won endorsements from the National Wildlife Federation, Environmental Defense, and the Pew Center on Global Climate Change.

flenser on May 28, 2008 at 11:51 PM

That’s some company McCain runs with. Lieberman, Snowe, Collins, Lincoln, and Barack Obama.

flenser on May 28, 2008 at 11:53 PM

There are more than a couple “Blue Dog” Dems. For example, one of my Senators from Nebraska (Ben Nelson) is about as conservative as they come even though he has a (D) next to his name.

Yakko77 on May 28, 2008 at 11:58 PM

flenser on May 28, 2008 at 11:51 PM

As long as climate controls regs are added to the WTO charter, it will benefit the US at the expense of India and China. U.S. industries are already much cleaner than those in developing countries, where cleaner manufacturing means real cost increases.

And if a climate bill pushes us further toward renewable energy and away from foreign oil, I’ll all for it. You’d think that Bush and his oil henchman would be the ones to come up with a long-term solution to our energy crisis (or as some on this board say, the ‘so-called’ energy crisis).
But there’s no sign of it yet.

And another liberal fool calls it a ‘crisis’:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24863925/

bayam on May 28, 2008 at 11:59 PM

You’d think that Bush and his oil henchman would be the ones to come up with a long-term solution to our energy crisis (or as some on this board say, the ’so-called’ energy crisis).

Bush and his oil henchmen. Laff. Your last name wouldn’t be Monbiot, would it?

The energy crisis is that the Democrats and enviro-wackos have hijacked energy policy for at least 30 years now.

We have over 100 BILLION known barrels of oil in US territory.

misterpeasea on May 29, 2008 at 12:05 AM

bayam on May 28, 2008 at 11:59 PM

We don’t need to drill no stinkin’ oil wells in the U.S.A., and we don’t need any more stinkin’ refineries.

Johan Klaus on May 29, 2008 at 12:18 AM

And you need to be for (3) also. The billion person America being conjured into existence will need staggering amounts of energy, more than we can ever produce ourselves. (Startling new scientific breakthroughs excepted.)

flenser on May 28, 2008 at 11:13 PM

I am, as evidenced by my numerous, and often detailed, comments on the illegal immigration threads. I was just focused on the energy production side of the dilemma, but you’re right. Though, some here, and in general, will argue that we need the people here to counter the increase in the Muslim world (all war on terror related and for another thread).

Entelechy on May 29, 2008 at 12:31 AM

In public they preach the water, in “private” they guzzle the wine.
- Entelechy

MB4 on May 28, 2008 at 10:51 PM

Well, it was Heinrich Heine, but I did quote him very often, and will continue to, as his saying is most befitting the hypocrits.

Entelechy on May 29, 2008 at 12:34 AM

Entelechy on May 29, 2008 at 12:34 AM

Weiss Wein oder dunkel Bier.

Johan Klaus on May 29, 2008 at 12:46 AM

The energy crisis is that the Democrats and enviro-wackos have hijacked energy policy for at least 30 years now.

We have over 100 BILLION known barrels of oil in US territory.

You seem to be misinformed. Most of that oil was never economical to get out of the ground or rock at $25 barrel (before the war). On the other side, no one seriously raised CAFE standards over the last 30 years, as if oil would last forever. Cars never gained in fuel efficiency.

The world needs several more Saudi Arabias to feed China and India and the rest of the developing world’s growing demand for fossil fuels. The only way for the US to gain energy independence is by switching to another vehicle power source (like electricity or fuel cells) and to build out nuclear and alternative energy plants. Nuclear and some other energies upset environmentalists, but there’s really no other choice.

bayam on May 29, 2008 at 1:12 AM

Though things do seem to look grim I wouldn’t panic just yet. Provided the O doesn’t take the White House I expect the rising tide of blue to sweep onto the Hill and promptly set upon one another. The Dems are notorious for doing so. They have only one thing in common: Hatred of Republicans. Once the Republicans are defeated they will turn to infighting over which group (blacks, women, gays, unions, etc) will get what special treatment. If Red team can hold the PotUS and thus the Supreme Court, a reformed Republican party can comeback during the midterm elections to fight back the advances of Socialism.

So what I guess I’m saying is:

F\/

Browncoatone on May 29, 2008 at 2:47 AM

Looks like I go cut off there.

So I guess what I’m saying is:

F#@$ it! McCain!

Browncoatone on May 29, 2008 at 2:49 AM

Maybe we should stop thinking about 60 as the magic number and start thinking about the two-thirds majority it would take to override a McCain veto. We’re bound to end up with at least 34 hawkish Republicans, aren’t we? Aren’t we?

Magic 8 Ball says at this rate…. NO!

linlithgow on May 29, 2008 at 3:38 AM

Might be interesting to think about what happens to this applecart if President Bush attacks Iran from the air in August, as some are predicting. . .

MrLynn on May 29, 2008 at 7:56 AM

As long as climate controls regs are added to the WTO charter, it will benefit the US at the expense of India and China. U.S. industries are already much cleaner than those in developing countries, where cleaner manufacturing means real cost increases.

And if a climate bill pushes us further toward renewable energy and away from foreign oil, I’ll all for it. You’d think that Bush and his oil henchman would be the ones to come up with a long-term solution to our energy crisis (or as some on this board say, the ’so-called’ energy crisis).
But there’s no sign of it yet.

And another liberal fool calls it a ‘crisis’:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24863925/

bayam on May 28, 2008 at 11:59 PM

You are either one confused puppy or just an idiot, I can’t decide.
I’m an exploration geologist and oil producer, does that make me one of Bush’s “oil henchmen”? Where do you come up with this slimy Maoist crap?
We are killing ourselves by not allowing drilling and domestic production and this moronic global warming crap is setting out to destroy coal – our major source of electricity – and we are, literally, the Saudi Arabia of coal. How is domestic coal not an “alternative energy”?

TexasJew on May 29, 2008 at 9:28 AM

We are killing ourselves by not allowing drilling and domestic production and this moronic global warming crap is setting out to destroy coal – our major source of electricity – and we are, literally, the Saudi Arabia of coal. How is domestic coal not an “alternative energy”?

TexasJew on May 29, 2008 at 9:28 AM

Hear! Hear! Well said!

*******AMERICAN ENERGY FOR AMERICAN GROWTH!********

MrLynn on May 29, 2008 at 9:38 AM

Hey, anyone out there make bumper stickers?

I want one that says:

***AMERICAN ENERGY FOR AMERICAN GROWTH!***
Drill * Mine * Burn * Refine

MrLynn on May 29, 2008 at 9:41 AM

Just to recap: no way Cornyn loses in TX, and after some googling, the dems are running a giant douchebag in CO against a popular, solid, conservative guy. And Liddy Dole is pretty safe in NC, and folks who live in MS don’t see the dem winning that one either.

I’d call this typical media heavy breathing that we see before most elections. Don’t let the “True Conservatives” and the MSM working together depress you, or depress the GOP vote, which is their goal. They want to make you think it’s hopeless and that your vote won’t matter anyway, and therefore convince you to sit home on election day.

Er, no thanks, fellas.

funky chicken on May 29, 2008 at 10:18 AM

bayam

As long as climate controls regs are added to the WTO charter, it will benefit the US at the expense of India and China.

You are assuming that they will agree to such controls. And that they will comply with such regulations even if enacted. Both assumptions are highly dubious.

And if a climate bill pushes us further toward renewable energy and away from foreign oil, I’ll all for it.

You seem to believe that this “renewable energy” is out there somewhere just waiting to be used, if only the evil oil companies could be made to use it. That’s moonbat thinking.

flenser on May 29, 2008 at 10:38 AM

bayam’s an obamite, which is pretty much a synonym for moonbat

funky chicken on May 29, 2008 at 12:19 PM

The civil service Congress has strayed from its reformist roots and has mutated into a no-accountability zone, where employment re-election is treated as an entitlement, good performance as an option, and accountability as someone else’s problem.”

abcurtis on May 29, 2008 at 2:05 PM

bayam on May 29, 2008 at 1:12 AM

What am I misinformed about, Monbiot?

I didn’t say a word about the economics.

Why has no new refinery been built in 30 years? What effect did Hanoi Jane’s movie have on nuclear? Which country has more coal than any other country in the Solar System? Which country isn’t allow to drill off its own coast while watching China drill off its coast?

The only way for the US to gain energy independence is by switching to another vehicle power source (like electricity or fuel cells)

You’re an idiot. Where do you think that electricity comes from? Magic pixie dust? I guess you don’t know enough physics to know that every time you change the form of the energy, you lose energy.

Go sing some Kumbayas, moron.

misterpeasea on May 29, 2008 at 2:08 PM

We just have a few choices folks:
1) McCainfoolishism…or,
2) Socialism…or,
3) Islamofascism…?

I’ll easily choose #1.

byteshredder on May 29, 2008 at 5:59 PM

I know that McCain doesn’t exactly have the best record as a Republican. But I’ve got to wonder just how much he’s tacking left to appear more moderate. If he’s gonna have a prayer in general he’s got to overcome the Evil Republican kneejerk reaction many people have. Making noise about Global Warming and CIR may not win him any friends on the red team (won’t get him any on the left either) but it may make him appear close enough to the center to get Indies and centrist Dems into his column come November. He’s probably not really worried about the conservative vote. After all, are Republicans actually going to vote for Obama?

Browncoatone on May 29, 2008 at 6:42 PM

flenser on May 28, 2008 at 11:45 PM

If only. This next election is going to be a blood bath for the Republican party.

National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Tom Cole acknowledged that the GOP faces a challenge and “must undertake bold efforts to define a forward-looking agenda that offers the kind of positive change voters are looking for.”

“Change”, hmmm, where have I heard that before? With leaders like this, how can we go wrong?

labrat on May 30, 2008 at 12:24 AM

bayam on May 28, 2008 at 11:59 PM

Oil henchmen?

Really?

Mmmkay.

hillbillyjim on May 31, 2008 at 2:55 AM

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