Van Hollen: Dems will keep congressional majority

[sabra]

Source: MSNBC

That was Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen's message today for congressional Republicans, who he says are "already popping the champagne bottles" to celebrate November's elections. During a news conference at the National Press Club, Van Hollen said Republicans were having a "pre-mature celebration" and that Democrats will retain the majority.

He listed three reasons why he believes the GOP will be disappointed in November:
1) Americans don't want to return to the same economic policy that "got us into trouble in the first place." Van Hollen said that after eight years of the Bush administration, "our economy was driven into the ditch."

2) GOP candidates emerging from primaries across the country are on the "far right" of the political spectrum, and that is not what America wants.

3) "Campaigns do matter," and congressional Democrats have been preparing since last year. "We have been prepping for what we knew would be tough midterms from the beginning", he said

Read more: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/08/27/4984252-van-hollen-dems-will-keep-congressional-majority

[Jackpine Radical]

1. What does he mean, "keep?"

Thanks to Rahm's promotion of blue dogs, we don't have a functioning majority now.

[Kolesar]

2. Huh? eom

[RandomThoughts]

4. And why is that.

The game of go, they want to take the Democratic progressive agendas and use them as something else.

Just like Glenn Beck wants to take something and change what it means.

Why I play what people say themselves. And think people can see things as they choose. Even if some of the things I disagree with, best to let people speak for themselves.




Also what I think of as the meaning of the verse about the garments of Christ.

And although I think Reverend King was just a man, I think he was a mostly good man, in many things he spoke and did, I believe he was in the better spirit many times. Although some are not even happy with him just being killed.

John 19
23 Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece. 24 They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says:


“ They divided My garments among them,
And for My clothing they cast lots.”


Therefore the soldiers did these things.




although that might just be my view, people can see things how they choose to.


So the biggest question, is, what is it used for? If something is repeated in some context with the same intents, that makes sense, but most people want to change things to support their own view or for their own self gain, to take a thought, even if the thought they take is in their own minds, is dependent on if it is for the same purpose as the original thought. It is the concept of good helping good, but not being used for bad.

So if DLC was taking concepts of progressive agenda to help a few, that would be wrong, if it was to help many people, then it would be using those same thoughts for the intended purpose. If Glenn uses the thoughts of MLK for the intents and purpose of MLK, that would be good, if they are used for Glenn, that does not seem right. :shrug: although much of that is how you see things.

[Gman]

5. Thanks to the blue dogs we have a majority that can pass legislation

much better than the alternative. Frankly, I don't want nothing but progressives running in November. We'd get wiped out completely.

[No Elephants]

15. A majority of Americans approve of liberal ideas and ideals,

as long as the ideas are not labeled "liberal."

[Gman]

17. Go figure

[bluestateguy]

3. Republicans have now set the bar very high for themselves

They are claiming they will win both houses. So if Democrats lose 35 in the House and 8 in the Senate, they will barely still have majorities, but they will be able to declare victory.

[Silent3]

6. Not that I'm holding out huge hope...

...but I have some small hope that as the November elections grow closer more voters will wake up to at least three things:

1) As mad as they are with Dems for not fixing the mess we're in now, all the Republicans have to offer in more of what created the current economic mess in the first place.

2) The tepid degree of recovery we've had so far is, in part, because of having to water down recovery efforts to reach 60 votes in the Senate, in the face of unprecedented (as well as completely unprincipled and often hypocritical) use of the filibuster by obstructionist Republicans who don't care what harm they cause, so long as they can pin whatever mess they make on Democrats.

3) How batshit crazy the Tea Party has turned the Republican party. (Even when Tea Party candidates haven't won Republican primaries, many Republicans accomplished their victories by moving further right to placate the teabaggers.)

The reason my hope is small, however, is that I can't understand why this hasn't already sunk in, a little over two months isn't a long time to drive this message home, and Democrats have so far been mostly spineless about fighting back against Republicans and getting out their message. Further, they've demoralized their own base while the Republicans have successfully energized theirs.

Besides, I'm not sure if just barely holding on to House and Senate majorities isn't worse than outright losing them -- in either case, nothing Democrats want to get done will get done, but with bare majorities Democrats will still get the blame in 2012.

[Unvanguard]

7. I think that's bullshit, but here's hoping it's not. n/t

[LiberalFighter]

8. 4) Republicans are split between idiots and super idiots (teabaggers).

[LiberalFighter]

9. 5) Democrats have better candidates in more races.

[LiberalFighter]

10. 6) Viable Democrats are competing in winnable districts considered Republican.

[LiberalFighter]

11. 7) Republicans have a cash flow problem

[LiberalFighter]

12. 8) Republicans have an image problem.

[AngryAmish]

13. Van Halen: Might as well jump.

[greiner3]

14. Whistling in the dark anyone?

[No Elephants]

16. I agree. Democrats will hold a majority in both houses.

[yowzayowzayowza]

18. I concur. n/t