The death of a political party...

[Prettz3003]

It's obvious, at least to me, that the democratic party is in the dumps. After losing the Senate, the House, the supreme court (soon) AND the presidency, they have nothing left to hold on to. It seems that the harder the Democrats try to hold on to the sands of political power, the more it slips through their fingers.

The democratic party has been in a slump since the republican party burst on to the scene around 1860. The republican party, made up of disgruntled democrats and displaced Whigs along with Free-Soilers captured the Presidency in the second election they ran in, putting Lincoln in the White House. This event STUNNED the democrats, who believed their well-oiled propaganda machine to be untouchable. With a foothold in the political realm, the republicans would continue to grow and become more dominate in the years to come.

Fast forward to today. The republican party has control over ALL 3 branches of government, and the Democratic party is going the way of the Whig, the Free Soil and the Union parties. Instead of gracefully bowing out in elections, Democrats have called for recounts and bascially gone down yelling and screaming. Why didn't Al Gore run again? Because he called for a recount in Florida, and nobody wants a BIG BABY who can't lose gracefully in the white house. Nobody would have voted for him. They would rather have voted for Bush, evil to much of America, and he would have won by a LANDSLIDE. Why didn't John Kerry call for a recount? Well, besides the fact that he didn't have a chance in the world at gaining Ohio, he wants to run in '08 and recounts are the second worse political suicide, second to the draft.

Recounts are like Baby's wails. It's like a baby kicking and screaming when they don't get their way, and it's KILLING the democratic party. Look at Washington State. The democrats have called for not one, but two recounts. If the votes DON'T switch, they look like babies. If they DO, then the TAXPAYERS have to front the recount money, and people do NOT like paying taxes, leading them to vote REPUBLICAN next election.

Either way, the Democratic party is on the verge of death, and we are almost on the verge of another Era of Good Feelings or something all together different.

Thoughts?

[Wren5]

No of course not, because the Jews wouldn't like that. >_>

But seriously, it could happen, not likely though. The more power the Republicans have, the less ability they have to blame screwups on the other side. This naturally balances politics towards the center. However, I can see the Democrats falling on their swords with a poorly-done shift in spectrum placement or key policy shift.

[Bunny--man]

I don't think that the second most powerful political party would dissappear... Not for a long time... And who knows, maybe another party will arise and take out the republicans... No one knows, it's hard to tell...

[Sentience]

I find it VERY unlikely that our government, which I believe has been bipartisan for almost all of it's life, would change to a single party just because one party is dominating right now.

[Colonel Bundy]

By the way Bush did win by a land slide. Due to the fact that Kerry dropped out, Bush won 100% of all electoral votes, making Nadar come in second.

[Bunny--man]

Pwn3r_F0x

By the way Bush did win by a land slide. Due to the fact that Kerry dropped out, Bush won 100% of all electoral votes, making Nadar come in second.

Not by votes though, he conceded because Bush obviously did win... Not a landslide though... it was close...

[mitoguard]

Recounts are bad? Do forgive me but I have never heard such outright DANGEROUS thinking. Gore won the popular vote, maybe he won the electoral, maybe he didn't we could argue that, but we won't. But he won the popular hands down. So aside from the fact that you're saying that Al Gore is a sore loser for wanting a recount of votes in an election of questionable circumstances in which had every vote actually counted equally he would have won, to me, seems to be nothing more than a statement made because you want your party to win. Great, good for you, that's not Democracy. I'm not ranting about Gore's loss, we have different opinions on what the true out come should have been, but the fact that you equate a recount of an election that close, and that suspect with whining or being a sore loser is- to me -nothing less than pissing on the very ideals we were founded upon (though we already have thoroughly shat on popular sovereignty.)

You're little jibes at the Democratic party didn't help your case either. "well oiled-propaganda machine?" Not like we've ever seen any adds distorting the truth from the GOP. Nope, no wolves, no ad comparing decorated Veteran Max Cleland to Osama bin Laden. No 527 orgs "for [selective] Truth" And the remark the Democratic parties downfall will lead to an Era of Good Feelings is nothing more than what Ann Coulter used to open Slander. That political discourse in this country has reached an all time low, it's not us, it's them, it's all their fault.

Let me know if you want to discuss something without having blind partisan remarks embedded. Chances are I'll be happy to talk.

[speez]

mitoguard

Recounts are bad? Do forgive me but I have never heard such outright DANGEROUS thinking. Gore won the popular vote, maybe he won the electoral, maybe he didn't we could argue that, but we won't. But he won the popular hands down. So aside from the fact that you're saying that Al Gore is a sore loser for wanting a recount of votes in an election of questionable circumstances in which had every vote actually counted equally he would have won, to me, seems to be nothing more than a statement made because you want your party to win. Great, good for you, that's not Democracy. I'm not ranting about Gore's loss, we have different opinions on what the true out come should have been, but the fact that you equate a recount of an election that close, and that suspect with whining or being a sore loser is- to me -nothing less than pissing on the very ideals we were founded upon (though we already have thoroughly shat on popular sovereignty.)

You're little jibes at the Democratic party didn't help your case either. "well oiled-propaganda machine?" Not like we've ever seen any adds distorting the truth from the GOP. Nope, no wolves, no ad comparing decorated Veteran Max Cleland to Osama bin Laden. No 527 orgs "for [selective] Truth" And the remark the Democratic parties downfall will lead to an Era of Good Feelings is nothing more than what Ann Coulter used to open Slander. That political discourse in this country has reached an all time low, it's not us, it's them, it's all their fault.

Let me know if you want to discuss something without having blind partisan remarks embedded. Chances are I'll be happy to talk.

I have to agree with at least some of that. The Dems are in some sort of problems, but they are far from the boogy-men they seem to be made out to be here. They just have a different idea for what is best for the nation. Sometimes I even think they might have a beter idea then the other sides. Also, with the exception of Washington State's Govenatorial race, I don't know of any other recount effort that was initiated by the DNC or the Kerry/Edwards campaign. The others were started by third party canidates (again to the best of my knowledge), and the one in Washington State has come down to something like 45 votes... many on punch-cards. I have NO problem with that recount on waiting for the re-re-recounts...

[Procurements]

Prettz3003

It's obvious, at least to me, that the democratic party is in the dumps. After losing the Senate, the House, the supreme court (soon) AND the presidency, they have nothing left to hold on to. It seems that the harder the Democrats try to hold on to the sands of political power, the more it slips through their fingers.

Uncorked the champagne yet? The Republicans just run more solid campaigns. It's nothing more than that.

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The democratic party has been in a slump since the republican party burst on to the scene around 1860.

The Republican party was originally the more liberal of the two, and Democrats were a smattering of conflicting interests for a while.

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The republican party, made up of disgruntled democrats and displaced Whigs along with Free-Soilers captured the Presidency in the second election they ran in, putting Lincoln in the White House.

The Republican Party is no longer the party of Lincoln. Get over it.

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This event STUNNED the democrats, who believed their well-oiled propaganda machine to be untouchable. With a foothold in the political realm, the republicans would continue to grow and become more dominate in the years to come.

That's not so, if you look at the legislature, it's very even.

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Fast forward to today. The republican party has control over ALL 3 branches of government, and the Democratic party is going the way of the Whig, the Free Soil and the Union parties.

That's a bold prediction. Did Limbaugh tell you that, or is it merely your own wishful thinking?

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Instead of gracefully bowing out in elections, Democrats have called for recounts and bascially gone down yelling and screaming.

What? Your side would do the exact same thing in those circumstances if they thought something was up.

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Why didn't Al Gore run again?

Because he knew he didn't stand a chance? Because he figured someone else could do what he didn't? Because the Democrats wouldn't rally behind him because of that horrendous campaign he ran?

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Because he called for a recount in Florida, and nobody wants a BIG BABY who can't lose gracefully in the white house. Nobody would have voted for him. They would rather have voted for Bush, evil to much of America, and he would have won by a LANDSLIDE.

No, he's ineffective, dull, doesn't have any fight in him, and ran a terrible campaign the last time. Gore wouldn't even get the nomination.

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Why didn't John Kerry call for a recount? Well, besides the fact that he didn't have a chance in the world at gaining Ohio

Overcrowding inner-city districts and being 6000 votes over for Bush in some areas would do that.

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he wants to run in '08 and recounts are the second worse political suicide, second to the draft.

Actually, they divide the nation more than anything, and that's what we don't need. Then again, your buddy in the White House can spend 4 years doing just that and manage re-election.

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Recounts are like Baby's wails. It's like a baby kicking and screaming when they don't get their way, and it's KILLING the democratic party.

If it was a Republican that got slighted, I'm sure you'd be crawling for the crib right now. Trust me, you're only discussing this since Democrats are the only ones that have called for it.

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Look at Washington State. The democrats have called for not one, but two recounts. If the votes DON'T switch, they look like babies. If they DO, then the TAXPAYERS have to front the recount money, and people do NOT like paying taxes, leading them to vote REPUBLICAN next election.

Wasn't the margin extremely small? Like less than 1000? I've even seen it being something like 87. If you don't call for a recount at least once if the margin is below 1000, then you're an ineffective politician, to be honest.

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Either way, the Democratic party is on the verge of death, and we are almost on the verge of another Era of Good Feelings or something all together different.

Thoughts?

When are you passing out party hats?

[Angsty Shem]

Prettz3003

The democratic party has been in a slump since the republican party burst

Hardly.

Prettz3003

captured the Presidency in the second election they ran in, putting Lincoln in the White House.

Which led to civil war.

Prettz3003

This event STUNNED the democrats, who believed their well-oiled propaganda machine to be untouchable.

No, this stunned the South, because Lincoln's name didn't even appear on the ballot in some of their states.

Prettz3003

With a foothold in the political realm, the republicans would continue to grow and become more dominate in the years to come.

Except, you know, the multiple times they weren't in power.

Prettz3003

Fast forward to today

There's your first mistake. You ignore historical context.

Prettz3003

The republican party has control over ALL 3 branches of government

And the Democrats have never done that.

Prettz3003

and the Democratic party is going the way of the Whig, the Free Soil and the Union parties.

John Kerry recieved more votes than any presidential candidate in history, save GW Bush's 2004 run. Al Gore defeated George W. Bush by half a million votes in 2000. Former conservative bastions like Colorado are electing Democratic senators. Your definition of "dying" is warped by partisan devotion.

Prettz3003

Instead of gracefully bowing out in elections, Democrats have called for recounts and bascially gone down yelling and screaming.

Right, because one should "gracefully bow out" of an election they won by half a million votes, when there's evidence of mass fraud all over the state in question. If by "yelling and screaming" you mean "not emulating Alan Colmes taking a**l on the Hannity show," yes, we don't take attempts at ideological rape kindly.

Prettz3003

Why didn't Al Gore run again?

Because he wasn't interested, last I checked. Unless you're a mind-reader.

Prettz3003

Because he called for a recount in Florida, and nobody wants a BIG BABY who can't lose gracefully in the white house.

Half a million more votes than George W. Bush. The majority doesn't "lose gracefully" in most sane social institutions. rolleyes

Prettz3003

Nobody would have voted for him.

Irrelevant. He didn't run, and you're acting like a future-teller.

Prettz3003

They would rather have voted for Bush, evil to much of America, and he would have won by a LANDSLIDE.

Gore supporters would have voted Bush? Not only do you try to play future-teller, but you're really bad at it.

Prettz3003

Recounts are like Baby's wails.

Recounts protect democracy from fraud.

Prettz3003

Look at Washington State. The democrats have called for not one, but two recounts. If the votes DON'T switch, they look like babies. If they DO, then the TAXPAYERS have to front the recount money, and people do NOT like paying taxes, leading them to vote REPUBLICAN next election.

And yet a regular machine recount changed the outcome by hundreds of votes, before moving to hand recount. You have a problem with ensuring the integrity of democracy why, again?

Prettz3003

Thoughts?

That you're a historically ignorant partisan hack. Other than that, none.

[warpshadow]

One other point about the Washington Elections. The first recount is mandatory because of the close margin. The second recount is being paid for by the Democrats themselves.

[Angsty Shem]

Prettz3003

Recounts are like Baby's wails. It's like a baby kicking and screaming when they don't get their way.

Meanwhile, in Texas, Republicans who lost their seats to Democrats are requesting recounts left and right:

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Heflin announced his plans for an election challenge this morning.

There is one other Republican who is definitely filing a challenge and one who is considering it. So, potentially a total of three Republican election challenges this year in the Lege (I expect Heflins' will be the most divisive).

AUSTIN - Two Republicans defeated Nov. 2 will submit paperwork today asking the GOP-majority Texas House to throw out official vote tallies and name them winners of their respective races or force new elections, advisers predicted Tuesday.

A third defeated candidate, Republican Rep. Ken Mercer of San Antonio, will decide by today whether to join the others in contesting his 498-vote loss to Democratic challenger David Leibowitz, his campaign manager said.

State Rep. Talmadge Heflin has asked the state to order a manual recount of all ballots cast earlier this month in Heflin's unsuccessful bid for a 12th term in the Legislature.

Heflin's attorney, Andy Taylor, said that the Heflin campaign had uncovered "deeply disturbing evidence of voter fraud and election irregularities" and that the problems may have contributed to Heflin's 32-vote loss to businessman Hubert Vo earlier this month.

Officials with Heflin's campaign filed a petition with the Texas Secretary of State's office today asking that the Harris County Clerk's Office hand-count the approximately 42,000 ballots cast in the race for state representative in House District 149 in southwest Harris County.

That recount could be complete by the first week of December, Taylor said.

Although Heflin and his supporters decided to seek the recount, Taylor said no decision has yet been made on whether to contest the election results in the state House of Representatives. Campaign officials have until the end of the day Thursday to decide that issue, he said.

Contesting the election in the state House would require that lawmakers either seat Vo or overturn the election and require a new vote. Although there have been several requests for election contests in the Texas House in recent years, most were withdrawn and none has reversed an election result.

Vo's narrow victory was the first Democratic gain in the House in 32 years and knocked off the veteran Heflin, who -- as chairman of the House Appropriations Committee -- was one of the state's most powerful Republican legislators.

[ninjabastard jr]

You know there is a reason why I don't start accusing the other party for s**t because I already know some dumb ******** in my party are doing something similar. For every yin there is a yang. For every dumbshit there is another dumbshit to give balance to the universe.

Calm down, the democrats aren't going away anytime soon. They were kicking the GOP's a** for most of the 20th century except for a couple of periods. GOP is finally looking pretty good. After Nixon things looked pretty bleak for the party. So, I wouldn't be too conceited. But, I will say I was rather pleased in the results.

[Reverend Smooth]

This seems to me like an attempt at gloating. Reported.

[Hylonomus]

I can't help but agree with you on the fact that Republicans are indeed wrapping their chubby fingers around the throats of the whitehouse. Soon the country will be devided into two classes: The very rich and the very poor. Luckily, I'll be in Canada while the Bush administration leads his "elite" society into the ground by warring with any country that doesn't like apple pie.

If America becomes completley run by crooked republicans, I'll join the ******** Taliban.