Well, that sucks.....

[PaceAdvantage]

13 of the first 25 topics that display when you hit "New Posts" are from OFF-TOPIC. Not exactly what I envisioned when I started this place 7+ years ago...

Were Tuesday's results really that momentous to warrant this kind of outpouring? It really isn't anything new. Mid-term elections = minority party picking up seats in Congress. Happens all the time.

In fact, since WW2, the average number of seats picked up hovers around 25 in the House. Democrats picked up 29.....big whoop....

Hell, in Nixon-era 1974, they picked up FORTY NINE seats.....and some on here like to post that Bush is a much worse President than Nixon (heck, even I'm inclined to agree with that, but then again, I kinda liked tricky Dick...but I only knew him through historical texts and his own books).

Thus, 29 seats aren't all that impressive when you look at all the hoopla that this election has generated on this board and across the media..... And it certainly isn't as large a referendum on the Republicans or Bush that many would like you to believe that it is....lots of those races could have EASILY gone the other way.....many were dead-tight.

Oh, and now that the election is over, how about some of you folks with non-political avatars head over to the horse racing side and post a note or two....it would be a refreshing change of pace.

[rrpic6]

Mandate. Enuff said.

[Overlay]

The main significance I see in it is raising the question of when (if ever) there will again be a Republican in the White House and Republicans in control of both houses of Congress. It took 48 years the last time (from 1955 to 2003)(not counting the brief interval in 2001 before James Jeffords went from a Republican to an Independent).

[kenwoodallpromos]

I seem to see more people starting new threads on similar or the same off-topic topics as others have already started. True for racing topics also.

[Suff]

.

Oh, and now that the election is over, how about some of you folks with non-political avatars head over to the horse racing side and post a note or two....it would be a refreshing change of pace.

This was not nothing like your describing. Matter fact it is historical in nature.

The Democrats not only picked up Both Houses of Congress, but they picked up 8 governorships. Also, in State congressional elections Democrats had an even bigger night. In New Hampshire for example, Both houses went democrat for the first time since the Warren Harding Administration.

Big stuff. I'll post some hard data later today. An example being Virginia. Turnout was up 59.5%. 59 percent!! Amazing. 65% of of eligible voters in Virgina cast a ballot.

Other numbers

US: turnout up 4.8%
CT: turnout up 7.5%
MO: turnout up 13.2%
MT: turnout up 14.7%
OH: turnout up 17.7%
PA: turnout up 12.8%
RI: turnout up 20.5%


Like I always say.. Republicans need low turnout...because by and large, This country is Liberal Democrat

[highnote]

13 of the first 25 topics that display when you hit "New Posts" are from OFF-TOPIC. Not exactly what I envisioned when I started this place 7+ years ago...

The Breeders' Cup is over. The big race was Tuesday.

Here are some ideas FWIW:

1. Start a political website.

2. Ban all political posts from off-topic.

3. Close all forums except racing.

4. Make a requirement that anyone posting in off-topic has to have two posts in racing.

5. Take some action. Even if it is not optimal, it is better than taking no action.

6. Be happy that people are posting on your site regardless of why or where they are posting.

[shanta]

Mandate. Enuff said.


100% agree. an old fashioned ass whooping.

Problem is stuff will still remain the same. We( the "common" folk) are held hostage by our representatives in Washington. No matter what side of the aisle they are on MONEY ( lobbyists,big oil etc etc) walks down the center isle man.

Just ask Kerry and Bush. Finally something they both would HAVE to agree on.
:ThmbDown: :ThmbDown:

[PaceAdvantage]

Well, I never implied that I desired drastic action, such as closing off-topic or imposing draconian posting rules....

When looked at with an objective and historical eye, how can Tuesday's results be looked at as a mandate, or an ass-whooping. Did you guys look at the actual results of many of the votes? They were as tight as can be! Could have gone either way.....EITHER WAY....and you know it....

You picked up slightly higher than average number of seats in the house....

If that's still a mandate, ok, then so be it.....I guess your definition of mandate equals "meeting expected historical results in mid-term elections"

But remember, Bush thought he had a mandate as well in 2004, but I never put up a "More Whine with your cheese" post when other's refuted Bush's claims.....:lol:

[Suff]

This was not nothing like your describing. Matter fact it is historical in nature.

The Democrats not only picked up Both Houses of Congress, but they picked up 8 governorships. Also, in State congressional elections Democrats had an even bigger night. In New Hampshire for example, Both houses went democrat for the first time since the Warren Harding Administration.

Big stuff. I'll post some hard data later today. An example being Virginia. Turnout was up 59.5%. 59 percent!! Amazing. 65% of of eligible voters in Virgina cast a ballot.

Other numbers

US: turnout up 4.8%
CT: turnout up 7.5%
MO: turnout up 13.2%
MT: turnout up 14.7%
OH: turnout up 17.7%
PA: turnout up 12.8%
RI: turnout up 20.5%


Like I always say.. Republicans need low turnout...because by and large, This country is Liberal Democrat

More Turn out numbers

.........Democrat Republican
2006 42,699,280 .36,951,300

.........Democrat Republican
2002 35,271,874 .38,877,444

[PaceAdvantage]

If the country were Liberal Democrat, the races wouldn't have been so close (a few votes here or there and Democrats don't control Congress), and you would have picked up a lot more than 29 seats in the House.....

'Nuff said.

[Tom]

Lets not forget the idea of offering up hot button referendums in key sates, designed to draw dems out.