Imagine That: Mitch McConnell as Senate Majority Leader

That was a great Election. Now there will be no Harry Reid to keep legislation off the table and protect Obama's image.
Here we come Keystone pipeline. Here we come tax reform. Here we come adjustments on the ACA.
That was a wave election.

Regards
Gary

I am worried that if Keystone pipeline goes through and the US get more oil, they might invade themselves

bonzo said:

I am worried that if Keystone pipeline goes through and the US get more oil, they might invade themselves

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we've already got the oil, it's a matter of 'logistics' in getting it where it needs to go. We've seen exponential growth in the railroad industry over the past three years. Regardless the pipeline if it happens is a long ways off.

GaryG said:

That was a great Election. Now there will be no Harry Reid to keep legislation off the table and protect Obama's image.
Here we come Keystone pipeline. Here we come tax reform. Here we come adjustments on the ACA.
That was a wave election.

Regards
Gary

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no more 'Dingy Harry' , now that's a good thing !!

Ok, lets see what 'good' can be accomplished in the next two years with a Republican lead Congress, should be interesting !

GaryG said:

That was a great Election. Now there will be no Harry Reid to keep legislation off the table and protect Obama's image.
Here we come Keystone pipeline. Here we come tax reform. Here we come adjustments on the ACA.
That was a wave election.

Regards
Gary

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Hi Gary,

I'll adopt a wait and see, actions speak louder than words, approach.

My gut is that nothing will change. Same old with a new wardrobe.

The Reps first challenge is to get the House and the Senate on the same page. A dubious proposition at best given the cast of ideologue characters in the House.

GG

My gut feeling is that they, the republicans, will over-reach and goof it up. Both parties do when they find themselves with power, but we'll see.

Gordon Gray said:

Hi Gary,

I'll adopt a wait and see, actions speak louder than words, approach.

My gut is that nothing will change. Same old with a new wardrobe.

The Reps first challenge is to get the House and the Senate on the same page. A dubious proposition at best given the cast of ideologue characters in the House.

GG

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Gordon, I agree. I am hoping they don't revert back to the days of Tom Delay. I met Mitch McConnell back in 2000. Didn't say I know him but we attended the same function in D.C. Said hello pleased to meet you and that's it. However, that was enough for me to watch the man and his career closely over the last 14 years. He seems to be a reasonable man despite a couple of gaffs. I would love to see the republicans put Simpson-Bowles largely intact on the presidents desk and say "Mr. President remember your commission." Of course that's probably too much to ask.

Gary

Find myself pretty much agreeing with Gordon and Kevin -- wait and see, and over-reach.

Of course, some are gleeful -- even giddy -- with the election results.

Me? Well, I voted for a Republican for governor (who won in a heavily Democrat state).

Now, some say that Mitch McConnell is a true snake in the grass and eight-sided SOB (Sweet Old Boy). I can't help but wonder if Harry Reid and the Democrats (those that are left) in the Senate will now give the Republicans the exact same measure of cooperation that the doggie-in-the-manger Republicans gave to the Democrats. Like others have stated -- should be interesting.

Kevin said:

My gut feeling is that they, the republicans, will over-reach and goof it up. Both parties do when they find themselves with power, but we'll see.

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I understand your feelings Kevin, I for one hope that 'Washington' can for once 'lead' …………. now wouldn't that be a novel approach !

Dave- It seems quite simple to me. Do something like passing a bill that lowers the tax rate for both large corporations and small businesses, while ending the loopholes, and at the same time let the businesses use that tax break to offset an increase in the minimum wage to $10.00. Then you would be helping businesses while effectively ending one of the democrats major talking points. Then dare Obama to veto it. If they kept passing bills along those lines, of giving a little here and there, it would help with their cause during the next elections when you could possibly get real power.

Len- What?? You voted for the republican? I was shocked last night to hear Chris Matthews blasting Harry Reid for not taking up votes that would have helped Senate democrats, and also calling on the Democratic Party to quit being “hard left”. He had to be drinking again. I think, however, that I'm more shocked by your 'admitting' to have voted for the republican governor candidate. What was your reasoning behind doing that?

Thanks for asking.

Governor O'Malley is WAY overrated by folks outside of Maryland who don't know his policies. Really a BIG take-hike guy. His Lt Governor (Brown) just didn't do anything to distinguish himself as an office-holder or a candidate -- there just was no compelling reason for people toot for him. I wonder if he felt somehow entitled because he was the Democratic candidate.

Hogan, on the other hand, ran a couple of killer ads, and seemed genuine in the process. His early ad was talking to groups of folks who said they would leave Maryland if they could, but were kind of stuck here (if that makes sense). They were talking about how they could not afford to live here, what with the high taxes and all. And Hogan talked about how disheartening it was that circumstances were such that people were wanting to leave the state (and many have already done so -- the state is losing population).

The later ad talked about the 40 or so taxes that the O'Malley administration had imposed or increased during their tenure, and it was a killer!

In Maryland we have this joke about the state: "If you can dream it, they can tax it!"

I am confident the state will be better off with Hogan as Governor (although I do not agree with him on a number of issues).

I know it may come as somewhat of a surprise, but I have NEVER been a straight-line ticket voter. I just resented all the early-on Obama-bashing before he had even taken office, which was without merit (like trying to blame him for the financial crisis, bailouts, etc, when it was ALL the previous administration). And much of this was coming from supporters of The Worst President in History, G. Bush! Like these folks had any room to talk. I was actually a Republican and a strong Reagan supporter, even the first term of the first Bush -- before the party went stark raving nuts with Rove and Jr Bush and Newt and (the jailbird) Delay and and scandals one right after the other. BTW, it was no surprise at all to many of us knowledgeable folks that almost none of the Reagan folks would have anything to do with the Bush folks. FWIW.

I should probably quickly add that I really would not have had a problem with John McCain as President. But the "powers that be" in the extreme Right Wing of the Republican party nixed his plan to run with Senator Joe Lieberman as his Vice, so McCain (in resignation and a heavy heart) acquiesced to them putting Sarah Palin (the Alaska know-nothing Nut-Job) on the ticket.

And that effectively ended his candidacy.

Just heard on Letterman: "Now the Washington Redskins are demanding the Democrats change their name."

Well, I'm glad to see a republican win in Maryland, however, Virginia was benefiting from Maryland's high taxes. Many of the millionaires and businesses were escaping MD to come here.

I certainly agree -- Virginia has become the better place over the past several years. No new roads or improvements as the "trust fund" has been continuously hijacked by both parties. However, I blame the democrats more.