Comments on: Senate Shakeout http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2008/11/09/senate-shakeout/ Politics for liberal newsgeeks Fri, 17 Feb 2012 02:47:29 -0600 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: dakine01 http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2008/11/09/senate-shakeout/#comment-18951 dakine01 Sun, 09 Nov 2008 20:05:50 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2008/11/09/senate-shakeout/#comment-18951 <p>Allard and Hagel just retired. Allard was replaced by Mark Udall (D) and Hagel was replaced by a true believer R</p> Allard and Hagel just retired. Allard was replaced by Mark Udall (D) and Hagel was replaced by a true believer R

]]> By: cinnamonape http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2008/11/09/senate-shakeout/#comment-18948 cinnamonape Sun, 09 Nov 2008 19:11:02 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2008/11/09/senate-shakeout/#comment-18948 <p>I think that, rather than Lieberman, the number of options increases. I think both Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, Lugar, Chuck Hagel and maybe even John Ensign and Wayne Allard on some issues.</p> <p>Even more interesting are those that will be under pressure to moderate their positions because they are up for election in 2010. Gregg Judd of New Hampshire, Arlen Spector, Lisa Murkowski, John Voinovich, Chuck Grassley (Iowa) and John Thune (SD) may all be compelled to break from the Conservative caucus.</p> <p>The announcement by Harry Reid that he intends to pare down the Republican committee memberships will reduce the amount of “rewards” available for patronage by the Republican party leadership. A moderate who jumps to “independent” or joins the Democratic caucus might even be rewarded with on of the additional seats that will be available. as the Democratic caucus increases in size.</p> <p>I don’t think that Lieberman is anywhere near essential. The Republican centrists are going to be vilified by the right-wing even more than they ever were. Each time they vote as a “RINO” there will be calls for their expulsion. Yet if they are the Democrats go above 60…so essentially the moderates (and there are a bunch of them that will be tempted) can vote as they wish for self-preservation or without regard to partisan pressure.</p> <p>It’s the reverse of the Lieberman situation. The Whips on the Republican side have very little leverage, and there are simply too many cats to herd. If they push too hard they lose even the chance of “cloture”.</p> <p>Furthermore the Democrats don’t have to worry about getting the votes to override a veto.</p> I think that, rather than Lieberman, the number of options increases. I think both Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins, Lugar, Chuck Hagel and maybe even John Ensign and Wayne Allard on some issues.

Even more interesting are those that will be under pressure to moderate their positions because they are up for election in 2010. Gregg Judd of New Hampshire, Arlen Spector, Lisa Murkowski, John Voinovich, Chuck Grassley (Iowa) and John Thune (SD) may all be compelled to break from the Conservative caucus.

The announcement by Harry Reid that he intends to pare down the Republican committee memberships will reduce the amount of “rewards” available for patronage by the Republican party leadership. A moderate who jumps to “independent” or joins the Democratic caucus might even be rewarded with on of the additional seats that will be available. as the Democratic caucus increases in size.

I don’t think that Lieberman is anywhere near essential. The Republican centrists are going to be vilified by the right-wing even more than they ever were. Each time they vote as a “RINO” there will be calls for their expulsion. Yet if they are the Democrats go above 60…so essentially the moderates (and there are a bunch of them that will be tempted) can vote as they wish for self-preservation or without regard to partisan pressure.

It’s the reverse of the Lieberman situation. The Whips on the Republican side have very little leverage, and there are simply too many cats to herd. If they push too hard they lose even the chance of “cloture”.

Furthermore the Democrats don’t have to worry about getting the votes to override a veto.

]]> By: Jkat http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2008/11/09/senate-shakeout/#comment-18944 Jkat Sun, 09 Nov 2008 18:07:42 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2008/11/09/senate-shakeout/#comment-18944 <p>jane .. tbogg says you’re “just a composite character” .. say it ain’t so .. eh ?? lol</p> jane .. tbogg says you’re “just a composite character” .. say it ain’t so .. eh ?? lol

]]> By: foothillsmike http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2008/11/09/senate-shakeout/#comment-18925 foothillsmike Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:28:38 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2008/11/09/senate-shakeout/#comment-18925 <p>Morning Jane,<br /> I was a poll watcher here in CO. The ballots here were scanned into a reader that was highly sophisticated and would eject a ballot which it could not read all of the marks giving the voter the opportunity to fix it. (It would indicate which items could not be read) The judge would explain it to the voter. Ultimately about 1 in 80 only voted for president.</p> Morning Jane,
I was a poll watcher here in CO. The ballots here were scanned into a reader that was highly sophisticated and would eject a ballot which it could not read all of the marks giving the voter the opportunity to fix it. (It would indicate which items could not be read) The judge would explain it to the voter. Ultimately about 1 in 80 only voted for president.

]]> By: BooRadley http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2008/11/09/senate-shakeout/#comment-18923 BooRadley Sun, 09 Nov 2008 16:10:41 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2008/11/09/senate-shakeout/#comment-18923 <p>Thanks Jane. </p> <p><a href="http://digg.com/politics/Senate_Shakeout" rel="nofollow">digg</a></p> Thanks Jane.

digg

]]> By: MayDaze http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2008/11/09/senate-shakeout/#comment-18916 MayDaze Sun, 09 Nov 2008 15:55:21 +0000 http://campaignsilo.firedoglake.com/2008/11/09/senate-shakeout/#comment-18916 <p>I’m really hoping they both win, which would be 59 Senators. (That was my guess in the contest, btw.) I don’t really have much hope for Martin in GA, but you never know; I agree that the probable lower turnout will favor Chambliss. Maybe Obama could take some time from his transition to campaign…</p> I’m really hoping they both win, which would be 59 Senators. (That was my guess in the contest, btw.) I don’t really have much hope for Martin in GA, but you never know; I agree that the probable lower turnout will favor Chambliss. Maybe Obama could take some time from his transition to campaign…

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