No Matter Which Party Wins In November, A Hard Swing To The Right
It’s too early to know which party will win in November. But it’s easy to look into the future and guess how each would govern after victory.
Let’s say that Mr. Obama squeaks through and gets reelected. And the Democrats hold on to the Senate. And in spite of reapportionment finagling and voter disenfranchisement gambits by Republicans they also somehow manage to eke out a majority in the House of Representatives. What will likely happen then?
The losing Republicans, backed by an ever malleable press, will proclaim that Americans are tired of fractured, divided, do-nothing government, that the people demand bipartisan approaches to problems, and its time to move beyond extremes. The surviving 40-plus Republicans in the Senate will also say they are ready to deal — if their views are taken into account.
The negotiating will then begin, a reelected Obama taking the lead, abetted by Wall Street-friendly, Clinton-era hangers-on taking temporarily leaves from their Wall Street sinecures. Every attempt will be made not to unduly anger potential filibusterers among the 40-plus remaining Republican senators.
The result in this Democratic-controlled Congress and Administration? Every takeaway from the rich will be more than compensated by new tax or other breaks for these worthies, while none of the takeaways from the poor and middle class will receive any form of compensation. A fig-leaf bow to the left, but a real world swing in the other direction.
Now let’s consider a Republican victory in November. Governor Romney wins the White House. His party holds on to the House. It gains enough seats in the Senate to overcome a filibuster, or maybe is just a seat or two short.
Republicans and the press now declare this a clear mandate to pursue a conservative agenda. They are few calls for compromise, in spite of razor thin majorities at the polls and in Congress. Any threatened liberal filibusters in the Senate are squashed by ferocious cries of “obstructionism” of the people’s wishes. There are no compromises on policy. We won so we govern, is the credo on view here. The result is a hard swing to the right, no fig leaves needed.
How do I know this will happen no matter who wins in November? Because I know that just as character is destiny for individuals, it’s also destiny for political parties.
We very clearly know the character of both our major political parties. Like them or not, the Republicans have character. Like them or not, the Democrats, well…not so much. Not lately anyway.
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Well if Obama is serious about raising taxes to generate revenue, all the dems have to do is let them expire and we take a step forward. From what I understand, that is something the GOP can’t filibuster to prevent. But are the dems really serious about getting that to happen? I think they will knuckle under to pressure just like they did before. As for getting anything else passed, unless the tea party gets its ass handed to it, we can expect more of the same. The GOP will just block anything that doesn’t give them everything they want, and blame the President for his “lack of leadership”. Basically, I think you’re dead on, but at least this go around the President has at least said he wants to see revenues increased and they can pull that off. Of course, he also said he wasn’t going to sign the Defense Act which lets him imprison anyone without trial, and he signed that, so…..
America is a far right country where the majority of people deny global warming, do not accept evolution as scientific fact, and have no morality about helping others in time of need.
If the earth was an apple the USA would be the rotten spot on it.
We’ve seen what the first scenario produced, the first national health care legislation in our 200 year history. Who knows what could be passed if it happened again? Maybe we could even get our banks reined in…maybe.
If the second scenario happens, buy defense stocks. And mobile home company stocks.
http://www.investmentu.com/research/defense-stocks.html
WesleyV..Can you provide some documentation that supports America being a far right nation? All the data I ave seen supports America as a right of center nation on fiscal matters and left of center on social issues. If we were far right, would we not minimize the Democrat Party since there would be little chance of their holding many elected offices?
The Ohioan.. Do you really beleive we could ever rein in the baks since the genie was let out of the bottle in the 90′s with all the deregulation during the Bush 41 and Clinton administrations. The new deal legislation placed regulations on banks to make them too-big-to-fail, but once those controls were lifted, banks merged to become truely national banks. Then they were allowed to merge with investment banks and that grew to where they could merge investment operations with banking operations. Now they control 56%+ of all assets in the US, where in 2007-08 they controlled 42%+. Under this administration with democrat control of congress, asset control grew even with tighter controls.
Can we really undo what has been done and make banks divest operations so they truely become small-enough-to-fail without any impact on middle America.
I do not beleive either the Dem’s or the Rep’s can make much difference now.
RP
Remember how bad it was the first time? They got it done then; they can do it again – if “they” are the right ones.
It would be interesting to see a comparison of the relative wealth and influence of the magnates then and now; and the global influence comparisons.
Not saying it can be done, just that it once was. SCOTUS is reviewing the Montana statutes now and we may have a decision by Monday. A change in CU and the influence of banks should make it easier.
When are we going to admit there is no longer any liberal component in US govt? Also what Wesley said… sorry to say.