The parallels to 1980 and 1984 are not perfect, but they are there. Even the mid-term election disasters of 1982/2010 parallel. And we have a House of Representative that subbornly remains in the hands of the other party (mainly due to gerrymandering), despite the obvious will of the people.

Since Reagan was elected by a landslide ...twice.

Lot of the folks who voted for him call themselves liberals on boards such as this one now.

They stick out like sore thumbs though. Funny smell too.

Don

At the time of the '84 election, I was fresh out of high school and working in a Union manufacturing plant making automotive components (at the time, my goal of being a musician trumped going to college, so I worked in the factory to pay bills and to pay for my ever-increasing guitar collection). I remember talking to many co-workers, all were "Democrats", and was flummoxed by their admissions of intending to vote for Reagan.

"Guys, you've forgotten the PATCO strike already??? What's next? Our UCW???", I asked.

No one drew a connection - possibly because our Union was silent about the '84 Election. Not a peep. All my co-workers knew was that they "liked" Reagan. Maybe not what he stood for, but liked him as a person. By voting for someone they personally "liked", they didn't realize they were giving tacit approval of his policies, including Union-busting.

The Reagan "landslide" gave legitimacy to his awful policies. And, the Media in 1984 - sans Dan Rather - was all about Reagan. I remember Brokaw and Frank Reynolds were (almost) always reporting about Reagan in very positive tones. Reynolds died just before the 1984 election, but Brokaw continues to this day to cast Republicans in the positive light that they never deserved.

Lets not forget them.

Edit to add: When Reagan started in with his gritty individualism stuff they just swooned. Scary part is we still have a large part of an entire generation of these fuckers interspersed among us.

Don

We will soon learn whether we actually, finally, have representation and politicians who will actually fight for us, or a merely a grand bait and switch scam by the corporate one percent.

and we need to push harder than ever now. The old rich Rethug criminals have threatened every single damn thing we liberals have ever cared about. They have abused us and cheated us and left us high and dry. The more they hurt us the happier they are.

Now they are exposed for the first time in a LONG time. Their leaders and media are CLEARLY, VISIBLY, OBVIOUSLY immoral, unethical liars and cheats. Yes 2012 is a watershed moment.

Last edited Sun Nov 18, 2012, 12:17 PM - Edit history (1)

expect diehards and dead enders to hang on until the bitter end.

Never count them down and out. Hate and division has never gone out of fashion.

There are a lot of 'ifs' involved, but I also happen to think that the 'ifs' have a good chance of happening.

IF the economy keeps creaking around and unemployment goes down and

IF we avoid the 'fiscal cliff' in a way that allows Obama to look both strong and willing to compromise and

IF Benghazi doesn't blow up in Obama's face and

IF we can avoid a major middle east meltdown over the next two years and

IF we are not hit by another major terrorist attack and

IF enacting the ACA goes smoothly and doesn't result in the massive layoffs and blah blah and

IF Obama does not get caught in some big scandal and

IF we can generate some party enthusiasm to vote in 2014....

Well, then, I think we can get stronger in both houses of Congress in 2014. Point by point: The economy WILL keep coming back. Its what economies do. Nobody is going to allow the fiscal cliff thing to happen. I think the GOP leadership is probably having daily Come To Jesus meetings with Tea Partiers even now. And Tea Partiers have seen how easy it is go get re-elected when the GOP abandons you by watching Todd Akin. I don't think Benghazi is going to amount to much since the CIA has said THEY asked everybody to keep terrorism on the down low initially. The middle east is a dicier thing, but they have been fucked up forever and look like they are going to stay fucked up. Not necessarily MORE fucked up, just business as usual fucked up. I am not trying to be dismissive, it is just the way it seems to me. Terrorism...eh. May or may not happen, but may or may not make Dems look bad if it does. I believe in the ACA, the reasons it was enacted and I have faith in the Obama administration that they can continue to roll it out intelligently. I think it needs tweaking, but that is going to come down the road when people figure out that health care for everybody is a good thing. And Obama is way too damn smart to get busted in some 'blue dress' scandal.


I am completely open to the fact that I could be completely wrong on any or all of my assumptions.

I guess I would say in terms of likelihood and importance

#1 is economy and jobs.

#2 is the impact of tax reforms - whatever they end up being ("fiscal cliff" - see #1)

#3 is party enthusiasm - we are all a little worn out by 1012

the Repubs took back the State Senate and now own all three branches of Government....they are absolutely drunk with power...the National results didn't teach them a thing...they are going full speed with voter ID, probably some more anti-abortion crap, tax cuts for businesses and there was a dark, foreboding comment by the President of the Wisconsin Manufacturers and Commerce association (BIG Walker supporters much like National Chamber of Commerce and just as financially fat) that they will "capitalize on the success of Act 10". That means extend union-busting to the private sector...can you say "Right to Work"?

Walker hasn't learned that bat-shit crazy has gone out of style...he's going full bore tea party for 2016