Ailing U.S. economy may cost Republicans big

Reuters on Yahoo ^ | 10/19/08 | Thomas Ferraro

[NormsRevenge]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Fear and anger about the U.S. economy may cost the Republicans big-time in next month's election -- and give Democrats a 60-seat majority in the 100-member U.S. Senate for the first time 30 years.

With their polls rising, Democrats have a plausible shot at gaining nine seats to hit 60, which could provide the votes needed to clear Republican procedural hurdles and move quickly to keep campaign promises.

"Imagine what we can accomplish with a filibuster-proof Senate majority," Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, who polls show is leading Republican rival John McCain, wrote in a fund-raising appeal last week.

Despite their collective clout, Obama and a Democratic Senate "super majority" still would likely be hobbled by a record federal deficit. And Democratic senators could seek to seize the initiative with some of their own proposals rather than stick to the Obama game plan.

"Each senator thinks he or she is the equal of the president," said Stephen Hess, a congressional scholar at the Brookings Institution. "Every president would love to have 60 votes in the Senate but they'll still have to work for everything they get."

Nevertheless, a 60-seat majority in the 100-seat Senate would mean the Democrats would not have to cut deals with Republicans to move legislation, including promised measures to roll back tax cuts for the rich, increase regulation of the financial markets and stimulate the economy.

On the other side of the U.S. Capitol, Democrats, who control the House of Representatives 235-199, are expected to gain as many as two dozen seats in the November 4 election, up to twice as many as anticipated just a few weeks ago.

[NormsRevenge]

The dems looted the henhouse and the republicans get the blame.

Go figure.

[FlingWingFlyer]

In other words, the dumbing down of Americans in the public schools is finally starting to pay off for the DemocRATS.

[writer33]

Check Out the Barney Frank stuff as well as this:

For Liberty's Sake

[Right Cal Gal]

I’d keep running that Pelosi video “can we drill your brains” over and over again. And the one of Barney Frank saying how SOUND Fannie Mae was.

[Texas Eagle]

If the economy is so “ailing”, where did people come up with 130 million dollars to send to Barack Obama in September alone?

[libh8er]

I didn’t even read the article beyond the headline. Where’s the barf alert ?

[avacado]

If we had an educated population and a media who reported the facts, the Democratic Party would lose their collective butts, and be run out of Washington.

[Mogollon]

Then again...maybe not. The polls are going in McCain/Palins’ direction.

[Squantos]

Yep world was fine and dandy till the rats infested Congress !

GOP’s fault now ?........LOL !

Guess the failures of Obama Inc will be all blamed on everything prior to January 09.

Doom on this POS and his socialist handlers !

[rawcatslyentist]

AP, Reuters, Yahoo, NYT, the ENEMEDIA, .... socialist swine feeding at Americas Capitalist Trough.

The buffet is about to run out, and it's harvest time after that!

[JaneNC]

I would say the Dems should worry.
They caused this.

[absalom01]

"Imagine what we can accomplish with a filibuster-proof Senate majority,

Indeed. Just tried that particular thought experement, and now I need a drink.

Or four.

[yldstrk]

oh yeah right

[FormerACLUmember]

Ailing U.S. economy may cost Republicans big

But.... the democrat and their supporters 100% created this sub-prime nightmare, and stole billions.

[jmcenanly]

Isn't that always the case? Their people join the KKK, stand in the schoolhouse door, et cetera, but we speak in racist code, and must be silenced. They blind our intelligence networks, but we fail to connect the dots. They go about the world denouncing their home country, but we are responsible for our declining popularity in the world. I can only hope that the American people can see this as well.

[Neu Pragmatist]

The RNC and Republicans are not doing their duty in pointing out that the Dims are actually the incumbent party .
The Dims have been in control for two years , but you would never know as the Republicans still have not learned how to play hardball politics . Actually , telling the truth really isn’t even hardball politics .... why aren’t the Republicans pushing the Dim incumbency issue ?

[Edit35]

This economic "crisis" is so frustrating, because it wasn't caused necessarily by the Bush Admin or G OP.

It was caused by the quadrupling of oil-energy prices, as evidenced of the DOZENS of COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD which are near default due to their economic collapse.

Is Uruguay at big investor in US housing??

Did Pakistan invest LONG with Bear Sterns and AIG??

Like Alan Greenspan said long ago, "Liquidity is just another name for market confidence. Without confidence, there is no liquidity."

Which is exactly what happened to US banks and US businesses when the oil shock caused millions of businesses and millions of families to suddenly stop paying and stop profiting because their energy costs were suddenly spiking into the stratesphere.

Pakistan is near default. Did Pakistan have a big stake in Bear Sterns.

Russia is near default (ironically the only net oil producer who is having problems). Did Russia own billions in AIG, or in tight margin shopping centers around the US?

Hardly.

Now that oil is back down to earth (still not low enough), the economy will once again be on solid footing.... as commodities like copper, zinc, etc. stop causing huge inflation problems.

It's that simple.

[hecht]

so why doesn’t Bush give a press conference explaining CRA, Fannie, Freddie , Dodd, Raines, ACORN etc.
Hey, Canadian lady on Huckabee did it

[Eric Blair 2084]

I liked McCains line at the Alfred Smith dinner...

paraphrasing:

“If the market is up 700 points, I’m sure Barack will suspend his campaign and go back to Washington to deal with the crisis.”