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Headache for Barack Obama as Democrat senators are to step down
Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | January 6, 2010 | Alex Spillius

Posted on 01/06/2010 11:01:12 AM PST by Schnucki

Two Democratic senators have announced they will not run for re-election later this year, raising fears Barack Obama's party could lose its “super-majority” in Congress.

The loss of seats in the November elections would mean they could fall short of the 60 votes needed to overcome Republican procedural obstacles in the Senate.

If Republicans continue to stand united against Mr Obama, it could lead to gridlock in the second half of his four-year term and harm his chances of re-election in 2012.

It would the pressure on the president to get any major legislation – such as health care or a climate change – passed well before November.

The decision by Senator Byron Dorgan of North Dakota to stand down in a Republican-leaning state particularly after three terms stunned party insiders, who were hopeful he would win again.

The 67-year-old said he was quitting in order to follow other interests including book-writing, but Republicans said his departure signalled his unwillingness to face defeat.

The tide has turned quickly against Mr Obama and the Democrats after the euphoria of his election in November 2008 that also saw the party increase its majority in the House of Representatives and win 59 Senate seats, which soon became 60 with a Republican defection.

It was the first time since the 1970s that the party had held the White House and both chambers in Congress.

But the struggling economy and a hostile response to the president's agenda among independent voters have now left many in the party accepting that they could see last year's gains evaporate in November's midterm elections.

All 435 House seats, 34 out of 100 senate seats, as well as dozens of governorships will be contested in elections that traditionally see a swing back against the dominant

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Extended News; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 111th; 2010; 2010midterms; bho44; democrats; dodd; dorgan; elections; healthcare; obama

1 posted on 01/06/2010 11:01:12 AM PST by Schnucki
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To: Schnucki

[it could lead to gridlock in the second half of his four-year term and harm his chances of re-election in 2012.]

Harm his chance for re-election? Gridlock is the best thing that could happen to him.


2 posted on 01/06/2010 11:03:45 AM PST by KansasGirl
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To: Schnucki

Will the MSM headlines read:

Following Sarah Palin’s brilliant lead: Dodd, Dorgan and Vitter are GOING ROGUE!!!


3 posted on 01/06/2010 11:05:20 AM PST by sodpoodle (Stop wasting our wealth and start telling the truth.)
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To: sodpoodle

Doubtful. But it wouldn’t surprise me to read that Chris Dodd has been appointed Ambassador to Someplace Warm.

There is a master hand behind these moves, bank on it.


4 posted on 01/06/2010 11:08:24 AM PST by bigbob
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To: Schnucki
I don't think that its a "headache" for Obama or Pelosi!

They actually don't CARE or at least approve of kicking out the "weak" candidates!

5 posted on 01/06/2010 11:11:31 AM PST by zerosix (native sunflower)
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To: bigbob

Agree with you & posted the following on an earlier thread:

They *Have been promised lifetime positions in the Politburo!!!

By Nov. 2012 there will be only one political party - no need for elections.*


6 posted on 01/06/2010 11:12:17 AM PST by sodpoodle (Stop wasting our wealth and start telling the truth.)
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To: sodpoodle

And I loved Rush’s statement this AM: “I just got back today and 3 dem. senators have already resigned.”


7 posted on 01/06/2010 11:23:33 AM PST by kiltie65
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To: Schnucki

There’s method in the madness. Count on it.


8 posted on 01/06/2010 11:30:47 AM PST by EdReform (Oath Keepers - Guardians of the Republic - Honor your oath - Join us: www.oathkeepers.org)
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To: Schnucki

The Democrats have already scrubbed their list of potential losses, and felt comfortable they would still hold onto power. Even key Republicans scrubbing that same list made similar observations. But, now names not even on the radar screen are showing up. Its a whole new ball game.


9 posted on 01/06/2010 11:31:30 AM PST by NavyCanDo
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To: Schnucki

Carville: “40 more years of Democratic Party dominance.”

Anyhone have Carver’s email addy?


10 posted on 01/06/2010 11:36:59 AM PST by cranked
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To: Schnucki
It was the first time since the 1970s that the party had held the White House and both chambers in Congress.

This is incorrect.

The Dems also held the White House and both chamber of Congress in 1993 and 1994.

11 posted on 01/06/2010 11:41:28 AM PST by <1/1,000,000th%
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To: KansasGirl
Your absolutely right. The "Contract with America" Congress was the worst thing that ever happened to Clinton's agenda and the best thing that ever happened to his popularity.
12 posted on 01/06/2010 11:53:10 AM PST by Red Dog #1
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To: Schnucki
"raising fears hopes Barack Obama's party could lose its “super-majority” majority in Congress."

There, fixed it.
13 posted on 01/06/2010 12:00:33 PM PST by SeattleBruce (God, Family, Church, Country - Keep on Tea Partiers - party like it's 1773 & pray 2 Chronicles 7:14!)
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To: Schnucki

The number one thing he wanted (besides taking over the banking industry and the auto industry) was healthcare.

Hitler

and

Obama

Both.

It won’t matter if cap and trade and all the rest doesn’t pass.......


14 posted on 01/06/2010 12:06:51 PM PST by Freddd (CNN is not credible.)
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To: Schnucki

Wednesday, January 06, 2010 9:31:59 AM · 176 of 205
catnipman to Constitutionalist Conservative

The Obamunist scorched-earth strategy towards achieving U.S. fasco-socialism continues to unfold. Indeed, as many have forecast, Dims are being sacrificed. However, it’s now clear the sacrifice has not been unwitting. What we now are witnessing is that the sacrifice has been deliberate and knowing political suicide, rather than a naive throwing-under-the-bus.

The brilliance of this strategy is that there’s a good chance the Obamunists can have their cake and eat it too. There will no longer be a plethora of wildly unpopular incumbent Dims upon which the wrath of the electorate can be unleashed by voting in protest for the “other guy”.

Instead, the Dims are simply retiring the hated incumbents and running new candidates without any baggage. Even better, they can handpick those most amenable to their fasco-socialist aims, though of course, as with Obama himself, they’ll be trotted out as middle-of-the-road candidates. Instead of a passel of pariahs, the Obamunists will have a brand new shiny bunch of wolves dressed in sheep’s clothing all ready to continue to perpetuate Obamunism.

I can only hope and pray the electorate does not fall for these latest Obamunist tricks.


15 posted on 01/06/2010 12:27:20 PM PST by catnipman (Cat Nipman: Made from The Right Stuff)
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To: bigbob

Perhaps Dodd is preparing to go to jail for his part in the Countrywide mortgage/loan scandal...


16 posted on 01/06/2010 1:38:03 PM PST by Joan912 (where are you, planet x?)
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To: Freddd
Keep in mind.....anything and everything Obama does is a strategic move to increase his power over the people through the executive branch.....

FOR YOUR REFERENCE The phrase "to gain executive branch authority" was first heard 70 years ago, or so.....part of a package called "The Enabling Acts"......although it was written in German. The Enabling Acts granted "the executive" the authority to write new laws and change old laws without oversight.

17 posted on 01/06/2010 2:53:28 PM PST by Liz
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