You know, all across the country Republicans and pundits are gleefully conceding the makeup of the next Congress to Republican control. Republicans are salivating at Mitch McConnell becoming majority leader and John Boehner being Speaker of the House. While the Democratic Party has nobody to blame but themselves for the cowardice they have shown in fighting for any real progress for America in the last two years before waving the white flag and watching the Republicans do a victory lap everyone should consider this. The Republican Party is still less popular than dog feces on the carpet and America still realizes that the Republicans are a party totally devoid of any clue.
Overshadowed by the antics of the Kentucky Senate race is the fact that we have some fine men running for the Congress this year in the Bluegrass State. Ed Marksberry, John Waltz, and Jim Holbert are all great Democrats and deserve our support. John Waltz conducted a tour across his district and found out one thing. Folks are pretty scared about their retirement security with the talk of benefits being cut and retirement ages being raised. While Waltz believe budget cuts are inevitable, he has the right mindset to do it rationally.
One thing that may be getting lost in the shuffle of having a tea-party zealot running for Senate in Kentucky is the fine slate of Democratic candidates we have running for Congress this year here. Candidates that are Washington outsiders and understand the problems that face real Kentuckians and Americans because they themselves are there facing those problems with us everyday. A good example of that is Ed Marksberry in Kentucky's Second Congressional district. Far from being a Washington elitist who is out of touch with working Kentucky and America, Ed is a Carpenter who wants to bring working values back to Washington and fight for them.
I wrote this diary, "John Waltz Continues to Show Strength" yesterday when I realized that the Waltz campaign had put up a very strong showing in fundraising for the last quarter. However, now it appears as if I put it up before I realized just how strong this showing really was. You see, as a political newcomer and a Progressive in a red area John Waltz did the unthinkable. He actually OUT-RAISED the sitting Republican Geoff Davis. Even more remarkable is that Waltz smoked Davis in donations from individuals.
For a while now, the political beltway has had its eye firmly focused on next year's congressional elections, in which Democrats look poised to lose a number of seats. I have repeatedlyopined that this focus is misdirected; nobody will remember the results in - say - 2020.
Nevertheless, an opinion without evidence behind it remains just that. Perhaps I am wrong: devastating congressional loses really do negatively impact presidential administrations. Since President Barack Obama's primary political concern involves his legacy, I decided to investigate the relationship between congressional losses and presidential legacy.
To do this, I graphed two variables: the number of House seats lost in first-term mid-term elections, and approval ratings at the end of the administration's term.
I wrote a few diaries several months ago about a Democratic newcomer in Kentucky politics when John Waltz announced his run here, here, and here. While I very much liked what Waltz was saying, I wondered about his ability to mount a race as a newcomer and in Kentucky's Fourth Congressional District. However, as this race is progressing John Waltz is proving to be an extremely viable candidate as well as being a real fighting Democrat. Now, Waltz's campaign is picking up steam and with our help could mount a real challenge to put Republicans on defense this fall in at least one previously secure district.
Congratulations - two days ago the Senate passed a comprehensive health care bill, achieving a long-sought liberal initiative regarding a system that badly needs reform. Unless something extremely unexpected occurs, it will soon be on your desk, for you to sign into law or veto.
I highly doubt that you will ever read this post and the advice it offers, and I'm fairly sure you've made your mind up to sign the bill a long time ago. Nevertheless, I will deign to offer you some thoughts.
Before signing health care reform into law, I urge you to carefully review the bill one final time - to consider the immense consequences of this action. Take a long hard look at the proposal: Will the market exchanges really work? Will the bill really succeed in bending the cost curve?
A comparison of presidential and congressional polls this cycle quickly shows that Obama is running well behind congressional Democrats. However, in 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004, the Democratic nominee for President outperfomed the collective Democratic result for the national U.S. House elections. It's true:
