We're population big, Booth.  And electoral college biggest.

Susan 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

Jordan .

So I was just out watering a flower bed where the sprinkler heads aren't working. With this heat, it is in dire need of daily watering. And I'm thinking to myself, you know, Self, with all the mobility mentioned in the John Fund interview, people could move from county to county, register with their SS#s and their utility bills and still be registered all over the place. Let's hope the states themselves have a means of checking on duplicates but between states, I don't think there is a mechanism that prevents someone from being on voter lists in several states.

There should be a central data base but then voter registration, in off-election years when people aren't thinking about it, might be a detail one doesn't attend to upon their move. Obviously when you leave one state for another, you don't cancel your registration. If this were the only problem to consider, and it isn't, it does become highly susceptible to sloppiness at best and duplicate ballots being cast.

I think that's something we can all agree on.

Susan

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

and might explain the corruption in both St Louis and Kansas City since both states are on the border - one individual could vote in both states. As these elections get tighter and tighter, just a few hundred illegal ballots can change an election.

Sorry Booth - you did say that. I see that now.  

Jordan .

back on topic now:

http://www.insightmag.com/Media/MediaManager/Pelosi.htm

Looks like Pelosi is going to be pushing any hawkish Democrats out of committees and replacing them with doves. From the article:  "Nancy Pelosi wants total party discipline," a source in the Democratic Party leadership said. "If you played ball with the Republicans during this session, then you're not going to be given an important chair in the next session.""

Now, she has full right to do so, and the GOP might do the same (even though the GOP has kept a number of liberal Republicans as Chairmans much to the anger of some Conservative voters), but I think she's about to tick off a number of committed conservative and moderate Democrats.

Looking forward to the next two years. Democrats have the ball and can blame no one but themselves (even though they will still blame the GOP).  

Jordan .

I am going to take a guess about the next US President.  I think the next US President will either be a black man or a white woman.

Jordan .

I'm sure teh Democrats would've preferred to not have had this said by Iran about their victory -- if Iran is celebrating a Democratic victory, wonder how Bin Laden feels?

Khamenei calls elections a victory for Iran
Fri Nov 10, 2006 9:03 AM ET

By Jon Hemming

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday called U.S. President George W. Bush's defeat in congressional elections a victory for Iran.

Bush has accused Iran of trying to make a nuclear bomb, being a state sponsor of terrorism and stoking sectarian conflict in Iraq, all charges Tehran denies.

"This issue (the elections) is not a purely domestic issue for America, but it is the defeat of Bush's hawkish policies in the world," Khamenei said in remarks reported by Iran's student news agency ISNA on Friday.

"Since Washington's hostile and hawkish policies have always been against the Iranian nation, this defeat is actually an obvious victory for the Iranian nation."

The Democrats wrested control of both houses of Congress from the Republicans in this week's mid-term elections, partly because of voter concern over the war in Iraq.

Khamenei, a senior cleric in power since 1989, has the last word on matters of state in Iran's complex system of Islamic rule, while the government, under President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is in charge of day-to-day decision making.

"The result of this election indicates that the majority of American people are dissatisfied and are fed up with the policies of the American administration," the IRNA state news agency quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.

Khamenei said military maneuvers in the Gulf this week in which Iranian forces tested new missile systems showed Iran was ready to face any threat.

But, he said: "With the scandalous defeat of America's policies in Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon and Afghanistan, America's threats are empty threats on an international scale."

Khamenei condemned Israel for its artillery attack on Wednesday in Gaza which killed 18 civilians, and also the "silence" of Western nations over "this great oppression".

"The daily crimes by the savage Zionists in Gaza once more prove that holding talks with this occupying regime is of no use."

Jordan .

Hi Jordon,

I'm sure the Iran and Bin Laden propaganda machines are jumping all over this but I think (or really hope) most people are smart enough to see it for what it is, the same crap they always spew out. Bin Laden/Taliban/Iraq insurgents have all claimed an easy victory since day one when our military entered their lands. They will never change no matter how our government changes. Words don't mean anything from them, I'll judge by the actions in the coming months/years.

Right or wrong we will probably slowly withdraw from Iraq but sometimes it benefits us to take a step back and re-evaluate the strategy so we can see the larger picture. I think Iraq is already in a cival war and we will need to let it play out, perhaps guarding the borders instead of the cities to keep Syrian, Iran, foriegn terrorists etc out while they fight for their own internal goverment. I'll admit I'm not sure it's the ideal solution, but I don't know what else will work. Also, if a full blown cival war happens I think Iran will not benifit, as they may have to deal with a new threat of Iraq again. I think deep inside Iran still likes and wants us to be in Iraq! Our army keeps taking casulties while Iran keeps making their goverment stronger without Iraq to keep them in check. Also, they don't want to deal with the onslaught of refugees that will come pouring into Iran during a civil war.

I think there are other smarter ways to fight this war against terrorist countries. Example: we used economic strategies to win the cold war cold, if we could reduce our dependence on foreign oil etc we could drain terrorists funding significantly. Anyway, just a few thoughts on the issue.

R_Flagg

And now we know what one Al Qaeda leader in Iraq thinks about the Democratic victory:

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/11/10/D8LAC4OG1.html

R_Flagg - I wouldn't shrug off people's words so easily. Words are often sometimes just a precursor for something else. If we had been paying closer attention to words in the 90s (even in the 70s and 80s to a certain extent), we might've avoided 9/11 and this whole mess.

And yet, here we are, going down the same road we did through those years with the Middle East - but this time with Iran (and N Korea). 

The Cold War was different - there we had two countries who did a lot of sword branding but knew the ultimate cost for pushing that red button and neither really wanted to do that. Now we have a different problem - both sides know know what happens when you push the red button, but one side doesn't care because they will get their 72 virgins in Heaven when they die (and did you know that after you have sex with a heavenly virgin she reverts back to a virgin?).

I agree with finding an alternative fuel source. Only problem is  that while we are looking for an alternative type of fuel, we need to also be looking and gathering our own oil supply so we don't have to rely on the Middle East or Chavez or anyone else. That's why the US govt needs to open up ANWAR, needs to allow oil rigging off of the coasts of the US (which probably has more oil supply than ANWAR) until we can find a better alternative. And of course, now we know that won't happen with a Democratic controlled Congress. Instead we are going to get investigations as to why oil companies are making so much money (ignoring that the US govt makes more money per dollar than the oil company does). Now we are going to get investigations into who Cheney met with when policies were written. Now we are going to get tax payer dollars going to the death of human embryoes in the name of science simply in hopes of finding cures with a process that continues to show nothing but negatives, while another process has been proven to be much better and doesn't destroy anything.

Now we are going to get gridlock, and after 6 years of GOP screw-ups, I'm looking forward to it. Govt always works best when they are too busy gridlocking and getting nothing done.

Jordan .

I agree with Jordan's post above.

Just one point -- as far as stem cell goes the legislation was not to stop the practice--only NOT to have federal funding of that program. Not a prohibition on stem cell research.

Jordan .

If you care about polls, Newsweek did a poll issued Saturday. It found alot of support for Medicare drug price reductions with drug companies, lower student loan rates, raise in minimum wage... However it also showed the following:

While a bare majority of 51 percent called the Democrats' victory "a good thing," even more said they were concerned about some of the actions a Democratic Congress might take, including 78 percent who were somewhat or very concerned that it would seek too hasty a withdrawal of troops from Iraq.

Another 69 percent said they were concerned that the new Congress would keep the administration "from doing what is necessary to combat terrorism," and two-thirds said they were concerned it would spend too much time investigating the administration and Republican scandals.

Jordan .

You're doing alot of lol-ing these days Jordan. Republicans getting their asses kicked obviously doesn't seem to mitigate the joy of new parenthood one bit!

Well Raymond and Jordan, a Rasmussed poll shows:

28% of Americans want troops home immediately

26% of Americans want troops home within a year

32% of Americans want troops to stay until finished.

So, according to Rasmussen 54% of Americans want troops home within a year or less.  According to Ray's quote from Newsweek 78% of Americans are worried troops will leave too soon.

Which poll is right?  What do the Americans want?  From an outside perspective it seems Americans wanted change but are not overly enthusiastic about Democrats or Republicans.  Too bad there is no third party, maybe that's what Americans want!

"We cannot allow a mine shaft gap"

I see the spinners are spinning again ---even if they are just spinning their wheels in the mud.   Your writing this, Jorkel, shows an absolute lack of either common sense or shame.    The idea of the Left being a fifth column for Communists made good copy in the fifties; I guess the Left as a fifth column for Islam is just as good a strategy for the 21st century. 

Here in backwards Florida --aside from the defeat of Katherine Harris, and the defeat of a non-running Mark Foley, who was ousted by the Republicans (apparently) because he enjoyed consensual sex as a free human being-- there was, unfortunately, a close win for the Republicans in most races --and they used much the same strategy.  Vern Buchanan (R), for example --at the same time he was hosting a visit from President Bush during the campaign-- was running ads against his opponent, Christine Jennings (D), in which he alleged that "Christine Jennings' 'weakness' will allow Hezbullah guerillas to cross over into America through Mexico."  Almost, but not quite, as bad, as a campaign ad aired on Conservative Sacramento talk radio station KFBK on Monday, Nov. 6th, which alleged that "Illegal immigrants are responsible for more deaths of Americans than the attacks on 9/11 and the war in Iraq combined."

 "There are no hereditary kings in America and no powers not created by the Constitution."--US District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor in her ruling against the Bush administration’s warrantless surveillance program

"My French is poor, but my heart is rich.  I love France- the art-making, art-loving, and art-supporting people of France." -David Lynch

D - those are two different type questions. You're comparing apples and oranges. Rasmussen was asking about time tables, whereas the Newsweek poll was asking more general questions about Americans view of what will happen in the US coming up. I want the troops back here immediately too, but that doesn't mean I support an immediate withdrawal.

Even the polls leading up to the election showed that Americans didn't trust the Dems to do the job either. But the fact of the matter is that Democrats won because GOP voters stayed home - unhappy with their leaders. (some of us were in the hospital though) 

Gavin - The fact of the matter is that both Iran and Al Qaeda like the fact Democrats won. Sorry, but that isn't spin. And if you actually read my first post - I said, "I'm sure teh Democrats would've preferred to not have had this said by Iran about their victory -- if Iran is celebrating a Democratic victory, wonder how Bin Laden feels?" That was not tongue in cheek when I wrote it. Democrats should be concerned when Iran and Al Qaeda celebrated their victory on Tues. If you want to compare it to the 50s and connecting Communism and Democrats, go right ahead. I frankly don't care what you have to say or think ever since you inferred I was a racist.

Jordan .

Speaking of troop withdrawal and the happiness of Al Qaeda and Iran....

Democrats will push Bush to start withdrawing troops within 4-6 months.  

So will Bush be blamed when things go further south in 6-9 months if Dems get their way? Probably.... 

Jordan .