This might have been the best outcome for our democracy.

[Qutzupalotl]

Obviously, this was not the outcome we had hoped for. Holding both chambers would have made a world of difference for the country, and benefitted our party for 2024.

This might be the second best outcome for our party, but I wonder if it wasn't the better outcome for our country. We demonstrated to election deniers that we can lose. That should give them pause: after all, if we were capable of rigging elections, wouldn't we have saved the House? We wanted it badly, and didn't get it.

I wonder, though: if we did keep both chambers, what would that do politically? The election deniers would have hit the roof, with accusations flying everywhere. J6-style attacks could have been staged at state capitols, and the country pushed closer to breaking apart.

But now? Barely a peep. The RNC was quick to boast about winning the House. No problem with those ballots.

While I would have greatly preferred to continue checking agenda items off our list, I would not at the expense of a second civil war. This outcome is bittersweet, but maybe a little sweeter when you consider an alternative timeline of utter chaos.

As it stands, we dodged a bullet. We blunted the worst of the expected red wave, and it was not a humiliating defeat for either side. Republicans won't be able to get anything done for the people. The election results were widely accepted, and seemed to go fairly smoothly.

Nothing is ever permanent in politics, so an uneasy truce may be the best we can hope for at this point. Democracy, like justice, must be continually safeguarded. Our country is battered, but holding. We live to fight another day.

[PortTack]

1. Good summation, but I do think it was a humiliating defeat for the gqp. They spent 700+ million

On this election and they got the house by a 5 seat majority…maybe. No state houses were flipped, their direction, we gained 2 governor seats, they lost all of the SOS races in swing states and American voters essentially told the gqp to sit down and STFU. They won’t, but ‘24 is coming and it’s going to be very difficult again for the gqp, althou the senate is a bigger nut to crack for us in ‘24.

[Qutzupalotl]

4. Thanks for the reminder.

I guess it was a little better than a wash.

Yes, I'm elated that all Trump's election denying SoS picks lost.

[PortTack]

5. Again your summation was really great!

[Initech]

2. With the country this divided, the GOP is going to have to figure out where they stand.

Do they stand with Trump, Fox, and toxic fascist MAGA extremists who are inching this country ever closer to a possible genocide? Or do they stand for freedom and democracy? I think the choice should be pretty obvious, but with this group, considering they view a Hungarian Nazi as a model leader, it could go either way.

[CentralMass]

6. Even if they don't side with tRump I predict tjat tje alternative will be as bad or worse.

DeSantis? Banning books, firing teachers amd appointments on a whim because they don't agree with hus christofacist agenda etc..

[moniss]

3. I hear you but I'm

still pretty certain that Manchin and his female counterpart from Arizona are going to work closely with the GQP House to put Medicare and SS on the chopping block. Look for them to try to hold off or drastically cut the scheduled COL increase due in 2023, raise the retirement age significantly, try and get some sort of means testing approved and to also create some Wall Street run alternative program for SS similar to the Medicare Advantage scam.

[PortTack]

7. The votes are not there in the senate, so it doesn't matter what manchin or Sinema do, or what

The house does. President Biden will never go with this anyway. Their real reason for pushing this so hard right now, they think if it passes they can then say…see a dem president took away your SS, medicare and Medicaid. President Biden is too smart for that kind of nonsense, and he cares too much to ever go along with their nonsense.

[moniss]

8. How do you propose

getting past the debt limit as hostage issue? That's what I'm referencing when I say that Manchin et al are going to make their move.

[carpetbagger]

9. Find their Manchin and their Sinema.

Maybe a Jeffords.

[moniss]

10. They weren't there the last 2 years

and we have that debt limit vote coming up in less than 6 weeks. I have a good hunch that they will agree to pass a very short term debt limit bill only if it contains something on the SS increase that's scheduled. Maybe until Spring of 2023 and then they'll have to vote again. Every time is going to be an opportunity for them to get concessions.

[onetexan]

12. And why we need Sen. WARNOCK REELECTED

[TreasonousBastard]

11. Democracy depends upon a rational opposition so the majority...

doesn't become full of itself and run amok.

But rational is the key. Go back to Depression ysars whe absolutely no one knew what the hell they were doing and we basically lucked out with FDR and trying new things. Republicans had to shut up when everyone realized what they were doing was useless.

The Brits openly talk of the "oppositon party" and that's exactly what it is. And should be.

[Meowmee]

13. No

The election deniers could give a crap. They are fascists and liars all.