This 56 year old Man--err me--will never see a Republican Senate Majority for the rest of my life.

[trumad]

The biggest concern with the Nuke Option is that if the Republicans ever gained control of the Senate they'd use it to cram everything down the Dems throats.

Ain't gonna happen.

Look around folks... the Republican party is on a death march and before this decade is over, they will be a permanent minority.

Demographics---Demographics.

nuff said!

[polichick]

1. As people so often tell me, you're giving people too much credit...

But I hope you're right.

[MANative]

2. And this slightly younger woman wishes you...

a very long life, indeed!

[trumad]

4. LOL---

Yeah---knowing my luck I'll get hit by a bus in 2016.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

3. I will never utter the words "permanent Dem majority"

Just too fraught with bad kharma for me.

[trumad]

5. Agree---hence me not using it.

[Voice for Peace]

43. too late

[frazzled]

6. They'd only be able to cram executive branch and judicial nominees down our throats

We can still filibuster any type of legislation, and even Supreme Court nominees, if they should regain power. Given that in the past we've always given the benefit of the doubt to 99% of Republican presidents' executive nominees (cabinets, agencies), and even passed most of their judicial nominees ... this isn't such a big deal for our side.

It's a big deal for their side, because they've been using the nominee filibuster to basically slow down and obstruct Senate business (it takes time to filibuster). And to deny the president his ability to appoint people.

But no, this so-called nuclear option doesn't let anyone cram legislation down anyone's throat.

[madokie]

7. Yes we are on the upper road here

and have been all along, well for as long as I can remember anyway

Nothing but good can come from todays changes to the rules.

[jeff47]

10. You're assuming the rules would remain the same.

Fact is McConnell and company would simply eliminate the filibuster for everything, whether or not Democrats did this.

[malaise]

20. McConnell has to win back the seat

Good luck with that

[jeff47]

47. Really doesn't matter who leads the Republicans, they'd do the same thing. (nt)

[world wide wally]

42. BINGO!

[HereSince1628]

8. The old GOP for sure, unless they can get senators without statewide elections

but it's my understanding that, indeed, they are working on that.

[Atman]

9. Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups.

[madinmaryland]

11. Dude! We all know your record on predictions!!

[RockaFowler]

36. Come on - that's only in Sports

[Agnosticsherbet]

12. Even if Republicans go away, that doesn't mean there won't be a Conservative Party....

Parties have died in the past, and another party stepped to take their place. Periods of one party rule always come to an end.

At some point, this will bite us in the ass. It was necessary because Republicans didn't allow another option. Hopefully those teeth gnawing on our neither regions are years away.

[devils chaplain]

13. I believe we may see a Republican Senate...

But a GOP House, Senate, and White House? Psssht.

[Art_from_Ark]

17. Well, it was just 10 years ago

that we had such a situation, where the Republicans controlled everything, and with a dimwit at the helm to boot.

[devils chaplain]

18. Yes, but the GOP is demographically screwed, not to mention has tarnished its reputation since. n/t

[Art_from_Ark]

22. They tarnished their reputation with Nixon as well

yet they came roaring back, like Jason Voorhees, just 6 years later. The public is fickle and the mood of the nation can change in an instant. I remember Nixon resigning and the people around me cheering because he was ousted. Yet 6 years later, many of those same people were supporting Ronald Reagan. And back in 1968, I remember "Bobby Kennedy fever" at my school, where nearly everyone (and by extension, their parents) were supporting Bobby Kennedy for President. Yet, in September of that year, after Bobby's assassination, a lot of those kids said their parents were for Wallace! And there was only lukewarm support for Humphrey, even from the son of the chair of the county's Democratic Committee!

[grantcart]

14. If you look at the three classes, this is their last chance for at least 6 years.

The next two classes have more Republican vulnerability.

If they don't take it in 2014 then they will be pretty well baked.

A lot of Republicans will retire if they don't get a majority because there isn't much fun being a minority Senator, and you don't make that much money either.

[Laelth]

15. Americans under the age of 30 prefer socialism to capitalism.

That's all you need to know. It's celebration time!

[font size=48 color=blue]CELEBRATE![/font]



-Laelth

[azurnoir]

16. Hoping your right

[freshwest]

19. +1

[paulkienitz]

21. I think they'll make a comeback

as a completely different party, with no resemblance to today's Tealiban. They'll be, like, libertarians who think they should be able to sell weed without any taxes on it. Or straight-up centrist moderates. Or something.

[Skittles]

23. when have repukes NOT "crammed everything down the Dems throats" ?????

[landolfi]

24. I'm 57 today

and I can't think of a better birthday present than the one I got from Harry Reid today!

[Skittles]

34. happy birthday, landolfi!

[SoLeftIAmRight]

25. We had better work to make that so...

I fear what those crazy fucks would do.

[Maeve]

26. From your mouse to God's inbox, so to speak

I want to believe you are correct
but do not underestimate the power of The Stupid

[Warpy]

27. I'm older than you are and I don't want to see another one before i croak

I've had more than enough of those bastards. I want to be able to go back to laughing at them because only a few of them will ever get elected, all of them from rural states where most of the folks just don't know any better.

I will be very surprised if they last past 2016 except as a highly regional party, sputtering along and sending us just a few bumpkins to laugh at. I just hope the fistfights at their next convention are on camera.

Enough in this case has been way more than enough.

[ErikJ]

28. Be assured that they would have voted for the Nuke Option immediately! nt

[MannyGoldstein]

29. Something will replace it.

Either to the left or right of today's elected Democrats.

[greiner3]

30. I sure hope you're right though.

BUT...

“Reports of (the Republican Party's death) have been greatly exaggerated”

Although this is not the actual quote;

"The expression derives from the popular form of a longer statement by the American writer, Mark Twain, which appeared in the New York Journal of 2 June 1897: ‘The report of my death was an exaggeration’. The correction was occasioned by newspaper accounts of Twain’s being ill or dead. At the time, Twain’s cousin James Ross Clemens was seriously ill in London, and appears that some reports confused him with Samuel Langhorne Clemens (Mark Twain)."

It's good enough for history.

[randome]

31. I think you're right. This is a different time.

The pendulum isn't just swinging one way and then the other. In addition to the demographic changes, climate change will help rid us of these bastards for all time.

Who are the people going to run to when things get bad? Not the Professional Deniers.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]There is nothing you can't do if you put your mind to it.
Nothing.[/center][/font][hr]

[Gothmog]

32. 2014 may be close but 2016 looks good for the Democrats

Earlier this year, there were decent odds that the GOP would take control of the Senate in 2014 but those odds are declining. Even if the Democrats lose control of the Senate in 2014, they should be able to take it back in 2016 when there will be some very vulnerable GOP senators up for election including Rubio, Tomney, Johnson and Ayotte

[FBaggins]

33. Then in 56 years you haven't been paying enough attention.

A couple hundred thousand republicans in North Dakota have as much clout in the Senate as ten million democrats in California or New York.

There are currently only two Republican Senators in even modestly competitive races... while we have at least ten. We have a solid chance of keeping the Senate in 2014... but it's no dead-certain lifetime guarantee.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

35. The Republicans would have eliminated it anyway as their first act.

[passiveporcupine]

37. Never say Never

I sincerely hope you are right, but I'm not quite as optimistic as you.

Oh, and here is wishing you a long and healthy life with your hopes fulfilled!

[spin]

38. Much depends on how many people support the ACA after they can see their options. ...

Many people live paycheck to paycheck today. They will be pissed if the cost of their health care increases dramatically and has a much higher deductible as Fox News suggests. Since we are responsible for the ACA, we may lose seats in the Senate in both the midterm and next Presidential election.

Of course I am hoping that Fox News is wrong and most people will end up with a much better health care plan at a lower cost. In that case the Republicans will been seen as the "party of NO" and will lose seats in both the House and Senate over the next two elections.

On a positive note the ACA has already started to make a difference.

Health care spending since the 2010 passage of the Affordable Care Act has risen by 1.3% a year, the lowest rate ever recorded, and health care inflation is the lowest it has been in 50 years, a report released Wednesday by the White House shows.

An economy hobbled by the recession and 2008 economic crisis played a role in some of the reduced spending growth, officials said, but the report cited “structural change” caused, in part, by the law.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/aca-slows-growth-health-costs

[wryter2000]

39. I hope you're right

I would never have thought they would have recovered from W so quickly to take back the House.

[Dawson Leery]

40. McConnell had made it clear he would eliminate ALL filibusters if the GOP

got the majority.

[blkmusclmachine]

41. Not to worry. The GOP is figuring a way around demographics, and the DC DEMS will be too bipartisany

to do much about it.

[trumad]

45. They have been figuring since Lee Atwater....

He was the first to realize the danger ahead for the Repubs because of Demographics. Hence voter suppression, gerrymandering, etc.

[mountain grammy]

44. I've got 10 years on you but never underestimate the GOP with their endless funding

and network of compliant Christian pastors.

[yurbud]

46. I think their death will be like that of the Soviet Union--a lot less will change than we expect

Maybe less clashes over God, guns, gays, and abortion, but the wealthy will simply move more of their bets to corporate Democrats and progressives will either be forced out into a new second party or become the eunuchs fanning the DLCers and dropping grapes in their mouths.

[Martin Eden]

48. Glad to hear you're not terminally ill

I hope you're right!

BTW, I turned 56 a couple months ago

[Nye Bevan]

49. If I had a nickel for every time in my life I have been told "party (x) is in terminal decline"

I would probably have at least a couple of bucks.

Most elections are decided by the undecided centrists, and it doesn't take a whole lot to sway them.

[Mr Dixon]

50. Sweet

i TOTALLY AGREE

[LiberalFighter]

51. Demographics in both

age and population density. Oh! and also ethnicity.

[rock]

52. Yes, as they lost the thread how to act in a Democracy

and sank deeper and deeper into fascism, they lost support: i.e people who would vote for them. So they sank even further into the muck by using illegitimate techniques concerning votes: don't count votes; throw votes away; throw voters away; cut down on voting time; etc. They are already defunct. They are about to become obsolete. From a 69 year old man.

[CTyankee]

53. from your mouth to god's ear...please let it be...