I'd like to congratulate the Democratic Establishment on tonight's victory in NJ

[1StrongBlackMan]

89. I understand where you're coming from ...

though I disagree on couple of points.

First, I think the first 2 years of President Obama's 1st term was his honest belief that the gop would play by the long established rules and, at least, put forward the appearance of wanting to govern. He learned this was not to be in 2010, when it became clear if he said "up" the modern gop would say "down."

I think where we really disagree is the the reason people stayed home in 2010. The demographics of those that stayed home were the young (and change hopeful); the independants that were tired of the lack of progress and a segment of progressives that wanted to see change, yesterday.

The reality of the political environment had it that there was nothing that President Obama could have offered this cohort, in the face of the modern gop's obstruction ... they wanted to see results ... movement ... It was then, he shifted to the appearance of reasonableness, with the expectation they would continue in their obstruction ... and he was correct.

It was then, President Obama (and his team) charted a different path ... his repeated offering up what the modern gop asked for (along with his "increased revenue" demand) that the poll numbers started working in his (Democrats) favor, despite the media's "It's both party's fault" claims. Democrats may have wanted to hear the FDR quote (though many would have waved it off as "just another pretty speech&quot ; but that was NOT want the American electorate wanted to hear. They/we were not ready to hear it. They/we only were prepared to hear something approaching that when the shut-down and debt ceiling thing hit.

Further, I disagree that there were the resources to flip a gerrymandered +6-8 gop district to Democratic, without first getting a critical mass of the public to see the modern gop for what they ... the Democratic votes just aren't there. The only way to pull the flip would be to get a whole bunch of republicans and republican leaning independants to stay home or vote 3rd party.