120 comments on “Obama reelected”

  2. Romney’s camp says it’s not over in Ohio and I agree. I’d have waited a bit on the call. Tight margin of victory and a few tricky precincts yet to fully give the returns. I’m certain it’s true, but I think they call itself should have waited.

    1. Of course, Obama is pulling ahead in Florida as of right now, so it may make Ohio irrelevant by the end of the night.

    2. Quite a while before Romney finally conceded, CNN’s analyst demonstrated that even if Ohio, Virginia and Florida ended up going for Romney, he still lost.

    3. In retrospect, if Fox was obligated to call Ohio for Obama, it’s pretty much a done deal (Karl Rove’s protestations notwithstanding).

      1. Fox’s man in the bunker (Jeff Greenfield) gave his reasons, and they were solid.

        The first thing a mathematician (or politician) needs to learn is how to count.

    1. Apparently, Rove and company are disputing Fox’s own “Decision Desk” which called the election for Obama. They are approaching full meltdown.

    2. Neil, the problem with too many people is that they panic too easily. The country still is facing the same insitutional financial problems, and we’ve replaced the government everyone said could not solve them with the government everyone said could not solve them. The Fed is trying to carry the entire load via policies amounting to money quackery, and the only reason no one has seen the inflation (or the bubbles that will create) is because it’s parked for now in the capital plant. That won’t last forever. Already, the stock market’s in a nosedive.

      Indeed, maybe at some point, even Romney will thank his god that he lost. He can use the remainder of his campaign funds to print a few million bumper stickers: “Don’t blame me — I voted for Romney!”

  4. Hey Mitch McConnell, former Senate Majority Leader, now that your “number one priority to make Obama a one term president” failed, what are you going to do now? I got an idea, how about doing the fricking job you were elected to do and govern!

    1. It’s been said before, but I’ll say it again…this blog needs a “like” button.

      –Daryl

      1. Just months after Obama became president (but long before McConnell declared the importance of making Obama a one-termer), Ðìçk Cheney announced before an audience of Republicans that Obama would be a one-term president.

        It feels good to see Cheney proven wrong.

  5. Once upon a time, there was a polarizing president. His supporters backed him fiercely, his detractors opposed him with equal vigor. He was widely seen as being responsible for putting the US in a bad position both at home and abroad. There were claims that he was criminally negligent with the security of American lives. When re-elected for a second term, his supporters told his detractors, “Hey, it’s the will of the people. Shut up and deal with it or get out! You’ll survive.” We did survive (although how well is a matter of opinion).

    The year was 2004.

    Now, it’s 2012.

    Hey, it’s the will of the people. Shut up and deal with it. You’ll survive.

    –Daryl

    1. Silver just might go 50-50 on the night (or in the end, since Florida probably won’t be called tonight).

      Although, how close will he have been on the popular vote will be interesting to see.

  8. I think the lesser of two evils won, Obama containing the policies that I think should have put the Bush Administration on trail for war crimes greatly disturbs me but Mitt would have continued those policies so there was no net gain in voting against someone I agree with on most domestic issues and even a lot of his foreign policy stuff he did end one war and greatly scaled back our involvement in another one.

    What I hope Dems take away is that the people who put Obama over the top, the changing demographics of this country along with women voters, didn’t have their issues addressed over the past four years. If the Republican party hadn’t been hijacked by the Tea Party with people like Akin and Murdoch running around they would have lost big tonight. All the Republicans have to do is tweak their platform and all those votes can eaisly go away or get drowned out and it’s 2010 all over again. All elected Democrats you have been put on notice, please for my sake and everyone else don’t fûçk it up. Yes I have my issues with you guys but you are a lot better than the alternative at least for me.

    1. All the Republicans have to do is tweak their platform and all those votes can eaisly go away or get drowned out and it’s 2010 all over again.

      Lester, I’m not sure it’s so simple that ‘tweaks’ will solve the electorate problem for the GOP.

      They’ve alienated women, even without the likes of Akin and Mourdock, by constantly going after Planned Parenthood and abortion. They’ve basically told Latinos that they’re unwanted with their take on immigration. The young and all minorities are being discouraged from voting in every way possible.

      Did I mention the hard turn to the far right the GOP has taken with regards to religion in this country?

      There was a brilliant blog post this morning (and thanks to KRAD for sharing!) from a Muslim-American about how the GOP completely pìššëd away the Muslim-American vote in the wake of 9/11:
      http://www.ranyontheroyals.com/2012/11/the-gop-and-me.html

      “Our Christian way or the highway” is not a winning motto.

      2. I remember reading that in 2000, Muslims broke heavy for Bush.

        I suspect nowadays, the GOP will have about the same luck with Muslims as they do with blacks and Latinos.

  9. If republicans want to win my vote, they need to drop the religious right and let them create their own party and get back to the values they had before 1980: states rights over federal. Fiscal responsibility and individual privacy,

    I don’t think people would get so polarized if one party didn’t feel morally and religiously superior over the other. I might be wrong but that’s how I feel.

    1. I agree that’s the biggest problem with the Republican party. Unfortunately, listening to talk radio last night most of those on the right blamed the likes of Ron Paul for splintering the party and not endorsing Mitt Romney. Candidates now have to tailor their views to appease the far right and the talking heads of the party just to get a nomination. I don’t see much help for the party any time soon.

  10. Ðámņ. my numbers were way off. Not only did Obama over-perform my estimates in the electoral college, but he may actually have the popular vote by the end of the night as well.

  11. Canada (at least those among my fellow Canucks that I know whom they were routing for) thanks America for making the right choice. I know that living so close to the US I feel a lot safer now than I did a few hours ago (no irony here, I really mean this).

  13. I am really happy, and really surprised. Everybody thought we’d have weeks of uncertainty until victory was determined, and a few of the more arrogant GOP supporters here said it would be a slam dunk for Romney. And then I woke up and Obama was reelected in one night.

    Congrats to Obama, to the Democratics, to America.

    Hope number one: that Obama will grow a backbone and move away from Bush’s policies. Starting by getting rid of all the tax cuts for rich folks. The path of extreme economic deregulation that started with Reagan? Time to turn a new leaf, because it’s not working, it has not worked for decades. The American people have said that they prefer the “Socialist” Obama over financer guy that would have throw 47% under the bus.

    Hope number two: That the GOP will get its act together and get rid of the crazies. It has been co-opted by Religious Nuts and Economic Objectivists. They did everything they could to alienate non-white, non-male voters. When they realized that so-called minorities would go for Obama, their “solution” was to start the voter regulation scheme. Shame on you. The minorities are growing and not going away. Start trying appealing to those voters with more than “Free market economy will save you all, forget that we say stupid things about rape and that we want to deport everybody non-white, we’re still better because than Dems because the economy will really recover with more deregulation and cuts on social programs that will target you, mostly. But hey, that’s life.”

    1. When one of my Facebook friends posts “Who is John Galt?” and others whine how the country is doomed now, I don’t know how much this will be possible.

      1. I know who John Galt is. He is that guy that wouldn’t side with Radical Christians trying to turn mystical scripture into civil law.

    1. NOW they don’t like the electoral college. When it was Bush vs. Gore, they liked it.

      You wanna bet the Donald will not be the last Conservative to decry the injustice of the electoral college?

      Hypocrisy, thy name is Conservatism!

      1. The “He lost the popular vote by a lot” one was hilarious, seeing that Obama won the popular vote, too.

      2. Well, to be fair to Trump, he did post the bit about losing the popular vote when Obama was called the winner and not after most of the vote totals had been returned. Of course, one could argue that running his yap about the vote totals hours before they finished coming in makes him equally stupid.

  15. One of my takeaways from the election was the failure of many (but not all) Tea Party-backed reps to win in the general election. IL Rep. Joe Walsh, FL Rep. Allen West, Senate aspirant Todd Akin (MO) and Senate aspirant Richard Mourdock (IN) all fell short. If the Tea Party wants to achieve any meaningful, long-lasting success they’re gonna need to broaden their appeal in a big way. I don’t know if they are capable of that.

    1. The Tea Party, for all the love Conservatives give it while they heap scorn on OWS, made the exact same mistake as OWS. The Tea Party let extremists and stupid people hijack their group. The difference between the supporters of the two groups is that the Tea Party supporters mostly embraced their extremists and stupid people while many on the Left slowly started tiring of what was happening with OWS.

      Now the Republicans are paying the price for it. They primaried sane Republicans in two straight election cycles and are seeing the results. They’re running to the fringe and I think the electorate is seeing that more and more every day and they’re going to pay for it until they stop doing so.

      1. I congratulate your party, Peter, but I’d be careful about thanking the Almighty. The cold-blooded reality is that we’ve put back in place the same government we had, and that has the potential for at least two more years of gridlock. Furthermore, for those who didn’t look down the ballot in Virginia, Republicans won eight of its eleven seats — hardly a defeat.

        For those who also didn’t notice (Jerry apparently is one of them because he’s wrong):

        1. In California, there were two tax questions on the ballot — this in a state which systematically is going bankrupt. Governor Brown wanted to raise taxes in a way that would set the top STATE rate at 13 per cent. I’ve yet to check this morning, but when I went to bed, it was losing about 55-45, even though Brown said up front that, without it, massive cuts would have to take place and probably immediately.

        The second question also involved raising taxes but would have spread the onus to everyone, and that was losing 72-28.

        In other words, we still are living in Fantasy Land — don’t tax you, don’t tax me, tax the man behind the tree!

        In all of this, John Boehner is the one who comes away with a genuine mandate: Don’t raise taxes! Which makes Obama’s spending unsustainable.

        2. Jerry’s wrong: The Republicans lost not because of Tea Party extremists but because Romney made the mistake of moving to the right of Rick Perry on the immigration issue (to get the nomination) and simply couldn’t get back to take enough of the Hispanic/Latino vote in the general election. The President took 67 per cent of that vote 4 years ago and 69 per cent last night. That was most (if not all) of the margin of victory.

        There are some other things that Republicans did wrong; maybe I’ll comment on them eventually; but, the fiscal edge remains very much in place and in play, so David, Jerry: This ain’t over yet!

      2. Mr. “Know-it-all-insano-Bobby” is wrong as well on CA’s vote. We passed Prop 30.

        I’m sad though that apparently people here still want to kill people (death penalty) rather than just imprison them for life and use the money saved to fight more crime in the state.

      3. Come on, Clay, that’s in our world. Bobby has his own little world that he likes to live in and cite facts from. Just because Proposition 30 passed with 54 percent of the voters supporting it in the real world…

      4. Jerry,
        You have to look at the statement. “When I went to bed, it was losing 55-45” That was true. In the early counting, it was losing. Sometime in the night that vote ratio changed. Sad, that the folks in California were fooled again into voting more taxes on themselves so that the do-nothings in Sacramento could just keep spending away. Of course, I saw today that the democrats now will have a super-majority in the state senate, and so will now be able to vote in tax increases directly without having to go the proposition route, so we can expect even higher taxes now.

      5. Charlie,

        I saw that. Of course, you clipped the first bit of the sentence off and ignored it.

        “I’ve yet to check this morning, but when I went to bed…”

        So Mr. Ðûmbášš goes to bed with the votes at one level but still be counted and then wakes up on Planet Crim and decides that what he wants to be reality really is reality that morning and types up his idiocy based on zero facts. And the thing is, Mr. Ðûmbášš could have checked the facts with a quick look on the computer in less time than it took him to type up a third of his asinine bit of dumbassness.

        Basically, Mr. Ðûmbášš started his entire post out by saying that he had no facts to back up what he was saying, but whatever he was about to say was right and the absolute facts. In other words, it was a typical Bobby Crim post.

      6. Charlie E,

        I don’t know if you live in California or not, but with the cuts to the public schools and colleges have been devastating the last 10 years.

        That’s why Prop 30 passed.

        I can deal with a small increase in the sales tax to better the education of society.

      7. Clay,
        Yes, I do live in California, and have watched the political scene for many years. The education budget problem has several sides, but the basic problem is Sacramento. The legislature (which just happens to be controlled by the Democratic party) basically has been unable to deal with the fact that the dot com bubble has passed.

        A dozen years ago, at the height of that bubble, money came into the state coffers at an extraordinary rate. Since none of the folks in Sacramento seems to know anything about what a budget really means, they assumed that this money was the new normal, and started establishing new programs and bureaucracies right and left.

        Then, the turn of the century happened. The dot com bubble burst, and the revenue went down. Then 9/11 happened, and it went down some more. Now, they had a Problem – they didn’t have enough money to pay for everything!

        Now, you are I would then have to trim our budgets, get rid of all that extra spending they had added, and get back to basics. Not these fellows. Those extra programs and spending was near and dear to their hearts and campaign pocketbooks! So, instead, they decided to cut education, police and fire, and asked for (and several times got!) more taxes and fees to compensate. Why schools, police and fire? Because these are essential services, and people will notice! If they cut out all the little programs they had added, no one would care except for them when those contributors who were giving them campaign money for those programs quit paying them!

        Add to that all the additional programs, mandates, initiatives and other malarkey that had been added to the education, police and fire budgets that increased costs but did nothing towards actually educating, policing, or controlling fires, and you have our situation today.

      8. The present stagnation id due to:
        1) An oil baron-turned president who borrowed trillions to fund two wars we didn’t want and could not afford–an d he stuck us with the check.
        2) Same administration tells its rich supporters they can keep their money and gamble with other people’s money–and get TAX BREAKs for doing so.
        3) Said administration and its party did everything it could to make job creation impossible–and job creation is what gets an economy moving, not giving more money to millionaires.

        In conclusion, I have to say that your blind statements regarding socialism–which BTW you don’t understand a LICK of how it works, so read a book–you’re just embarrassing yourself now. The people spoke, the money lost. GET OVER IT.

      9. Chris,
        Interesting premise. I agree with you on the first two assertions. On the third, that involved several other issues.

        First, in 2006, the democrats gained control of the house and control of several important committees. During this time, the housing bubble was growing, and both parties were encouraging it as the only apparently healthy growth area in the economy. When experts began to see problems with mortgages, both parties, but especially the democrats who controlled those banking committees and Fannie and Freddy, shouted them down. Then, when the manure hit the air handler, they had to bail out their buddies and started the main part of the ‘crisis.’

        As for socialism, I will admit my bachelor was in Psych, not Sociology. My wife’s was in Sociology, so I have read a book or two on the subject. Have you?

    2. Just as a point of clarification: Todd Akin was not endorsed by the Tea Party. During the primary, Sarah Steelman was the Tea Party favorite. She even had Sarah Palin come to Missouri to support her.
      Both Steelman and John Brunner were defeated by Akin with a bit of negative campaigning paid for by a Democratic PAC.
      http://www.majority2012.com/2012/08/news/releases/for-immediate-release-majority-pac-continues-offensive-in-north-dakota-missouri-senate-battles/

      1. I stand corrected on the Todd Akin = Tea Party assertion.

        I agree to disagree with Robert’s statement: “In all of this, John Boehner is the one who comes away with a genuine mandate: Don’t raise taxes! Which makes Obama’s spending unsustainable.”

        Since Obama actually, y’know, WON, I hardly think any member of the opposition or one of its central tenets has much of a mandate for anything.

      2. Michael, I’d ignore Robert if I were you. He’s another poor soul hopelessly in love with Ayn Rand’s corpse.

      3. Charlie E–

        Studied Sociology, Comparative Religions, and degreed here myself—which anyone will tell you means NOTHING if all you do spout what other people say instead of finding out for yourself. By your own admission, you really have no idea how socialism comes about, and “reading a book” won’t help you without retention. As far as 2006–while Democrats did get hold of the House, The GOP maintained a significant majority, enough to block any attempt to regulate–which is what led to 2008’s collapse. The partisan poltics that the current GOP have been using have caused incredible harm. While GOP retains the House for now, it won’t be long before the rest of the loonies are replaced by more moderate and reasonable conservatives who aren’t necessarily puppets–but remember, a sufficient minority is enough to block House/Senate votes no matter who’s “in charge”.

      4. It can sure get interesting finding the right place to “Reply” in these threads!

        Chris,
        Socialism happens two ways – either a revolution happens (Russia) or it creeps up on you one step at a time. In Europe, it happened pretty gradually, as more and more folks demanded benefits from the government which happily provided them as long as they had the money. Then, more folks started receiving benefits than were paying for them, and you get Greece!

        As for the 2006-2008 House, yes, the GOP had enough votes to block legislation, but the problem was NO LEGISLATION WAS PROPOSED! BY EITHER PARTY!!!!! Barney Frank basically blocked any discussion of additional or different regulations, it was against his financial and philosophical best interest. They all just fiddled away up there as the economy burned down.

    3. OK, Michael, Obama WON (but, I do recall acknowledging that in the first sentence).

      Now, repeat after me: “Boehner WON!” Or, are you firmly committed to that being insignificant? After Nancy Pelosi predicted that Democrats would take back the House?

      Jerry, I could be equally obnoxious and come up with an equally appropriate perjorative (Mr. Pìg-fûçkër?). That proves what everyone here already knows by now, which is that we genuinely don’t like each other.

      Let’s instead call a spade a spade: Clay is right — the fools in California ultimately passed Proposition 30 and rejected the other one (spreading the pain to everyone) 72-28 per cent.

      Which does not vitiate anything substantive I said in the least.

      Let’s do some math: Kill the Bush tax cuts, and federal INCOME taxes go back to just short of 40 per cent. Proposition 30 adds 3 per cent more to California’s claim (13 per cent). Don’t forget double Social Security and Medicare for anyone who is a small business (15 per cent). And, since schools for the most part remain funded locally (not to mention the police and the fire department), you probably can tack 5-7 per cent atop that. Oh, if you buy anything, there’s 8 per cent sales tax (in some areas), negated for food and some items (so let’s cut that one in half). And, we’ve yet to count things like unemployment insurance, license fees, or the hidden costs from the usual demodonkey plethora of regulations (e.g., increased gasoline costs).

      Now, students: What is 40 + 13 + 15 + 5 + 4 + any residual taxes or fees (such as renewal of your incorporation license)? I don’t want to make this too hard, because I realize a lot of this crowd spends an inordinate amount of time reading comic books….

      That’s right, Jerry: You get an “A!” In California, somewhere between 75 and 80 per cent of what you earn as a small business needing to hire people gets seized by the Government, with Obamacare yet to come!

      That’s the cost of “freedom” in demodonkey land.

      Now, here’s the kicker: I don’t have a Ph.D. in everything, Jerry, but I do have a degree from the University of California, awarded in 1972. Tuition for all my time there was $400 a quarter plus a $7 student-union fee ($1,221 per year) — and that was because my parents moved to Ohio! (In-state tuition at the time was $100 per quarter plus the $7 fee, or $321 per year.)

      I’m actually one of the last to have worked my way through California’s universities, and I did that at a time when taxes on uninflated money were significantly less.

      (In other words, Jerry Brown’s claim that he needed all this money from “the rich” to fund education is nonsense.)

      Now, dear students, listen VERY carefully: That giant, sucking sound you hear is the Santana wind generated by all those VACATING conservative rich people (and Oprah Winfrey) who AREN’T dumb áššëš and suddenly are looking for a similar, less predatory place to live (like Florida, where income taxes are — yes, they really are — ZERO).

      P.S. Our universities are doing just fine.

      P.P.S. From his tone, I gather Jerry approves of what California’s voters did, suggesting that maybe he’d like to move there.

      So, who’s the dumb ášš now?

      1. R Crim…
        After a reading of your lengthy post, and a check on some of your facts, I can safely answer the last question you asked–that person would be YOU.
        “I don’t want to make this too hard, because I realize a lot of this crowd spends an inordinate amount of time reading comic books…. ”

        What a condescending statement to make. You make up a few numbers that idiots spew at you (Double Social Security? Double Medicare?) as well as making up things you have no idea about like–
        “That giant, sucking sound you hear is the Santana wind generated by all those VACATING conservative rich people (and Oprah Winfrey) who AREN’T dumb áššëš and suddenly are looking for a similar, less predatory place to live (like Florida, where income taxes are — yes, they really are — ZERO).
        I live in Florida and I can tell ya, with health care for seniors in as bad a shape as it is here, they’re FOOLS to move here and deserve what they get. As for being less predatory, clearly you haven’t seen our rich white people COMPLAIN about insurance firms, businesses and having to contend with a populace that doesn’t give a ÐÃMN what they want.

        In any event, that first condescending statement paints a pic of you that’s clearer than a contact lens. You have NO idea of what you speak, NO knowledge of the facts, and NO interest in learning. And BTW, Democrats now run CA. YOU’RE WELCOME.

      2. If Chris does not know the statutes, I probably can’t help him. In any event, it’s not my problem.

        For anyone else, “normal” people, e.g., employees, pay a Social Security tax which is matched by their employer. Same for Medicare. If, however, you are the employer and the employee is yourself, you get to pay the tax and the tax again (that’s the law), plus your own “fair share” of everyone else’s tax (that, however, is deductable).

        In most mathematical systems, when one multiplies something by 2, that’s called doubling it. But, maybe Chris was confused by all that “new math.”

      3. “If Chris does not know the statutes, I probably can’t help him. In any event, it’s not my problem. For anyone else, “normal” people, e.g., employees, pay a Social Security tax which is matched by their employer. Same for Medicare. If, however, you are the employer and the employee is yourself, you get to pay the tax and the tax again (that’s the law), plus your own “fair share” of everyone else’s tax (that, however, is deductable). In most mathematical systems, when one multiplies something by 2, that’s called doubling it. But, maybe Chris was confused by all that “new math.””

        If Robert Crim can understand that I’ve lived in Florida for 20 years and have been a taxpayer for that long—andif Robert could possibly drop his condescending attitude of misplaced superiority—I could probably have a conversation with “him”. But clearly “Robert” is confused by Republican “reality” as to the benefits of taxes raised on the wealthy, not the middle class. Unless of course, “Robert” IS a business owner and then he would have to suck it up and PAY like the rest of us. This complaining sounds more like “Robert” feels that the election was a personal attack on his livelihood. Well, if he makes more than 250K/yr–it WAS. If he doesn’t then he’s forgotten how good things were back in the late 90’s when Clinton (DEMOCRAT) raised taxes across the board, and–oooooooooh, look at that—-employment went up, prices stayed stable, and our econmy boomed. Taxes are necessary to run any nation–but for 8 years the people most well off haven’t had to pay ANY. When Jan 1st rolls around, that’s going to change. Anyone who thinks that’s going to ruin our country is too busy holding onto their wealth-or being a lackey to those who do—to being a functioning member of society—no matter WHAT degree they hold.
        Lastly, “Robert’s” condescending attitude betrays an anger and insecurity that tells me–in all probability–that he knows he’s wrong. I won’t descend to his level by name-calling. I’ll simply say again—

        OBAMA WON. ROMNEY LOST. GET. OVER. IT. AND MOVE ON.

      4. The prosperity of the Clinton years was generated (more than anything else) by the first George Bush, for winning the first Gulf War and receiving (as a thank-you gift from Kuwait) cheap oil for several years. But, one of the nice things about politics is that no one is held to any rigorous demonstration of cause and effect, so the sap always can be running.

        As for the remainder, sounds like more of the Jerry treatment to me: When curses and scatological remarks simply get thrown back at it from one not intimidated by its antics, the left wing then complains that it’s being treated condescendingly by “arrogant” and “ignorant” libertarians. Trust me: When that also fails, it will be something else.

        The left is not interested in any political system it cannot dominate by force and therefore is not interested in having any meaningful discussion with any detractor. That’s demonstrated here time and time again.

        Florida is not without its problems today, especially given the current depression, but I’ve lived long enough to know that none of the major problems we face can be pinned on any one politician (not even Obama). Fact is that the current malaise was commenced when, upon the lobbying of Sandy Weill (plutocrat), Alan Greenspan (Ayn Rand’s student), and Robert Rubin (Clinton’s Treasury Secretary), the then Republican Congress repealed the Glass-Steagall Act, which repeal (Democrat) Clinton then signed. It then remained only for demodonkeys like Barney Frank to declare to potential voters that the candy store was open, and that (with enough political pressure on the banks and enough paper money for grease), anyone could own a house — presto change-o, and the laws of economics were repealed!

        Well, only for a little while.

        I’m no plutocrat, but Thomas Peterffy is, and if Chris really lives in Florida, he saw Peterffy’s ads. The point Thomas made should have been a point well taken: When every jive-ášš politician with a constituency to please can marshal public envy against those who are successful as a vehicle ultimately for picking everyone’s pockets, no one should be surprised when people take whatever measures are necessary to protect their wealth, including not generating very much more because their time suddenly has become the most valuable thing they have, and there are other things to do beyond being Jerry Brown’s ņìggár. In Peterffy’s words: “Under socialism, the rich will be poorer, but the poor will be poorer too; people loose interest in working…” when everything they work for is taken from them, especially when the takers are of the current ilk.

        Or, as the old Solidarnosc joke goes: “We pretend to work, and they pretend to pay us.”

        I don’t know where in Florida Chris lives, but lots of wealthy people retire to Naples, bring their money with them, and we’re doing just fine. If there are any more of these people in California who are not flat-out wombat brains, stop feeding that Sacramento allegator and, instead, come discover a land where we lock the allegators up.

        You have nothing to lose but your chains.

      5. As an aside, I’ve worked in real estate and finance and am very familiar with the state of Florida, and if anyone is foolish enough to move here before Rickj Scott leaves office—you asked for it. Just sayin’.

      6. Sadly Bobbo-the-Clown is wrong… he’s definately not one of the last to work they’re way through the UC and CSU systems. I did and my wife is again (PhD hopefully by the end of the year). And while my 9 quarters there cost me quite a bit (started out at about 1200 a quarter and ended at about double that).

        And as far as living in CA. I’m doing fine (especially after my kidney transplant last year) and I suspect my family and I will continue to do fine, even with the tax increases. So Bobbo is pretty much full of himself and all those Santa Ana Winds he’s talking about (Never experianced those btw, i’m a NorCal person).

        And go ahead and make yourself look even more a fool Bobbo,by insulting people and the type of art they like. It just reveals you as even more of an intolerant and unintelligent ášš than your “demodonkey” or “Cliff Claven” comments do.

      7. Fox’s Megyn Kelly said to Karl Rove on election night, when he argued against calling Ohio for Obama: “Is this just math that you do as a Republican to make yourself feel better or is this real?”

        We stopped asking Bobby that question some time ago. Everyone here worked out that his posts are the “to make yourself feel better” variety.

      8. Which misses the point, Clay: Education in California WAS funded (almost 100 per cent). The state government systematically gutted the educational system while it diverted the money to other projects, imposing ever increasing costs on the students. Now it comes back and says it has to have all of these millions of dollars from “millionaires” if the system is not to collapse completely.

        Kind of like that time in Hartford when all the demodonkeys there said, “We can’t cut our budget — we’d have to eliminate the fire department!”

        If you fell for that one, you’re a genuine wombat brain.

        P.S. Have you checked out what is happening in Vallejo recently?

  16. I’m sure all the late night shows are sacrificing rubber chickens as thanks for Michelle Bachman’s reelection. She’s like a fountain of crazy in a desert of despair. She probably figured that sequestration was all over after Rafalka lost at the Olympics.
    Plus, I could almost feel sorry for her husband if he had to sit across from her after a loss and tell her it wasn’t her, it was everyone else. Just look into those wide creepy eyes and let the lunacy sweep you away…

  17. By the way, where is Darin? Where is Tim Butler with his unshakable certainty of Romney’s victory? So far, only Crim showed up (I may not like him, but at least he had the guts to appear).

      1. Darin is curled up in the fetal position clutching his autographed photo of Allen West.

        Tim popped up in the “So: Today’s the Day” and was actually very cool about the prior dust-up about the polls.

      3. At least they won’t get pregnant. The body has a way to shut it down in cases of legimate rape. Oooops, maybe they will get pregnant, as the election was not very legimate according to the Donald.

  18. Being in Western Australia, when the election result came through, it was noon on Wednesday. I couldn’t concentrate at work because I was following the polls throughout the day. I dunno how much the opinions of Aussies matter to you guys, but I can tell you that no one in my office, at least, was sad to see Mitt lose.

    After I got home (and caught up on Stewart and Colbert’s election specials), I decided to flick onto Fox News and see how they were taking it (i.e. if the bobbing heads of all those who predicted a landslide victory for Romney were exploding). No such luck. Even when I caught only a few seconds of Fox, I managed to catch them sealing themselves even more fervently into their don’t-give-an-inch unreality bubble. First time I checked in, they were suggesting that voters were intimidated by members of the Black Panther party. Then when I checked later on, they were harping on about Obama attending a Nevada fundraiser when the Benghazi situation was happening. I guess if yesterday is anything to go by, Fox isn’t going to give up on the crazy and admit that their party lost for being a bunch of crackpot loons…and because Obama isn’t the NaziCommunistKenyanMuslimAntichrist they’ve spent the past four years accusing him of being.

  19. Fox News was amazing! Watching Karl Rove throwing himself in front of the Ohio announcement was great. It’s as if a football booster ran on the field and tried to keep the game from proceeding because the game was ending.
    I think the real reason was that he wanted to make sure that all the anonymous checks he’d received got a chance to clear the bank before the Romney concession. He just kept getting paler as the night moved along. It’s almost like he was a Marty McFly of intolerance watching his options vanish.

  20. Congratulations Obama Supporters!

    Of course, now the hard part starts. Both parties now have to deal with reality, and start governing. The legislature has to actually start passing bills that make logical sense, and the executive has to start leading and not making up things via ‘executive order’ when it is unable to get its will via the legislature.

    And now, we will see if the democrats were right, and they can lead us into an economic prosperity, or if the republicans are right, and we go down into a morass of socialistic stagnation… 😉

      1. Isn’t that what we have had for four years already? Enough is enough. Time to quit playing politics and get to work.

        On both sides of the aisle!

    2. I love how Conservatives are so apt at framing the discourse. It’s not just stagnation, it’s “socialist stagnation” (note the alliterative).

      I am not sure whether Charlie is implying socialism and economic stagnation are intrinsically linked or whether socialist stagnation is worse than capitalist stagnation.

      And that is why I’m not a Conservative. I’m not ideological. I’m in favor of using whatever works in a given moment. Sometimes economic openness will result in a better standing of living for most. Other times, central planning will do the trick. Most countries on Earth mix the two.

      1. Rene,
        Have you been getting any of the conservative e-newsletters? I sure have! Most of them included dire warnings as to what would happen if Obama was re-elected, and socialist stagnation is a vast understatement of the disasters predicted!

        As for socialist stagnation, that pretty well sums up what is happening now. The government has huge demands on its funds, and the remedy has been to borrow its way to pay for it. At the same time, it has been trying to gain more and more control of the economy through several techniques of regulation and ‘stimulation.’ The uncertainty and response to this control have resulted in our present stagnation…

      2. I simply don’t believe their narrative. 8 years of a George “free marketeer” Bush wrecking the economy, and now what we need is more “free market”, supposedly. No thanks.

  22. This may come as shock to perhaps some of you, but I agree with Peter when he thanks God for Obama’s re-election.

      1. I don’t know that God has a liberal bias, but I do believe in His sovereignty, that He has a divine plan and that nothing happens in this life without His approval. That is not to say that Obama is a Godly man or leader, merely that he and his re-election are part of God’s divine, sovereign plan.

      2. Another reason I hate religion. The whole “I’m not resposible for my actions, it’s GOD’S WILL! GOD’S PLAN!”

        Like rape, child abuse, murder, starvation, etc….

      3. No, we’re responsible for our actions. That includes rapists, child abusers, murderers etc.

  24. As a gay american from Pennsylvania…. I woke up Wednesday morning extremely proud of my state and country. I was a bit disappointed in some of the reactions of my friends, but nonetheless.. things are def moving forward!!! HAZAH!

  25. As someone who has voted for both Obama and Romney (not at the same time, obviously — although, since I’m from Chicago, that’s not much of a stretch), I really didn’t have much of a stake in who won. I will say, however, that since, by far, the biggest problem currently facing this country is the economy, Obama’s victory is a significant setback for any recovery. But since the majority of Americans apparently care more for their lesser pet issues than the truly big stuff, we deserve whatever economic fate befalls us.

    1. I could copy and paste Chris H.’s post as a full answer. But here is the short answer.

      After 8 years of “trickle down” economics and record military spending with Bush, I don’t think Bush II on Steroids is the right medicine for the US economy.

      But clearly, the economy is becoming like the environment. Left and Right have radically different narratives, it’s like two different worlds. Debating is useless, let’s wait for the results.

      1. It’s hard to nail down exactly what you are trying to say, because you’re speaking in Democratic narrative-ise — but I’ll give it a shot. Romney is (was) no Bush. Bush was terrible with the economy, especially when it came to spending. Was Obama any better? No. Face it, what sentient person would hire an accountant or pension official with Obama’s background to handle their personal finances or retirement?

      2. If Romney was not Bush, he surely shouldn’t have campaigned with a discourse on economics that echoed the same policies Bush defended. If he was no Bush, he should have made that clear, instead of babling the same old same old free-market-reduce-taxes-don’t-stimulate-the-economy cliches.

        But maybe what he said was not what he was planning to do. Maybe. Then tell me, what was he planning to do that was different from Bush?

        And what about Obama’s background? Should we hire Romney instead as pension official based on his background? What background is that? Buyer and seller of companies to line his pockets? What will you suggest next? Hire Dracula as your blood doctor?

      3. I actually wasn’t going to prolong this conversation, but clearly some people aren’t getting it. Romney is a LIAR. Romney is a PUPPET. The GOP right now is being run by a bunch of high-school-dropout-LOONIES that were trying to convince everyone to give more money to millionaires. There was no plan, no disclosure, no good record, and no evidence that a Romney-Ryan presidency would have improved things. They insulted minorities, women, LGBTQ communities and several NATIONS. There was no agenda other than get the President out of a job. The people out there doom-saying need to take a step back and remember that the USA was not built for white men and their lackeys. And I’ll also say that anyone supporting these loonies needs therapy—QUICKLY.

      4. Politicians from either party say what they think they need to say to win, so the only way to truly evaluate them is by previous experience. Romney had a much better economic track record than Bush and he never racked up deficit spending like his Republican counterpart. Obama had zero economic background, so it was critical for him to pick the best economic minds he could find to suround himself with. Unfortunately, based on what his economic brain trust told him, and the ultimate results, he either picked the wrong guys or he didn’t listen — shame on him either way.

      5. So, Russ, you’re basically saying Romney lied in his attempt to get elected (like most politicians), and that smart people should have voted for him nonetheless, because he was better than the things we was saying (unlike most politicians).

        One of the problems I have with this line is that it’s not clear that Romney wouldn’t keep giving in to pressure once he got elected.

        Look at his background. He once implemented RomneyCare. Then he ran on promises to finish ObamaCare. Once elected, what Romney would the US get as President? The guy that enacted RomneyCare, or the guy that would tear down ObamaCare?

      6. Rene — In Chicago, we have a saying: “How can you tell when a politician is lying?” Answer: His/her lips are moving. Perhaps I’m a bit too cynical because that’s the way it is in sweet home Chicago, but our city has traditionally been he most corrupt in the nation, with a rap sheet a mile long to prove it.

      7. Romney had a much better economic track record than Bush and he never racked up deficit spending like his Republican counterpart.

        Because Romney never drained a struggling company dry and profited handsomely in the process.

      8. Craig — Did Romney do that when he was a state governor — which is an office that closely mirrors the fundamental structure of the federal government? No. And the free pass you apparently gave Obama — twice — for having zero economic experience during the country’s worst economic situation since the Great Depression is better how?

      9. Which party lead us into that depression in the first place? Oh, right, the one under a man who took us into two wars but never fought in one himself. Yet, for some god awful reason people gave that moron a 2nd term.

        Romney’s business experience before/after becoming a governor is certainly relevant. Obama didn’t put companies under, Romney did. And considering how many Republicans think “Obamacare” will send this entire country under, one would think “Romneycare” would be pretty important to the discussion.

        But then, my opinion of Romney is that he cared far more about simply winning the presidency than actually realizing he’d have to do the job once he got there. And about the only straight-forward aspect of Romney’s plan was that he planned to run this country as if he were still a venture capitalist: draining everybody but the rich dry.

      10. Craig — So because Bush was a Republican economic lightweight who served two terms that put us into a recession, it’s OK for Democrats to make sure that their follow-on economic lightweight serves two terms to put us into a full-blown depression? Thanks for nothing, Democrats.

      11. R Maheras–So it’s OK if Repubs increase taxes on middle class while giving tax breaks to millionaires and then watching the economy tank again?–No thanks.

      12. I’ll take now over where the Republican party intends to leave us: the rich richer, and everybody else left to pick over the scraps.

        And not only would a McCain administration have not done any better than Obama with the recession – remember, “the economy is sound” while it crashed down about us? – we’d already be far worse off.

        The Great Depression wasn’t solved overnight, nor will the “Great Recession”. It certainly won’t be solved by right-wing obstructionism and trickle-down bûllšhìŧ.

    2. Yeah, isn’t it a shame when your money issues take second place to trifles such as, civil rights, health care, education, and OTHER people’s money. 🙂

      1. Yeah, tell that to my brethren on the west side of Chicago, who have had the Democrats calling the shots for 75+ years. What good are any of the aforementioned items if one can’t find a decent job? Where’s Chicago’s frickin’ utopia for the poor and downtrodden — especially for minorities?

      2. R Maheras–and you really think Chicago is unique? That this situation isn’t nationwide? Gee, I guess that them “trickle-down” things ain’t workin’. What a shame.

      3. What it proves is that if a Democrat or a Republican tells you they have all the answers, they are either lying, naive, or both. Chicago is an interesting political crucible I am quite familiar with, and one that has consistently failed its poor and minorities, despite the fact it has been ruled exclusively by Democrats — a party which swears on they are looking out for the little guy. Even the fact that the president of the United States claims Chicago as his home town hasn’t helped. Chicago still has an obscene murder rate, an under-performing education system, a pitiful unemployment rate for minorities (and an overall rate higher than the national average) — despite having some of the highest taxes in the nation. So I’ve learned to tune out the Democratic siren song along time ago. All that matters to me is results.

      4. I don’t believe in utopias, and I’m not a ideological guy when it comes to economics. I don’t believe big government is always good, and I don’t believe small government is always good.

      5. I meant to say more. The post fired off too quickly. I assure you that never happened to me before. 🙂

        Anyway, I am a pragmatist that believes sometimes you need a Reagan, and sometimes you need a FDR. I don’t beliebe any approach to be intrinsically evil.

        The current Republicans are economic fundamentalists that think “taxes” is a dirty word. That puts me off and makes me suspect that they would put ideology ahead of common sense, scratch that, they really did put ideology ahead of common sense when grindlocking Obama for 4 years (even if I admit that Obama had his share of the blame in not knowing how to work with congress).

        Add to that that they are absolutely nuts when it comes to social issues and foreign policy, that they have used dishonest tactics to disenfranchise voters that no true “libertarian” would ever use, and it all makes me see Obama as the (much) lesser of two evils.

      6. “What it proves is that if a Democrat or a Republican tells you they have all the answers, they are either lying, naive, or both. ”

        Unless their name is Romney, and then they’re sure to fix everything – even though you don’t believe a thing they say.

        You call that logic? Amazing.

      7. See,storymark, you’re making the same mistake the GOP supporters do…you pay too much attention to what is said and not at all to what is done. Obama got the ACA passed, brought vets home, bailed out GM (when the GOP would let it die) and generally proved he was still the guy for the job. By contrast, Romney and the GOP obstructed progress, had no plan except to vote them selves more money, and obstruct everyone’s civil rights. And you’re questioning the logic involved? Your staggering lack of factual awareness renders that statement invalid. And as I’ve said before—drum roll please…..

        IT’S OVER!!!!!!!!!!!! THE GOP LOST!!!!!! SUCK IT UP!!

  26. If only Romney had been able to articulate a real plan for recovery. All we got from his was “not the oBama”.

    1. Wow, was that a reference to ABC’s “Dinosaurs” and the “Not the momma” catchphrase? That’s freakin gold, sir! I’m totally stealing that bit.

      1. We need a video for this–it’s in my head now….complete with a frying pan to bonk Ryan…

  27. When you can’t win any of your home states, and from what I heard Ryan lost his home town, there’s something wrong with your platform. And I don’t think the GOP is exactly big on soul-searching when you have people complaining that “White America” is dead and people want “Free stuff.” Yeah, stuff like the right to decide what they want to do with their bodies, marry who they want, be able to afford college to better themselves, etc. The economy is important, but not giving millionaires even more while giving those at the bottom nothing and no hope to get anything.

      1. What is revealing is how the two campaigns handled the Get Out the Vote part of the election. Example:

        http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/11/romneys-bureaucratic-bumbling-campaign.html

        Even in 2008, the Obama campaign was competent and professional, with multiple back up plans. The Romney campaign was amateurish, ill prepared and plain incompetent, with no backup plans or beta testing of systems. Surprising in a supposed business CEO (or perhaps not, considering his business was in the financial industry, and not in high tech or manufacturing).

  29. I’m late to the party here, but my sentiments definitely echoed Peter’s when the election was called for Obama (although my language was a lot more colorful). Nate Silver’s blog was my sanity anchor since Romney’s nomination, so although I had a few moments of anxiety (post-first debate), I never lost faith that Obama would prevail in the electoral college total. Of course, it didn’t hurt that Romney’s campaign stunk more than a dead skunk marinating in Fat Bášŧárd’s stool.

    Hillary 2016!

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