I didn't have much time to post over the last few days, but I did write down some things that I was thinking about along the way:
-- Cribbage is an undervalued board game. Or is it a card game? Either way, I really enjoy it.
-- Why do people refer to others who are good at their jobs as rock stars and not experts? If I were described as a rock star, all I would think about was having long hair, a dissolute lifestyle involving the destruction of hotel rooms, singing badly and incomprehensibly and generally being no good at anything else.
-- Wall anchors are supposed to stay in the walls, not go through them. Hello, spackle.
-- I don't like tattoos, I'll never get a tattoo. But I absolutely enjoy the show Ink Masters. It's about as raw as reality game shows get.
-- Karen has a cousin named Cheryl who pronounces her name like Shurl. Until last week, she was the only woman I knew who pronounced her name that way. Now I found another Shurl. Or Cheryl.
-- Fitz and Tantrums is a pretty good band. Their name is pretty good, too. When I first heard it, I thought it was Fits and Tantrums.
-- Whenever I find a penny on the sidewalk or in the parking lot, it's always tails up. Karen tells me it's bad luck when pennies are found tails up, that the preferred way to find them for good luck is heads up. The way I see it, finding any money is lucky.
-- Who decides on rug patterns?
-- Building a fire isn't that hard, with a little practice.
-- Cat Drooling would be a good name for a band.
-- On a related note, last week Bupkes sneezed in my face as I slept.
-- One of the worst things I have to do while driving is look for signs. Especially when it comes to these little strip malls that put all the businesses on a tower, and each business is listed in the same size font, but not alphabetically.
-- Handshakes were meant to be firm. Whoever initiated these limp little offerings ought to be forced to gut dead fish.
-- I got to have my turkey stuffing this year...sort of. We didn't have any poultry seasoning and we couldn't find any. Even so, it could have been worse. Two days before the holiday it occurred to me we couldn't find our roasting pan and had to buy another.
-- Karen's car has overhead phone capabilities. It's all well and good, but I'll be darned it I know how to operate it.
-- Decorating the house for Christmas is fun, but it's limited. I really like putting oversized ornaments on trees in the yard and lights on the Kentucky tree.
-- Watching Custer and Bupkes play is a hoot.
-- There have been some gruesome injuries in college football this year. I doubt I would have allowed our son to play the game had we had children.
-- I really wish I could ice skate. I wonder if they make double blade skates for people like me.
-- This mess in Ferguson, Missouri, has really addled some people's brains. As one black cop put in when called in to a radio show, there's a difference between wanting justice and wanting revenge. People are being disingenuous when they say they want justice for Mike Brown.
(c) 2014 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles
Sunday, November 30, 2014
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
More Fun With Words
As promised, I've found a few more words that tickle, frustrate or confuse me, so I thought I'd share them:
Purblind: People use this word all the time. I wish I could find subtle ways to fit it into a sentence. For whatever reason, it sounds so erudite to me, even though all it means is that someone has impaired or defective vision or is dimwitted or slow to understand something.
Fey: I like using this word, since it's beyond political correctness, although I'm sure the PC police will find some way to stigmatize its usage. It means having a vague unwordliness, or being clairvoyant.
Orotundity: This is almost an onomatopoeaic word: It means bombastic, strong, fullness of voice.
Phumpher: I give Loni Anderson, whose autobiography I read recently, credit for teaching me this one: It's another onomatopoeaic word meaning to stutter to the point of incomprehensibility. It can also mean to be evasive in word or deed, but if one is incomprehensible, I guess naturally one is evasive.
Ablute: One of my favorite authors, Bill Bryson, brought me this word and, shamefully, I can't believe I didn't know about it. I've known about doing one's morning ablutions for years. Well, this is what one does for his ablutions: He ablutes, or washes.
Parlous: Another word I wish I could use freely. Not that I have to pay to use it, I just can't seem to find ways to work it into my writings. It means full of danger or uncertainty.
Feckless: To be feckless is to be feeble, weak, ineffectual or irresponsible. Somehow, saying someone is feeble or weak isn't nearly as insulting as calling him feckless, especially since the odds are great that he won't know it's meaning. It does beg the question of whether one can be feckful, though.
Purchase: I've always be intrigued by this word when it means grip or traction. To gain purchase means, in a highfalutin way, to get a grip.
Truck: Again, another common word that has an uncommon usage. To have no truck with means to have nothing to do with something. Evidently, it's based on a French term, troque, meaning barter or trade. I'm glad, because I don't want to have to say I have no lorry with something.
Translucent: Oddly, the first time I ever heard this word was on an episode of M*A*S*H involving Blythe Danner, the long-suffering mother of Gwyneth Paltrow. Hawkeye Pierce, played by Alan Alda, uses it to describe his lover, played by Ms. Danner. I've never forgotten it since I saw that episode. It also goes to prove my parents were wrong when they said I couldn't learn anything useful from watching television.
Robust: I enjoy the many uses of this word but always wondered about its origins. It comes from the Latin robustus, for oaken, or strong. That makes sense, since the Spanish word for oak is roble.
Erstwhile: Hmmm, I enjoy using this term but wondered about its origins as well. All I can find is that it was first used in 1569. I have no truck with that.
Emacity: This is for my girl. I saw it on some goofy online test about one's vocabulary. Its a fancy way of having a fondness for shopping. That's all I'm going to say about this one.
Umbrage: Another word of which I'm fond, I wondered at its origins, which are Latin for shade or shadow. Makes sense to me.
Dongle: When Karen first taught me this word, I thought she was making one up, like widgit or gadget. Apparently, it's just a small piece of hardware that attaches to a computer. The problem is, that could be just about anything these days which, for me, leads to endless confusion if someone asks for a dongle.
Callow: This refers to someone of inexperience or someone lacking sophistication, typically in regards to a young person. That's mildly amusing, because its origins are from the Middle English, Old English, Old German and Old Church Slavic for bald. Just out of curiosity, I wonder if New German and New Church Slavic feel the same way about this.
Williwaw: Reading John Ferling's account of the American Revolution, Almost a Miracle, taught me this one. It means a blast of wind from a mountainous coast out to the sea. I wish more weathermen would use this.
Pother: Again, Mr. Ferling taught me this word. When I first read it I thought I'd misread bother. This means mental turmoil or a confused or fidgety flurry of activity. I wonder if I can be pothered. It's a fun word, nevertheless.
And with that, class is dismissed.
(c) 2014 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles
Purblind: People use this word all the time. I wish I could find subtle ways to fit it into a sentence. For whatever reason, it sounds so erudite to me, even though all it means is that someone has impaired or defective vision or is dimwitted or slow to understand something.
Fey: I like using this word, since it's beyond political correctness, although I'm sure the PC police will find some way to stigmatize its usage. It means having a vague unwordliness, or being clairvoyant.
Orotundity: This is almost an onomatopoeaic word: It means bombastic, strong, fullness of voice.
Phumpher: I give Loni Anderson, whose autobiography I read recently, credit for teaching me this one: It's another onomatopoeaic word meaning to stutter to the point of incomprehensibility. It can also mean to be evasive in word or deed, but if one is incomprehensible, I guess naturally one is evasive.
Ablute: One of my favorite authors, Bill Bryson, brought me this word and, shamefully, I can't believe I didn't know about it. I've known about doing one's morning ablutions for years. Well, this is what one does for his ablutions: He ablutes, or washes.
Parlous: Another word I wish I could use freely. Not that I have to pay to use it, I just can't seem to find ways to work it into my writings. It means full of danger or uncertainty.
Feckless: To be feckless is to be feeble, weak, ineffectual or irresponsible. Somehow, saying someone is feeble or weak isn't nearly as insulting as calling him feckless, especially since the odds are great that he won't know it's meaning. It does beg the question of whether one can be feckful, though.
Purchase: I've always be intrigued by this word when it means grip or traction. To gain purchase means, in a highfalutin way, to get a grip.
Truck: Again, another common word that has an uncommon usage. To have no truck with means to have nothing to do with something. Evidently, it's based on a French term, troque, meaning barter or trade. I'm glad, because I don't want to have to say I have no lorry with something.
Translucent: Oddly, the first time I ever heard this word was on an episode of M*A*S*H involving Blythe Danner, the long-suffering mother of Gwyneth Paltrow. Hawkeye Pierce, played by Alan Alda, uses it to describe his lover, played by Ms. Danner. I've never forgotten it since I saw that episode. It also goes to prove my parents were wrong when they said I couldn't learn anything useful from watching television.
Robust: I enjoy the many uses of this word but always wondered about its origins. It comes from the Latin robustus, for oaken, or strong. That makes sense, since the Spanish word for oak is roble.
Erstwhile: Hmmm, I enjoy using this term but wondered about its origins as well. All I can find is that it was first used in 1569. I have no truck with that.
Emacity: This is for my girl. I saw it on some goofy online test about one's vocabulary. Its a fancy way of having a fondness for shopping. That's all I'm going to say about this one.
Umbrage: Another word of which I'm fond, I wondered at its origins, which are Latin for shade or shadow. Makes sense to me.
Dongle: When Karen first taught me this word, I thought she was making one up, like widgit or gadget. Apparently, it's just a small piece of hardware that attaches to a computer. The problem is, that could be just about anything these days which, for me, leads to endless confusion if someone asks for a dongle.
Callow: This refers to someone of inexperience or someone lacking sophistication, typically in regards to a young person. That's mildly amusing, because its origins are from the Middle English, Old English, Old German and Old Church Slavic for bald. Just out of curiosity, I wonder if New German and New Church Slavic feel the same way about this.
Williwaw: Reading John Ferling's account of the American Revolution, Almost a Miracle, taught me this one. It means a blast of wind from a mountainous coast out to the sea. I wish more weathermen would use this.
Pother: Again, Mr. Ferling taught me this word. When I first read it I thought I'd misread bother. This means mental turmoil or a confused or fidgety flurry of activity. I wonder if I can be pothered. It's a fun word, nevertheless.
And with that, class is dismissed.
(c) 2014 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles
Monday, November 24, 2014
Democratic Implausible Deniability Run Amok
Benghazi. The IRS. The Bowe Bergdahl swap. The NSA mess. Fast and Furious. Race baiting. The AP scandal. The Rosen affair. The Secret Service mess. Obamacare. Now we have Grubergate.
Jonathan Gruber, one of the principal architects of Obamacare, has been caught on tape mocking the American people as stupid and unthinking -- my words -- and explaining how the bill was rammed through in the middle of the night to get it passed. It's not as if there's only one video out there, either: There are several different videos of him at conferences over the last two years basically making fun of the American people for not questioning the bill enough.
As if that weren't insulting enough, the White House and the then-majority leader of the House, Nancy Pelosi, are in full cognitive dissonance mode, the former characterizing Gruber as some advisor and the latter disclaiming any knowledge of who he is. Both stances are not only incredible but laughable, as other liberals have referred to Gruber as The Man behind Obamacare, reports have surfaced that he was paid at least $392,000 for his work on the project and Pelosi is on video gushing about Gruber's expertise.
All of this is fairly settled. Video doesn't lie, unless the NSA or CIA has somehow altered the content. But these videos are from news outlets supportive of the President and is initiatives. They've been carrying his water for six long years. It's incomprehensible that they've turned on him and doctored these tapes.
No, what's worrisome is that there is still a large segment of the population -- including most in the MSM -- for whom the President and his minions can do no wrong. The MSM won't even report on the Gruber leaks, ignoring a story that should be creating a firestorm of protest in their ranks. Hellbent on protecting Jamie Foxx's lord and savior, they turn a blind eye when reports like this surface because, probably, the revelation would indirectly indict them as well.
As much as Fox News and other outlets have reported the story, there doesn't seem to be a groundswell of anger from the electorate. These revelations -- combined with the stories we already have about the NSA, the IRS, Benghazi, the Bergdahl swap, the Secret Service affair, the AP matter, Fast and Furious and countless other pecadillos -- should cause people to be outraged. There is a segment of the country that is outraged, but other parts that are either resigned to the status quo or defiantly defensive of this President, all of which proves Plato had it right when he criticized democracy centuries before the Founding Fathers created the greatest experiment in human history. That experiment has been tainted as never before, and thanks in large measure to the MSM, the country is apathetic to an alarming degree.
Although not exactly equivalent, when Watergate happened, intrepid reporters dug for the facts and openly defied White House threats in reporting its misdeeds. The same happened in the Pentagon Papers. Now, the MSM is the functional equivalent of the Three Wise Monkeys.
The Fourth Estate has brought disgrace to itself and to the country. Blame Mr. Obama as well, but he should have been held accountable by the MSM.
(c) 2014 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles
Jonathan Gruber, one of the principal architects of Obamacare, has been caught on tape mocking the American people as stupid and unthinking -- my words -- and explaining how the bill was rammed through in the middle of the night to get it passed. It's not as if there's only one video out there, either: There are several different videos of him at conferences over the last two years basically making fun of the American people for not questioning the bill enough.
As if that weren't insulting enough, the White House and the then-majority leader of the House, Nancy Pelosi, are in full cognitive dissonance mode, the former characterizing Gruber as some advisor and the latter disclaiming any knowledge of who he is. Both stances are not only incredible but laughable, as other liberals have referred to Gruber as The Man behind Obamacare, reports have surfaced that he was paid at least $392,000 for his work on the project and Pelosi is on video gushing about Gruber's expertise.
All of this is fairly settled. Video doesn't lie, unless the NSA or CIA has somehow altered the content. But these videos are from news outlets supportive of the President and is initiatives. They've been carrying his water for six long years. It's incomprehensible that they've turned on him and doctored these tapes.
No, what's worrisome is that there is still a large segment of the population -- including most in the MSM -- for whom the President and his minions can do no wrong. The MSM won't even report on the Gruber leaks, ignoring a story that should be creating a firestorm of protest in their ranks. Hellbent on protecting Jamie Foxx's lord and savior, they turn a blind eye when reports like this surface because, probably, the revelation would indirectly indict them as well.
As much as Fox News and other outlets have reported the story, there doesn't seem to be a groundswell of anger from the electorate. These revelations -- combined with the stories we already have about the NSA, the IRS, Benghazi, the Bergdahl swap, the Secret Service affair, the AP matter, Fast and Furious and countless other pecadillos -- should cause people to be outraged. There is a segment of the country that is outraged, but other parts that are either resigned to the status quo or defiantly defensive of this President, all of which proves Plato had it right when he criticized democracy centuries before the Founding Fathers created the greatest experiment in human history. That experiment has been tainted as never before, and thanks in large measure to the MSM, the country is apathetic to an alarming degree.
Although not exactly equivalent, when Watergate happened, intrepid reporters dug for the facts and openly defied White House threats in reporting its misdeeds. The same happened in the Pentagon Papers. Now, the MSM is the functional equivalent of the Three Wise Monkeys.
The Fourth Estate has brought disgrace to itself and to the country. Blame Mr. Obama as well, but he should have been held accountable by the MSM.
(c) 2014 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Tuesday Tidbits
I'm too wound up about the Jonathan Gruber comments and the attendant fallout to comment intelligibly, so instead I'm going to mail it in today:
-- Is it MEEM or MEE MEE? What exactly is a Meme anyway? Do I need one? Do I want one? Can I exist without one? Is it dangerous?
-- It was quite interesting to see someone whip around to get a parking spot that I was waiting for with my turn signal activated, indicating I was going to take the spot. It was more interesting watching the couple sit in their car and not get out as I parked my car immediately behind theirs.
-- Chess fever. Catch it.
-- Lentil and andouille sausage soup. Why didn't I think of this sooner?
-- Everyone's complaining about the early snap of cold weather we're getting. I say bring it on.
-- Our cat Bupkes is more dog than cat.
-- Kate Upton is not all that good looking. She has a huge pair of breasts. That's the attraction, not timeless beauty.
-- If one is going to try to explain health care coverage, try not to be less interesting than the already insipidly boring topic itself.
-- Watching and listening to Democrats try to distance themselves from and disavow Jonathan Gruber is highly entertaining, but it raises a fundamental question: Can anyone believe anything a Democrat says?
-- It's interesting that the ISIS murderers won't reveal their faces on their snuff films when an American is beheaded, but when Syrian soldiers are similarly murdered, their faces are there for the world to see.
-- I still don't get NASCAR, and I never will.
-- My Chinese student has a Kid 'n Play haircut. Just try to visualize that one. Now try to visualize my Chinese student with the Kid 'n Play haircut trying to learn Spanish and you know part of why I enjoy teaching so much.
-- A student of mine spelled Highness as Hinest. That's American education at its finest.
-- Jeff Allen is one funny comedian. He could teach some of the filthier comedians a thing or two about being funny without using profanity.
-- I can't use laptop computers. I just can't.
-- Another wacko young woman wants to marry a convicted murderer. Charles Manson is such a catch.
-- John Feinstein may be an egotistical schmuck, but that man can write about sports.
-- Does it surprise anyone that the MSM is not reporting the Jonathan Gruber mess? Doesn't that confirm it's complicit in the cover-up that's been a large part of the Obama administration?
-- Speaking of which, I'm going to be very interested to read Sharyl Attkisson's book Stonewalled.
-- It's sad that blueberries aren't in season.
-- The Hot Stove League has begun in earnest.
-- I got to see my Blackhawks in person the other night. As is becoming routine for me, the wrong team won again when I attended the game.
-- Whither the Dixie Chicks?
-- The Senate vote on the Keystone pipeline is pure political cynicism. More on that anon.
(c) 2014 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles
-- Is it MEEM or MEE MEE? What exactly is a Meme anyway? Do I need one? Do I want one? Can I exist without one? Is it dangerous?
-- It was quite interesting to see someone whip around to get a parking spot that I was waiting for with my turn signal activated, indicating I was going to take the spot. It was more interesting watching the couple sit in their car and not get out as I parked my car immediately behind theirs.
-- Chess fever. Catch it.
-- Lentil and andouille sausage soup. Why didn't I think of this sooner?
-- Everyone's complaining about the early snap of cold weather we're getting. I say bring it on.
-- Our cat Bupkes is more dog than cat.
-- Kate Upton is not all that good looking. She has a huge pair of breasts. That's the attraction, not timeless beauty.
-- If one is going to try to explain health care coverage, try not to be less interesting than the already insipidly boring topic itself.
-- Watching and listening to Democrats try to distance themselves from and disavow Jonathan Gruber is highly entertaining, but it raises a fundamental question: Can anyone believe anything a Democrat says?
-- It's interesting that the ISIS murderers won't reveal their faces on their snuff films when an American is beheaded, but when Syrian soldiers are similarly murdered, their faces are there for the world to see.
-- I still don't get NASCAR, and I never will.
-- My Chinese student has a Kid 'n Play haircut. Just try to visualize that one. Now try to visualize my Chinese student with the Kid 'n Play haircut trying to learn Spanish and you know part of why I enjoy teaching so much.
-- A student of mine spelled Highness as Hinest. That's American education at its finest.
-- Jeff Allen is one funny comedian. He could teach some of the filthier comedians a thing or two about being funny without using profanity.
-- I can't use laptop computers. I just can't.
-- Another wacko young woman wants to marry a convicted murderer. Charles Manson is such a catch.
-- John Feinstein may be an egotistical schmuck, but that man can write about sports.
-- Does it surprise anyone that the MSM is not reporting the Jonathan Gruber mess? Doesn't that confirm it's complicit in the cover-up that's been a large part of the Obama administration?
-- Speaking of which, I'm going to be very interested to read Sharyl Attkisson's book Stonewalled.
-- It's sad that blueberries aren't in season.
-- The Hot Stove League has begun in earnest.
-- I got to see my Blackhawks in person the other night. As is becoming routine for me, the wrong team won again when I attended the game.
-- Whither the Dixie Chicks?
-- The Senate vote on the Keystone pipeline is pure political cynicism. More on that anon.
(c) 2014 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Liberal Reaction to the Midterms
Well, the midterms went as most people expected, although the Republicans seem to have done better than some pundits thought they would. The anticipated gnashing of teeth, rending of garments and overall wailing has begun, which was also expected. What wasn't expected, however, is the amount of delirious spin that is coming from the Left. It's as if institutionalized cognitive dissonance is the new policy in Democratic circles.
The shock of the results surprises me. Either liberals were lying when they thought their candidates would actually prevail in the races or they were delusional thinking that the series of missteps by the administration and their candidates' support for the administration wouldn't hurt them with voters. Ironically, there were also plenty of mistakes made by Democratic candidates that hearkened back to mistakes made by conservative candidates in the 2013 election that were damaging to their causes. Belittling women, race baiting and outright lies about their opponents didn't help them woo voters. Republicans, on the other hand, minded their p's and q's and outperformed their liberal opponents.
Yet, with the results staring them in the face, chief wingnut Harry Reid tried to spin the midterms as evidence that the results indicated that the voters want politicians to work together. This from the man who refused to put up for debate bills passed by the Republican-controlled House and who maneuvered the change in the filibuster rules in the Senate. Did the country just come to the idea that politicians should work together, and that prior to the midterms they were happy with the status quo as directed by Reid and Nancy Pelosi? It's an insult to our collective intelligence that this man is trying to misconstrue the results of the elections as something other than what it is: A repudiation of how liberals were running the country. Had Mr. Obama been up for reelection this time, I'm convinced he would have been defeated, charges of racism be damned.
The President, meanwhile, described himself as irritated by the results. He says he looks forward to working with Republicans in a bipartisan fashion, but we'll see. He's already signaled his intention to use executive orders to get what Congress won't approve. That may spur litigation on constitutional matters that haven't been before the Supreme Court since the days of FDR's court packing attempts in the 1930's. Either way, Mr. Obama, who infamously told Democratic candidates to say whatever they had to say to get elected, even if they didn't mean it, is talking out of both sides of his mouth. He has no intention of undoing anything that he's done and likewise no intention of doing anything to which he's opposed, no matter what the Congress says. Since the Congress is comprised of people duly elected by citizens of the United States, the Presidents is implicitly saying that he knows better than the people of country and will not brook opposition to his vision.
And to think that even his golf game was trashed by Michael Jordan last week...
(c) 2014 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles
The shock of the results surprises me. Either liberals were lying when they thought their candidates would actually prevail in the races or they were delusional thinking that the series of missteps by the administration and their candidates' support for the administration wouldn't hurt them with voters. Ironically, there were also plenty of mistakes made by Democratic candidates that hearkened back to mistakes made by conservative candidates in the 2013 election that were damaging to their causes. Belittling women, race baiting and outright lies about their opponents didn't help them woo voters. Republicans, on the other hand, minded their p's and q's and outperformed their liberal opponents.
Yet, with the results staring them in the face, chief wingnut Harry Reid tried to spin the midterms as evidence that the results indicated that the voters want politicians to work together. This from the man who refused to put up for debate bills passed by the Republican-controlled House and who maneuvered the change in the filibuster rules in the Senate. Did the country just come to the idea that politicians should work together, and that prior to the midterms they were happy with the status quo as directed by Reid and Nancy Pelosi? It's an insult to our collective intelligence that this man is trying to misconstrue the results of the elections as something other than what it is: A repudiation of how liberals were running the country. Had Mr. Obama been up for reelection this time, I'm convinced he would have been defeated, charges of racism be damned.
The President, meanwhile, described himself as irritated by the results. He says he looks forward to working with Republicans in a bipartisan fashion, but we'll see. He's already signaled his intention to use executive orders to get what Congress won't approve. That may spur litigation on constitutional matters that haven't been before the Supreme Court since the days of FDR's court packing attempts in the 1930's. Either way, Mr. Obama, who infamously told Democratic candidates to say whatever they had to say to get elected, even if they didn't mean it, is talking out of both sides of his mouth. He has no intention of undoing anything that he's done and likewise no intention of doing anything to which he's opposed, no matter what the Congress says. Since the Congress is comprised of people duly elected by citizens of the United States, the Presidents is implicitly saying that he knows better than the people of country and will not brook opposition to his vision.
And to think that even his golf game was trashed by Michael Jordan last week...
(c) 2014 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles
Monday, November 3, 2014
The Midterms
Election season is about to close with the much anticipated and very watched midterm elections which, due to the last two years' worth of scandals, is looming to big in terms of the distribution of power in Congress. Republicans stand to claim control of the Senate while retaining control of the House, meaning the President will have a Congress entirely opposed to him and his policies.
Conservatives are rubbing their hands with glee, Democrats are predicting gloom and doom under a Republican Congress. Part of this is the natural ebb and flow of the midterm elections. Some of it is real. But an astute observer would place less importance on the midterms and await the 2016 presidential elections.
Assuming the Republicans win both the Senate and keep control of the House, the chances are slim that they will have a veto-proof majority. That being said, the President will be able to veto any legislation Congress passes with which he disagrees. Since he's a lame duck, he can stand on principle without worrying about reelection. It won't hurt other Democrats in 2016 because people will focus on the veto and not how individual representatives voted, for the most part. Republicans could be seen as intransigent by passing bills that oppose the President's policies. What's more, they could make major mistakes in passing certain types of legislation not favored by a majority of the country. Add to that the specter of some unforeseen event happening during the last two years, and the what is seen as a Republican victory dims.
Moreover, there are the 2016 elections, which could reverse the gains of these midterms. Republicans, then, could only be in control for two years. That's not a lot of time to get an agenda made into law.
Plenty of pressing issues need resolution. Beyond that, there's the gearing up for the looming presidential election in 2016. Republicans should avoid initiating witch hunts over Benghazi, the NSA, the AP scandal, the IRS scandal, the Secret Service debacle, Fast and Furious, Obamacare and a host of other issues. That's not to say that some of them wouldn't warrant investigations: the IRS, Benghazi and the NSA certainly do. Obamacare needs repealed. But to concentrate on beating up the Democrats for their lackadaisical and highly partisan governance won't serve the American people. People need jobs, protection from terrorism, confidence in the equanimity of government. Partisan politics only rankle most voters.
But then there's the issue of the presidential election. Even if Republicans control both houses of Congress, a Democratic president will still be the face of government. Presidents get far more press coverage than representatives. With that pulpit, the President can frame the discussion far more effectively, thereby setting up the next midterms as a contest for control of Congress. Republicans should be focused on righting the country, not defeating the Democrats. In fact, by doing the one they can do both. The fear is that Republicans will be so focused on pounding their chests and collecting injustices that they forget to do what the people sent them to Washington to do: Govern.
If nothing else happens, I will be happy to see the likes of Harry Reid and other wingnuts defeated. Make no mistake: There are some conservative wingnuts, too, but Mr. Reid takes the prize as the goofiest and most out of control politician that there is. The people of Nevada should be ashamed to have him as their representative.
If only Illinoisans could oust their slavemasters....
(c) 2014 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles
Conservatives are rubbing their hands with glee, Democrats are predicting gloom and doom under a Republican Congress. Part of this is the natural ebb and flow of the midterm elections. Some of it is real. But an astute observer would place less importance on the midterms and await the 2016 presidential elections.
Assuming the Republicans win both the Senate and keep control of the House, the chances are slim that they will have a veto-proof majority. That being said, the President will be able to veto any legislation Congress passes with which he disagrees. Since he's a lame duck, he can stand on principle without worrying about reelection. It won't hurt other Democrats in 2016 because people will focus on the veto and not how individual representatives voted, for the most part. Republicans could be seen as intransigent by passing bills that oppose the President's policies. What's more, they could make major mistakes in passing certain types of legislation not favored by a majority of the country. Add to that the specter of some unforeseen event happening during the last two years, and the what is seen as a Republican victory dims.
Moreover, there are the 2016 elections, which could reverse the gains of these midterms. Republicans, then, could only be in control for two years. That's not a lot of time to get an agenda made into law.
Plenty of pressing issues need resolution. Beyond that, there's the gearing up for the looming presidential election in 2016. Republicans should avoid initiating witch hunts over Benghazi, the NSA, the AP scandal, the IRS scandal, the Secret Service debacle, Fast and Furious, Obamacare and a host of other issues. That's not to say that some of them wouldn't warrant investigations: the IRS, Benghazi and the NSA certainly do. Obamacare needs repealed. But to concentrate on beating up the Democrats for their lackadaisical and highly partisan governance won't serve the American people. People need jobs, protection from terrorism, confidence in the equanimity of government. Partisan politics only rankle most voters.
But then there's the issue of the presidential election. Even if Republicans control both houses of Congress, a Democratic president will still be the face of government. Presidents get far more press coverage than representatives. With that pulpit, the President can frame the discussion far more effectively, thereby setting up the next midterms as a contest for control of Congress. Republicans should be focused on righting the country, not defeating the Democrats. In fact, by doing the one they can do both. The fear is that Republicans will be so focused on pounding their chests and collecting injustices that they forget to do what the people sent them to Washington to do: Govern.
If nothing else happens, I will be happy to see the likes of Harry Reid and other wingnuts defeated. Make no mistake: There are some conservative wingnuts, too, but Mr. Reid takes the prize as the goofiest and most out of control politician that there is. The people of Nevada should be ashamed to have him as their representative.
If only Illinoisans could oust their slavemasters....
(c) 2014 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles
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