Republicans win control of Senate

[TBF]

Republicans win control of Senate in US congressional elections
By Patrick Martin
5 November 2014

The Republican Party won control of the US Senate in Tuesday’s midterm elections, taking more than the six Democratic-held seats needed to obtain the 51 required for a majority. Republican candidates defeated incumbent Democratic senators in North Carolina, Arkansas and Iowa and won open Democratic seats in West Virginia, Iowa, South Dakota and Montana.

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The outcome of the vote is a debacle for the Democratic Party and the Obama administration, which threw in the towel in terms of the House of Representatives months ago and concentrated their efforts on holding onto a handful of Senate seats needed to maintain a narrow majority in the upper house. This effort produced dismal results, with only one of the threatened Democratic seats, in New Hampshire, successfully defended.

The Republican victory does not represent a shift by the American population to the right, but demonstrates the bankrupt and reactionary character of the Democratic Party and the mass disillusionment with the Obama administration. In the absence of any progressive alternative to the two right-wing, corporate-controlled parties, the majority of potential voters stayed home. Voter turnout hit another record low, with only 38 percent going to the polls.

The working class had no representation in the 2014 elections in either party. The Democrats, like the Republicans, are controlled by the financial aristocracy that rules America. Corporate bosses and billionaires dictate the policy and personnel of both parties, and they are now demanding a further shift to the right in official Washington ...

More here: http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/11/05/lead-n05.html

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. Turnout depends upon a belief that you have something to offer.

Republicans saw their candidates offering them Republican solutions to problems.

Democrats did not see candidates offering them Democratic solutions to problems.

[Doctor_J]

7. Perfectly stated, EB. And that's why we kicked ass in 2008

the Dems WERE offering Dem solutions to problems. then they couldn't deliver.

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

8. They blew it with 'bipartisanship'.

As soon as the 'Our only goal is to deny Obama a second term' crowd was outed, they should have gone nuclear option and spent 2 years passing Democratic legislation one after another on a 51 vote margin. Instead, they wasted the entire 2 years trying to be 'bipartisan' and letting voters know that they weren't going to actually fight for anything.

[ctsnowman]

10. Exactly!

[ctsnowman]

2. K & R

[2banon]

3. The perennial death march for the working class.

The working class had no representation in the 2014 elections in either party. The Democrats, like the Republicans, are controlled by the financial aristocracy that rules America. Corporate bosses and billionaires dictate the policy and personnel of both parties, and they are now demanding a further shift to the right in official Washington ...

Just another Clash of the Titans for control/power.

Election results are extremely depressing, but expected.

[2banon]

4. Love the Emma Goldman poster btw.... so true.

[yallerdawg]

5. H.L. Mencken wrote...

"Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard."

[Doctor_J]

6. And there it is

The Republican victory does not represent a shift by the American population to the right, but demonstrates the bankrupt and reactionary character of the Democratic Party and the mass disillusionment with the Obama administration. In the absence of any progressive alternative to the two right-wing, corporate-controlled parties, the majority of potential voters stayed home. Voter turnout hit another record low, with only 38 percent going to the polls.

I am sure that the true believers will chalk this up to "racism", but in fact the Dems are completely lacking in an agenda, have proven themselves to be either incapable or disinterested in beating the detested republicans. We had such an opportunity in 2008 and it's now gone. I thank god I will be dead before the worst of it actually comes to pass. I hope my kids & grandkids pack up and head to europe ASAP. there is really nothing left in this country for decent people.

[TBF]

9. My kids are young -

I'm already talking to the oldest about college in Europe. My spouse has dual citizenship in England (which is not better in terms of economics but at least has healthcare and lack of religious fundamentalism) so at least there are family connections for holidays etc.