House: Races to Watch

[babylonsister]

House: Races to Watch

While voters tell pollsters they aren't happy with the job done by the Democratic-controlled Congress, the public's strong dissatisfaction with the Republicans expressed in 2006 has not diminished. That alone would make the 2008 House landscape very challenging for the GOP. But the Republicans' hopes for a restoration are compromised by the fact that they are defending many more open seats — ones in which incumbents are not seeking re-election — than the Democrats. An extension of the majority won by the Democrats in the 2006 election looks nearly certain and the chances of additional Democratic gains looks better than even an incremental Republican comeback.

Ratings chart at link:

http://www.cqpolitics.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=11

[skywalkerjlp]

1. If you truly want better representation check this out....

In the United States, voter registration has never been higher (70 % of the eligible voters ) and yet there has been a steady DECLINE in voter turnout. We had a more than 10 % spike last election after Bin Laden released his video 2 days before the election, and I'm sure there will be another spike this year when Obama becomes the next President. This may placate the masses for a while, but nothing has actually changed. In this day and age of modern technology, a NATIONAL POLL - instituted so the masses can be actively involved in their REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY on a weekly basis, adding in their 2 cents on all the major issues of the week - is the best remedy for ailing voter discontentment. Of course there is probably not one elected official who would ever WANT such a thing, and that has more to do with the FACT that we are a FEDERAL CONSTITUTIONAL REPUBLIC ( google United States, Wikipedia, first sentence ) and NOT a representative democracy. The PEOPLE want to be heard, my most distinguished and learned gentlemen and ladies, or so many of them would not be registering. If you truly want the people to feel positive about politics in general, why not give them an opportunity to become actively involved, say once a week, allowing them to voice their opinions on the major issues. When that day comes to pass, you will have solved voter discontentment in the United States.

[babylonsister]

2. Do you have a link, because I've heard voter turnout has been huge!

I'd like to compare and contrast.

[skywalkerjlp]

3. no link, this year turnout is gonna be great but nothing has CHANGED

WE ( the PEOPLE ) JUST happened to have a chance to vote for a black man or a woman ... that will drive up turnout just like Bin Laden did last time by releasing his video 2 days before the election.... 2 exceptions ....OTHERWISE registration is at an all time high and turnout has been declining for 20 plus yrs

[skywalkerjlp]

4. google United states voter turnout probably wikipedia

....

[skywalkerjlp]

5. if we had a NATIONAL POLL do you think the taxpayers would be paying off rich people

rich people who gambled by buying up huge bundles of mortgages and now that they are losing the banks cry and the rich people who owns the majority of these mortgages don't LOSE WE the taxpayers do.....if this poll existed do you think they'd get away with sticking us anyway ?

[TygrBright]

6. No, if we had a national poll/referendum mechanism, some GOPpie schmuck...

...would be out there promising voters government for free, no taxes! and passing some national equivalent to California's Prop 13. And we all know how well THAT turned out, don't we?

Sorry, the notion of Prop 13 on a national scale scares the willies outta me.

dismissively,
Bright

[skywalkerjlp]

7. now that would be bad but hopefully responsible attitudes would prevail

people could run on that platform now look what obama is saying taxes going up 10 % on people making over 100k....no taxes would be rediculous ......REPUBLICANS would be the ones who want no taxes because they don't want any RULES either.....

[madrchsod]

8. illinois 14th is a special election in march

then another nov 4th...the special election is on a saturday so i doubt there will be over 5-10% turn out. the democrat is well funded and may have a chance if they can get out the vote in the urban counties.every pick-up is another win for the good guys

[RichardRay]

9. Wyoming, belive it or not...

...could send a Demcrat to the House this cycle. Barbara Cubin, a Cheney protege, has held that seat for 7 terms. Last election she won by about 1,000 votes state wide against a Democrat named Gary Trauner. Gary is running again, and the Republican field is in serious disarray with no strong, unifying figure. Now, it's a long way from a 'sure thing', but neither is it complete fantasy that the famously red state of Wyoming (which has a Democratic governor) could also have a Democrat in the House.

(I live and vote in Teton County, the blue piece of Wyoming in the upper left corner.)