Republicans Know Their Time is Short

[MineralMan]

The spurt of Republicans taking over legislative houses in 2010, both federal and state, is an anomaly, I think. Further, I think the newly-elected majorities know that they get this shot before they lose those majorities in 2012. So, they're doing their damnedest to pass as many bills as possible that accomplish long-held goals in the social area. Further restrict abortion. Damage the right to vote for the poor and minorities. Shut down as many helpful programs as possible. The frenzy they seem to be in is evidence, I think, of their recognition that they get this shot and will be back in the minority in 2012.

They'll try to shut down Medicare, food stamp programs, slash Medicaid, and pull funding for all sorts of valuable things. I believe they understand that we're going to hold them accountable in the 2012 elections and reverse things, so they're giving it their very best in the short time they have.

Let's prove them right! Let's take it back in 2012!

[HereSince1628]

1. I think they're in a rush because they want to quickly rig the deck

Pass laws to make it difficult for D's to fund campaigns
Pass voter tests/special ID requirements to cut down on participation of students and the elderly (entitlement recipients).
Gerrymander the Congressional districts.

Wherever they take a republican majority they attempt the same things. It's a strategic assault on both forms of democracy big D and little d.

[MineralMan]

2. I think we can counter all those things on a local level,

especially the voter ID crap. I don't think they're going to succeed.

[HereSince1628]

3. I'm not sure. At the state level we've got to try, but at the local level

the elected Grand Old Privateers and the Teehadis are quickly learning to have all their 'town halls' in Private Halls, so that they can declare opposition constituents trespassers and get them forcibly removed.

Locally, the county dem committees don't have a lot of money for phone banking or petition drives to put pressure on elected legislators.

I'd love to be not worried about that, but I am.

[MineralMan]

4. My local DFL organization has no budget at all.

But, we do have some excellent volunteers, and they work hard. I personally walked the entire precinct, and talked to a good portion of the population in 2010. We got a 60% turnout and DFL-endorsed candidates won with 60% of the vote across the board in the precinct. Money isn't the only thing that works. It truly isn't.

You're right to be worried, but there's an answer for that, and it's to take action.

[Melinda]

11. I like this even more than your OP (which I like a lot!)...

Thanks for all your hard work, and call to action!!! HUGE K&R!! :toast:

[MineralMan]

13. If everyone on DU joined in that local activism, we would

do very, very well. That's why I keep pushing it. Thanks!

[jwirr]

15. Yes, I wish more of us up here in the north end of MN would have

taken the 2010 election a little more seriously. We would not have had craavack. One thing we can do about the voter ID is help people get the proper papers filled out so they can vote. This would not be the first time in this country that we had to do that.

[MineralMan]

19. Have you heard Cravaack's current radio ad?

Or the one put out by the 60+ right wing group. It's saying that Cravaak wants to "preserve" Medicare. The ad is a complete lie, done in the usual Republican way. If you tell a lie often enough it becomes the truth, they think.

You're right about the ID thing. We may have to take some people to a DMV center so they can get their State ID card, if that becomes law. However, I believe Mark Dayton will veto that piece of crap, so we'll still have the same rules. But, I'm ready to drive people to get a state ID, if that's necessary.

The only way I think we can fail is through inaction. That's the one thing that worries me, really. I can handle my own precinct, but not the whole state. It's going to be up to people in every district, ward, and precinct to pitch in and block these Republicans.

[FSogol]

5. K & R. n/t

[MineralMan]

6. Thanks. (nt)

[FSogol]

8. Anytime. Keep up the great posts. n/t

[AndyTiedye]

7. I Don't Think So. They Repigs Now Think They are Invincible

I hope they are wrong, but they do hold most of the cards.

They still own the media, the churches, and the courts, and now the House of Representatives
and most of the state governments. They still have access to unlimited corporate cash,
courtesy of the Supreme Court's "Citizens United" ruling.

They are attacking what used to be "sacred cows" now because they think they can get away with it.

[MineralMan]

12. I still think they know that they're going to lose in 2012, so

they're passing as much crappy shit as they can get away with. We can toss 'em in 2012, and at least regain control of the House and some of the state legislatures that were lost.

Look at Wisconsin. They pushed too hard there and now there's a recall going on. I think it will be successful. Yet, still, the morons are trying to pass regressive legislation, while they still can.

Nope. I think it's a panic reaction, based on their knowledge that they're hosed in 2012.

[JoePhilly]

9. The are Saddam Huessin at the end of Gulf War #1, and they are burning the oil fields.

[MineralMan]

14. Scorched Earth. So it seems to me.

Damn them all, each and every one!

[JoePhilly]

17. My guess is that they think destroying the social safety net will ...

will weaken voter turn out.

Almost every study shows the GOP loses when the turn out is high.

That's why some think the easiest way for the GOP to steal elections is to have the electronic voting systems throw out 1 vote out of 100. Just make it disappear.

In unpopulated rural areas, they lose a couple GOP votes. In heavily populated areas, they'll be throwing out hundreds or thousands of Dem votes, and yes, a few GOP votes too. But the total effect is to throw out lots more Dem votes.

Destroying the country has a similar effect. Beat the populace down enough, they won't have the time or energy to vote.

[thereismore]

10. That's why the regressive push of all manner of legislation now, you're correct. nt

[seabeyond]

16. what people seem to overlook is the amount of money that went in to get those elected.

even a short cry for change? or money buying those election. and one year in people see how wrong a choice they made

[MineralMan]

21. The thing is that there is a large group of people who

do not follow the news in any way. That's something I've discovered while talking to people in my precinct. They're simply not keeping up with the news. So, it's up to us to let those people know what is going on and how it affects their lives. I can't tell you how many people I talked to who were surprised at things I told them about, say, the Republican who was running for Governor. They hadn't heard any of it.

The advertising that reaches so many also fails to reach many others. It is those people who, if contacted and informed, will go to the polls when they would not do so otherwise. So, it's our job to provide that information, face-to-face, to the people who aren't in the news loop. It works.

2008 was a great example of that. While watching my precinct's polling place, I saw so many people registering at the polls that year - something we can do here in MN. It was not advertising that brought them there. It was word of mouth. Most had never voted before. All had to be shown how to mark their ballots by the poll workers. It was a real eye-opener for me. Those people were black, and Hmong, and Somali, and other poorly-represented groups. That was when I realized that I could actually make a real difference by my precinct activities. So I did, and the difference was clear in 2010.

I know there are many here on DU who think I'm some sort of "moderate." I'm not. I'm a realist, though, and realize that losing to the forces of regression is a poor bargain. So, I'm working on making sure that doesn't happen, in my precinct, at least. I'm trying to drum up support in other precincts, other districts, and other states for a campaign that does work, if it's actually carried out.

Anyhow, thanks for reading.

[AndyTiedye]

25. Much of it is Kept Out of the News

If they follow the news on the Tee Vee they will only hear what the GOP wants them to hear.

[JuniperLea]

18. Their desperation smacks of death throes for the party...

Couldn't happen to a better bunch of projecting sickos. Note how they are doing exactly what they accused Dems of doing... and their legions of cretins will believe that it was the Dems who did these things because that's what they have been told to believe.

[MineralMan]

23. Let's make it so.

Thanks.

[intaglio]

20. Nice collective noun that

A "Spurt" of Republicans

Ought to be popularised

[MineralMan]

22. Thank you kindly. I'm hoping to turn it into a "dribble" of Republicans

in 2012.

[MacNfries]

24. re: Republicans Know Their Time Is Short (CAUTION)

Republicans are desperate to regain and hold influence in government ... at local, state, as well as federal levels. They have a major advantage over Democrats ... unlimited money resources from corporations (thanks to a action in Jan 2010 lifting ceiling on corporate donations) and private donations who's origins do not have to be recognized. Republicans are also very busy "stacking the deck" against Democrats in local, state, and federal levels.
I'm in NC ... the whole reason Republican Rene' Elder got elected was because of the unusually large amount of PAC money and other donations that mysteriously appeared, running negative TV ads against the Democratic incumbent, Bob Etheridge. Republicans hold the General Assembly for only the first time in over a 100 years in NC. They are currently busy redistricting the counties ... Democrats expect to possibly lose 2 more seats because of the redistricting. Also, the Republicans are establishing new voter registration requirements that clearly play against the poor & lower middle income classes to vote. Republicans are also trying to limit the publics access to information to actions taking place in the Assembly by not allowing the news media access to meetings & certain documents. And they are pushing through HR 6116 "Fair Elections Now Act" (that's what they call it, HA!)to use proceeds from spectrum auctions to help finance the campaigns of current House members.
Currently, in NC, 36,000 long-term unemployed (those out of jobs a year or more)have had their Federal unemployment checks withheld by the NC General Assembly as the GA tries to force Gov. Bev Perdue to sign large budget reductions in NC ... the extended unemployment checks come from the Federal level, not the State level, so they have no impact on State funds.
Things like this are going on all over the USA ... as Republicans do everything to gain power! I would NOT take these people lightly anymore! Republicans have ONE agenda ... confuse the voters, and replace Democrats.