The Democrats are going to be victims of their own success...

[Farnan]

Sorry to say it to you guys, but you are going to lose seats in the House and Senate in two years.

You set your bar too high, barring Obama gains access to a Ring of Power, you will not be able to live up to what people expect, and having the majority in both houses and the White House you have no one to blame failures on. Not saying Dems are going to screw up, I hope you rule well, as I have to live here. However, you're going to lose seats. However, if you're bipartisan and rule with wisdom and intelligence the losses will be limited.

[fieldmarshal]

I kind of blame Obama for promising a little too much, i know its all politics, but too many people believe it and actually expect him to deliver on all those promises.

[bushbush]

we will just have to wait and see, first 100 days usually define a president.

[Mikelus Trento]

Sorry to say it to you guys, but you are going to lose seats in the House and Senate in two years.

You set your bar too high, barring Obama gains access to a Ring of Power, you will not be able to live up to what people expect, and having the majority in both houses and the White House you have no one to blame failures on. Not saying Dems are going to screw up, I hope you rule well, as I have to live here. However, you're going to lose seats. However, if you're bipartisan and rule with wisdom and intelligence the losses will be limited.

Very...ummm...clairvoyant.

Have any links?

[Farnan]

Very...ummm...clairvoyant.

Have any links?

Nope, history proves it.

Happened to Clinton, George H. Bush, Reagan, Carter, Nixon, Kennedy...

Only time it didn't happen in recent history was during GW's first term midterms, and that had special circumstances

[The Dude]

Nope, history proves it.

Happened to Clinton, George H. Bush, Reagan, Carter, Nixon, Kennedy...

Only time it didn't happen in recent history was during GW's first term midterms, and that had special circumstances

If the same things that happened to Clinton, Reagan and Kennedy are going to happen to Obama he should be happy because they're all remembered as good presidents.

[HorseArcher]

If the same things that happened to Clinton, Reagan and Kennedy are going to happen to Obama he should be happy because they're all remembered as good presidents.

We're talking about the House and the Senate, not the presidents.

[The Dude]

We're talking about the House and the Senate, not the presidents.

Orite. Got carried away for a moment.

Well, what the issue really seems to be is that if a president messes up he can at least blame it on the house/senate if his opposing party holds a majority there. Right? Since people are now saying that there isn't a republican majority anywhere so all unfilled promises will come down on democrat shoulders.

But what promises do people have in mind that they do not think Obama can live up to? I'm pretty curious.

[Kiljan Arslan]

dems might not do it because they are less organized as the republicans, might give them control longer by being less organized.

[Farnan]

dems might not do it because they are less organized as the republicans, might give them control longer by being less organized.

Naa, happened to Kennedy and Reagan, which are the two Obama is most compared too. They'll lose seats due to people expecting the impossible.

Not saying they'll do a bad job, but if you can run a mile in 3 minutes but say you can do it in one than people will be dissapointed, despite the 3 minute mile being extremely fast.

[Kiljan Arslan]

Naa, happened to Kennedy and Reagan, which are the two Obama is most compared too. They'll lose seats due to people expecting the impossible.

Not saying they'll do a bad job, but if you can run a mile in 3 minutes but say you can do it in one than people will be dissapointed, despite the 3 minute mile being extremely fast.

OH be disappointed, thats a chance. Maybe Obama can pull off a Reagan.

[Dayman]

Obama isn't going to get everything he said done. Even he admits it.

Right now he has to deal with the mess his administration will inherit.

[HorseArcher]

Sorry to say it to you guys, but you are going to lose seats in the House and Senate in two years.

I'm more settled with a balanced House and Senate. (equal number of both + independents)

I think all the blues you see in the seats are sort of revenge on the republicans by the people for the past 8 years, I would call it show of power. It doesn't matter if they fall out out within 2 years, at the end of the day it has ultimately showed the republicans that they were on the wrong track.

[Farnan]

I'm more settled with a balanced House and Senate. (equal number of both + independents)

I like a divided government, works better that way in general.

[bushbush]

I like a divided government, works better that way in general.

can't get nothing done, look at the past 2 years.

[Farnan]

can't get nothing done, look at the past 2 years.

Got a lot done, though not enough to make either extreme happy, the way I like it.

[danzig]

can't get nothing done, look at the past 2 years.

Sure you can, Reagan did...it requires reasonable, moderate and *smart* policy that pulls center Dems/Republicans *together* and doesnt count on the fringe elements of either. Those are the most successful Presidents who can cross the aisle, pull in those votes. If Obama can do that then *cheer* for us as a country but if instead gets suckered into by Pelosi nonsense then 2 years will see a quick turn around in power structure. I agree with op though that the bar is set so high that there is going to be grumblings when Obama has to tailor back his grand plans, how he handles it will be key to how good of a President he will be.

It's going to be another Democratic White House trying to clean up the mess left by the Bushs for a second time.

Let's home this Democratic WH doesnt leave even bigger problems behind instead, like housing bubble, islamic terrorism etc eh?

[HorseArcher]

I like a divided government, works better that way in general.

I agree. The balance of power is not an RTS game but a base within democracy. I was surprised myself about the No. of dem representatives and senators voted in. I still think this was more of a message than people suddenly shifting to the left (previously being right).

Time will tell, Obama's presidency and the House will be criticized and closely watched, more than any other government previously, even by those who sent them in.

[DisgruntledGoat]

Well blame can't be squarely put on the dems. If you are basing your assertions on the current record of congress thats a bit unfair. The Dems don't have a fillibuster proof senate (now or the last two years) and with the Bush Veto power it was hard for them to get anything done. Even with majorities in both houses it will require BOTH sides of the isle to cooperate if things are going to get done. Yes the dems will be leading. Just as the terrible work by the republicans when they had majorities could be partially blamed on the democrates so can any future failures be partially placed at the feet of the republicans.

[chriscase]

When it comes down to it, there isn't that much difference between Democrats and Republicans. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't expect all that much to change.

We'll get out of Iraq, which would probably have happened anyway.

We'll have a massive recession - bordering on depression - which would have happened anyway.

If Obama actually tries to socialize health care, he will almost certainly fail, just as Clinton did.

At least we won't have the ultra-right republican brigade waiting in the wings the way we would if Palin had won.

And how many people who voted will even remember exactly what the campaign promises were in 6 months? Who will be able to say for certain whether they were broken or not?

It's Business As Usual. Politicians go around and make a bunch of speeches. I swear all I hear when they talk is "blah blah blah". It's like that old Far Side cartoon about what dogs hear.

Obama: "blah blah blah CHANGE."
McCain: "blah blah blah PLUMBER."
Palin: "blah blah blah YOUBETCHA."

Now, it's all over, the winners are going to go off and do whatever the hell they want to, which is what they always do.

If we pass a caning law for politicians who break their campaign promises, I'll start to believe them. Until then, as far as I am concerned, they're all liars.