"Not so fast, folks. Retract those tongues."

[babylonsister]

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/25/opinion/this-is-not-2009.html

This Is Not 2009
By CHARLES M. BLOW
Published: May 24, 2013 89 Comments


With the scent of scandal encircling the White House, some Republicans are already licking their chops over the 2014 midterm elections, while some Democrats are pre-emptively licking their wounds.

Not so fast, folks. Retract those tongues.

snip//

The unemployment rate has dropped to 7.5 percent. The Dow is above 15,000 and continuing to set records. The housing sector is rebounding — “Sales of previously owned homes reached the highest level in more than three years, with the share of foreclosure purchases shrinking, as the housing market continued its rebound last month,” according to a report Thursday in The Wall Street Journal.

And the deficit is shrinking faster than expected, according to a report released last week by the budget office. The report found that if current laws are unchanged, “Relative to the size of the economy, the deficit this year — at 4.0 percent of gross domestic product (G.D.P.) — will be less than half as large as the shortfall in 2009, which was 10.1 percent of G.D.P.”

snip//

Now, the tables have turned. Two of the most glaring legislative failures this year have ostensibly been the work of obstinate Republicans: the failure to avoid the sequester and the failure to pass expanded gun background checks legislation. According to that recent Washington Post/ABC News poll, most Americans still disapprove of the sequester’s automatic spending cuts, and according to a Pew Research Center poll released Thursday, 81 percent of Americans still favor the passage of a bill expanding background checks.

The next hurdle will be immigration reform. But Republicans may find a way to derail that legislation, too.

The signs look positive for Democrats this spring. This is not to say that they should prematurely lift their glasses, only that they have no reason to prematurely throw up their hands.

[graham4anything]

1. Great news (but of course they hide all good news.)

80-20 is possible is with the straight democratic vote in all elections forever more

[Scuba]

2. The R's just raised interest rates on student loans too. Fortunately for them ...

... the Democrats will surely find some way to self-destruct before the election.

[eggplant]

6. It is truly astonishing just how good we are at that. n/t

If we're the only ones on the ballot it is still somehow a close race.

[lame54]

3. None of that matters if they don't talk it up to the electorate...

and if history serves

they won't

[byeya]

4. That's the problem isn't it? The Dems need to hammer away at these issues in an organized and

ruthless manner until they draw blood. It's no good to make a one day comment and then go back to the 3rd Way.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

5. the so-called scandals aren't going to derail our victories in 2014

[hue]

7. Shout it out!!! K&R&share!!

[bobhuntsman]

8. Don't forget the vote to abolish overtime.

[another_liberal]

9. The Republicans can be counted on . . .

There is every chance that the good news will only get better, because if the Republicans can be counted on to do anything it is act more and more like themselves as time passes. Before November, 2014, the backward dolts may have passed legislation in the House that tries to take the vote away from women.

[Cha]

10. Scamdals Schamdals.. thank you Charles Blow..

h/t napkinzhttp://www.democraticunderground.com/10022901662

thanks babylonsistah

[Kath1]

11. Yes!

The people elected Obama because we agree with his agenda and we want him to be able to get it done. Our priority needs to be a Democratic House in 2014. We all worked and voted for change in 2008 and voted to move forward in 2012. Just like the war on women, this "scandal" BS will backfire in my opinion. Other than the Fox-news brainwashed, I don't think anyone cares about these manufactured "scandals."

[Warren DeMontague]

12. the only "scandal" scent is bullshit.