Deep down, what do you think is really going to happen in Nov, 06?

[Singular73]

So here's *my* reality check for myself and DU.

Axioms:

* No one on either side has a monopoly on truth. To me, I have to rationally conclude that just like the Freepers, the DU'ers are probably too afraid of some things, and overblow certain things (voter fraud, for instance -- I hope thats the one). This includes myself. I have to rationally conclude that I'm wrong on certain issues.

* We aren't right about everything, and we aren't wrong about everything. Not all democrats are Good, as not all Republicans are bad. We are in the right, right now though, at this point in history, but not exclusively. It pains me to say what we are wrong about, so I wont do it. Life ain't black and white, and people aint perfect.

So whats going to happen in Nov 06? Deep down, I think Dems will win the house (barely), and not gain enough seats (by 2) in the Senate. Allen will win Virginia, and we will be angry and claim voter fraud.

What will become of the Foley scandal?

It will turn out a gay republican staffer leaked this, and that the Dems hung on to it for about 2-3 days even up to 2 weeks, to time it correctly. Rethugs will raise hell about this, but it won't resonate to the public. Dems will claim they needed to vett their sources, which of course is bullshit, but it won't matter.

Regardless, Foley will remain in the news. Thats what I love about guys like McHenry. They keep this stuff in the news. Rove must be fuming lol

The lesson of 06 will be simple. Conservatives wanted to lose this one. If this isn't obvious to everyone right now, I don't know what to say. Even the conservative (NOT Republican, NOT RR) pundits are pushing loss. They fear takeover from the Religious right.

I do go on...

[jenmito]

1. I think the Repubs. will steal the elections...

and keep their majorities, sadly. At least in all the close-enough races, which seem to be many. Our ONLY hope is to make SURE we watch the voting machines, before and during and after the elections, making sure the exit polls match the results.

[elizm]

30. I'm with you....

They will steal it in just enough of the close races in order to stay in control. What other choice do they have??? If they don't steal it, they will surely lose both the House and the Senate. What do they have to lose if they get caught????

[jenmito]

43. Exactly...

This is the difference between staying in power or possible impeachment/jail time. I don't think there's ANYTHING they won't do to try to steal it.

[Totally Committed]

32. I think you could be right...

but I hope we're wrong. I'd love to start taking back this country NOW!

TC

[jenmito]

44. I hope I'm wrong, too...

But we HAVE to be willing to fight this time if there are "irregularities."

[Totally Committed]

54. I'm ready...

now all we have to do is elect candidates who will fight, too.... and in '08, NOMINATE a real fighter who has a snowball's chance in hell of winning and fighting, too!

TC

[jenmito]

57. Can you guess...

who I'M for in '08? He's fighting for us in '06, too.

[donsu]

42. agree - they will steal the election again

nt

[Common Sense Party]

55. Yup. This Republican-Foley-pedophile meltdown is much ado

about something, but it will end up accomplishing little.

Hard to get excited about regime change when Diebold already has the fix in.

[Vidar]

64. Unfortunately, I have to agree.

[Divine Discontent]

78. and if they don't

march and not stop.

I believe the Dems will win MANY seats in the House. I think it's a 50/50 chance we'll get the senate, but Menendez, Claire, and Sherrod have to win. If Jim Webb wins or we get Connecticut, it's over for them.

[Broken_Hero]

2. Easy...

That the dems, will take back control...and win in a landslide...this is not an optimistic view, but a realistic one, which I have.

[pocoloco]

23. LOL ...................deja vu all over again

"Trust me, Kerry is going to win in a landslide!"

[howmad1]

58. I could not agree more.

C'mon guys/gals, have a little optimism. 55 million dems voted in 2004. If we get out the vote, there will be more than enough to defeat diebold. I predict that there will be heads exploding on faux, cnn and msnbc on election night. That will be be as much fun to watch as taking the house and senate; which we will do in a historic landslide. :bounce:

[babylonsister]

3. Dems win unless it's stolen. If Dems lose all logical

places, I will be beyond pissed.
It's going to be a crap shoot.
Believe or not?

[eleny]

4. It will be harder for them to steal the election

Democrats could squeak by with a slight majority in the House. With Rove now being sucked into the Abramoff scandals it might be harder for him to machinate and advise. Things could get away from him. His aide resigning was a Friday news dump. It tells me that he's very busy worrying and saving his own butt.

I don't know about the Senate. That depends on if senators are involved in the Foley cover up. And if it can be determined before the election. So, right now I don't know if the Senate is ours.

I'm not feeling a super majority. But this heathen could be moved to prayer.

[unblock]

5. lose a battle, win the war.

the banana republicans will benefit from the democrats having some token power. democrats won't be able to accomplish anything in terms of actual legislation when shrub discovers his veto pen. democrats will be able to make some political points, though not much, given our party's notorious lack of unity. shrub will always be able to twist an arm or two.

then the banana republicans will blame EVERYTHING on the slim democratic house majority for the '08 campaign.

[Dogmudgeon]

6. With fair or with rigged elections?

Fair Elections: Republicans lose the House and the Senate; possibly as many as 50% of their House candidates will be defeated. Some of the biggest electoral losses in history.

Rigged Elections: Massive public disgust with the elections, huge protests, calls for mass impeachments and election do-overs, thousands of lawsuits, domination of political new cycles for the next two years, calls for UN observers at next election -- leading to the complete detruction of the GOP as a viable party in 2008. Literally, a 50-state landslide for the Democrats in '08, 45-50 Dem governors by that time, and a defeat on the order of the Canadian Conservative Party after Mulroney was bounced from office (I think that's who the PM was in the election where the CP went from a solid majority to THREE seats in Parliament.)

The Republicans have bought themselves more trouble than they can handle. Arrogance plus fanaticism often does that. The best response in this matter may be along the lines of Joe Scarborough's recent advice -- the Republicans should spend the next several years in the proverbial desert and figure out just what the fuck they're all about instead of trying to ape the Taliban.

--p!

[Sparkly]

7. I feel as I did in 04....

I think the momentum is with us, the issues are clear, the GOP couldn't be any more disastrous in every way possible, and people will line up at the polls to get a change, FINALLY!

I FEAR that polls will start to "narrow" mysteriously in the next few weeks (some event that inexplicably HELPS the GOP when it logically ought to hurt them, like a video from Bin Laden). I FEAR long lines again (suggesting people are fired up for change), exit polls showing people voted Democratic, and then, bizarre victories, election "irregularities," stats that don't add up, in key areas.

HOWEVER... I think because it's state by state, and they're so far down, it'll be a lot harder for them to mess with than a national election involving one or two states' tabulations.

So, I don't know... I feel confident the majority of people want change. I just don't put anything -- ANYTHING -- past the rightwing fascists in power.

[elizm]

31. Don't forget Georgia in 2002...

Those were mid-term elections and they stole the seat from Max Cleland...with Diebold consultants now coming out saying the vote was rigged. Of course they will target just a few states in November...just enough to retain control...and make it harder to prove.

[DemInDistress]

8. bush/co will start a war or attack America again then impose

Martial Law suspend the elections until the war on terror is over. The grand old perverts in Congress have to
much to lose this Nov. not just the power shift but what might come afterward, possible impeachment hearings
possible new investigations into 911, the Downing Street Memo's, Halliburton subpoena's, maybe even a halt to the iraq quagmire.


Too much at stake to trust Deibold even if they are that good.


just my feelings since you asked.

[WCGreen]

9. Republicans suffer from a good case of Potomac fever....

They got a real good taste of power and couldn't resist the urge to take what ever they wanted and do as they pleased thinking they were above all accountability...

Well, as democrats and republicans and whigs have all found out, swing election, or realigning cycles happen...

And they are usually tied to calamities or scandal....

And guess what folks, we have 'em both....

I believe that people will switch parties soon and hard...

Too many people who believed the GOP rhetoric feel betrayed and abandoned ...

From evangelicals who were blinded by pro-life charlatans who stole and behaved in reprehensible manner to steel workers who liked republicans cause they were against gun control while they watched their industry wither away without a word from Washington are going to stay home or vote for democrats...

I think the Dem's pick up 20 - 25 seats in the house and take the Senate by 2 seats...

This is one of those special elections that will see an even more switch to the dem's in the 2008 election...

But this time, the Dem's had better be innoculated for Potomac fever cause any mistep, any appearance of greed and corpution will take them down hard...

[CTyankee]

62. from your mouth to God's ear

Please god, I hope you are right!

So much will change with a Dem Congress, both House and Senate. Please let it be! Investigations! Oversight! Legislation!

Let the beautiful era begin!

[rpannier]

10. In my opinion

51 to 52 senate seats
241-5 house seats.
30 governors

[snowbear]

11. Singular 73...

PARTS of your thread would have made logical sense..

But this sentence --> "The lesson of 06 will be simple. Conservatives wanted to lose this one"

...sounds like freepish "paranoia talk" to me.

Thom Hartmann said on his radio show that some major rightie conspiracy theorists are echoing that just in case they get their ass handed to them.

Exactly who would it be a LESSON for, and why on earth would the CONS want to lose?

Thom Hartmann... you were RIGHT!!!

[Singular73]

12. Of course they want to lose

Conservatives want to wrest control of their party back from the Religious right. I mean, for fucks sake, I've never seen a Puppet show the likes of Delay and Frist in the last 30 years of my life...the Rovian flying back in the middle of the night to sign the Schiavo bill crap...

The conservatives are afraid of the theocracists.

Its not about the idiotic "lose to win" crap you hear from the Freepers...its about true control of the party.

[Sparkly]

14. I don't see it that way.

The old "conservative" GOP is pretty well gone. Without the fascist Bush cabal, they'd have less power than the Democrats.

[Oak2004]

80. Agreed

Look around at a lot of the new Democrats. Many of them are ex- genuine conservative Republicans.

[hsher]

13. Here's what a newbie thinks will happen

Hi Singular. Newbie here. I have two hypotheses:

Hypothesis 1:

Sadly, I think Republicans will cheat to win again, using the Diebold machines and arbitrary, ridiculous, sudden new voter qualifications, and the Democrats will lose. I think the U.S. will enter Iran and Syria in late spring of 2007. The mainstream media will start chanting the name of FDR and putting him back in voters' minds again. The Republican propaganda machine will start pushing and softening Americans to repeal the 22nd Amendment. Bush will remain in office after '08 because the situation between us and the Middle East will be, in MSM spin, identical to that FDR faced during World War II. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will be all over the news and hyped as "the next Hitler". He will be an idiot and attack Israel with nuclear weapons. America will attack him back. Anti-Semitism will spike in the U.S. when people blame the Jews for our involvement in the conflict. Then a false flag attack disguised to look like it came from Iran will take out or seriously damage a U.S. city. Bush will become dictator of the United States. Martial law will be declared. The rest is anyone's guess.

All this will be prevented if there is a large-scale enough revolution in 2007.

Hypothesis 2:

Republicans will cheat to win again, using the Diebold machines and arbitrary, ridiculous, sudden new voter qualifications, and the Democrats will lose. I think the U.S. will enter Iran and Syria in late spring of 2007. Americans of two generations, X and Y, led by the Baby Boomers, will openly revolt in the streets. America will again resemble the late 1960s. Footage of brutal police beatings on students and other protestors will hit the internet, but seldom appear on American MSM news television shows. Enough people will download images of police brutality that entire cities will burst into protest. Services will be shut down. Truckers will boycott entire areas and refuse to transport needed products to punish right-wing regions. The U.S. economy will stagger and reel. Smoke from burning cities will be visible even at night. Racist attacks on Mexican-Americans will ignite into a full-out race war. Martial law will be declared. A coup of young people will seize all major news outlets, then broadcast the truth. The White House will be seized by an armed coalition made up of Dems, Republicans, Greens, Socialists, non-voters, and a surprising number of Libertarians. No one will ever uncover the story of how they burst past security and accomplished it, and the MSM will forever carry on about how young these people were to have pulled off such a daring, amazing, militarily cunning action. Bush and his team will be captured and imprisoned, and their images will be broadcast over the internet, possibly YouTube. In a speech heard around the world, George W. Bush and his advisors will step down from power in about 2009.

Later, it will get out that disgruntled military strategists and generals were among the men who served as consultants on, and advised, the takeover of the White House.

Those are my ideas of what will happen. My bets are on Hypothesis 2.

www.yourmorningleibowitz.blogspot.com
A Daily Show comic strip

[Ediacara]

15. I think we'll take the House

I know this is a not very specific number, but based on the NYT ratings and various polls I've seen of the toss ups and in-plays, we'll end up with between 220 and 250 seats, with our total probably being about 230-235.

The Senate is much harder to predict because there's so little in play, but we'll make significant gains and I think we'll und up with between 49 and 53 seats.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

87. I agree with you.

The talking heads say that if the election took place today, the dems would most likely take at least the House. And even though there will be many surprises before Nov 7, remember, many of the absentee ballots (did mine yesterday) will already have been mailed out. And these votes will be based on the information we have as of today.

[greyl]

16. The hearts of millions will be lifted and activism will increase.

With the Repubs losing majority, as I expect, people will be more hopeful that government may actually be responsive to the empassioned rational will of its citizens. On port, we can get back to keeping the craft on course rather than feeling futile as we point out and patch leaks. The repubs will be bailing water for a while.

I'm in an abstract mood, but I do think November is going to be a solidly great month.

[Singular73]

20. Interesting

So you believe that a democratic victory will allow people who are afraid to voice their opinions publically....

I hadn't thought of that.

[Independent_Liberal]

17. My prediction...

SENATE
Majority Party: Democrat (57 Seats)
Minority Party: Republican (42 Seats)
Other Party: Independent (1 Seat)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Majority Party: Democrat (253 Seats)
Minority Party: Republican (181 Seats)
Other Party: Independent Democrat (1 Seat) (I predict a Republican will re-register.)

GOVERNORSHIP
36 Democrat
14 Republican

It will not only be 1994 reversed, it will also be another 1974 when the Democrats won huge margins, another 1982 when the Republicans lost the Governorship and another 1986 when the Republicans lost the Senate.

[alcibiades_mystery]

19. Insane

Not even marginally close.

[bullimiami]

24. i think the intention of the voters would have it that way but

our elections system will not.

[rep the dems]

51. Wow.

I think we'll gain seats but damn. Which senate seats do you see us winning?

[Independent_Liberal]

74. I think we'll win...

Connecticut - Lamont

Virginia - Webb

Missouri - McCaskill

Pennsylvania - Casey

Ohio - Brown

Arizona - Pederson

Montana - Tester

Nevada - Carter

I think we'll win those for sure. I predict there's a few more Republican seats that are likely to go Democratic. I can't think of them off the top of my head.

[alcibiades_mystery]

18. Dems come close, but don't gain control of either chamber

Dems come within 1 in the Senate, within 3 in the House.

Bank it.

[Singular73]

21. Way off

If you are going to be conservative, it would HAVE to be on the Senate side.

With the Foley scandal, I don't see any possible way, all things being equal, without something serious happening in the next few weeks (and i mean SERIOUS..Bush got no bounce with the 9/11 - part deux arrests), that they dont take the house.

And I'm REALLY conservative on this stuff.

[alcibiades_mystery]

29. We shall see

....

[longship]

22. Democrats will sweep into power in Congress.

We take both houses. Close in the Senate but not even close in the House.

The meager attempts to jig the election by the Repukes won't be enough in so many damned races and with so large of margins. The only question is whether they'll go to jail for their electoral shenanigans. If so, I'm sure that the judges aren't going to listen to their claims that JFK stole the election from Nixon in 1960.

DUers. Don't let the "they'll steal it" screechers crush your optimism.

We'll see what we will see in November.

Meanwhile, we've got work to do.

[BeFree]

37. Screehers?!?!

You think we are out to crush optimism? That's downright crazy. We are reality based. The facts speak for themselves, we are but the messengers.

BTW: you've been qouted here, in ER:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=452077&mesg_id=452124

[longship]

45. Facts?

What facts? The election hasn't happened yet, so we don't have any facts. All we have are the facts from previous elections, none of which indicate what is going to happen this time, under dramatically different circumstances.

Yes, we need better election laws. Yes, we need to be vigilant on the ground on election day. Yes, we need to hold the Repukes accountable. But let's stay positive. Let's stay engaged. Let's put sneakers on pavement and get the job done so that we don't have to worry about stolen elections any more. That's the solution, not screeching about the past failures.

[BeFree]

66. Yeah, facts.

You said:"The meager attempts to jig the election by the Repukes won't be enough in so many damned races and with so large of margins."

That is not a fact. It's a theory, a theory not based on facts because the facts are no margin is large enough, and it's not a 'meager' attempt, it is nationwide fraud we face now, and faced in 2004.

But your name calling: "screechers" is of no value either to the election reform people or anyone else, it's just foolish name calling. There isn't a person here who doesn't know we have work to do and the first job is to make sure our votes are counted, an ongoing effort. You should pay be working with us, not trying to denigrate our educational efforts. Don't you think?

[longship]

73. Education is essential

And proposals for action are equally essential.

But merely echoing "They'll steal it" in every election thread is only vacuous screeching. It accomplishes no goal short of furthering ill-will. I'm not saying that you are doing this, but many around here are and I'm tired of it.

If people are so convinced that the Repukes are going to steal this election I would ask them specifically what have done to alleviate this possibility. Have they volunteered to poll watch? Or to be a poll worker? Have they organized media and lawyer volunteers to act on election day? These and many other actions are things we can do on our own. We don't need permission from anybody to do them. We can act on our own.

We can all work together on this. Let's do that.

[JMDEM]

25. I think it will be stolen in the least suspicious way

Scenario 1:

I think it will be stolen in a manner to raise the least suspicions. Therefore I think the Republicans will barely hold control of both Houses. 52-48 Senate, Republicans will keep about a 3-5 seat majority in the House.

The closest elections will be picked off one by one. Winning margins for the Republicans will be very close -- 51 - 49% or 50.5 to 49.5%. There will be too many stolen elections to raise an effective voice against several of them at once.

The majority of Americans will feel disturbed, but won't say anything. The MSM will push the hype that voters, at the last minute, were swayed by the security issue (like 2004).

Bush will take this as a mandate to continue doing what he wants to do. Clark thinks this means he starts a war with Iran, and therefore WWIII.

Scenario 2:

The business leaders are disgusted with Bush. They want him neutered before the whole economy collapses. His gang of thugs think they are more powerful than the business leaders and threaten them. The backlash is like Watergate -- there will be more leaks before the election and it will go to the Dems. But I sort of doubt this scenario because these business leaders are currently reaping unbelievable profits, and I think they are completely drunk with wealth and power right now, and just want the orgy to continue.

What I really want:

Huge victories for the Dems across the board, of course. For the sake of the Constitution and our way of life.

[Overseas]

53. I agree with you across the board -- the tactics to be reused and hopes

I totally agree with you-- Scenario One is just a replay of 2004, when gee willikers they managed to win even though polls had them losing-- by using the DRIBS and DRABS method of vote stealing-- machines broken here, provisional ballots uncounted here and there and there, electronic voting machines "repaired" here and there-- death of a thousand cuts-- and a reporter who tried to chase the stories would be ridiculed because each one "wouldn't change the outcome.".........Scenario Two is what I had hoped for in 2004-- that peaceful capitalism might have some pull with the powers that be and they would get rid of the Destructive Neocons. There is so much we need to do to work together to build a more sustainable future-- and profit can be made in doing so-- but as you said, the immediate gains for the already superrich were just too appealing...

[NVMojo]

26. fucked up voting machines ....

[Crunchy Frog]

27. What do you mean "the Dems hung on to it"?

Has there been any credible evidence anywhere that there was any Democratic knowledge of this, or that Democrats broke the story? All I've seen to back that up is RW talking points and bald, unsupported assertions on blogs. If you have a credible piece of evidence for that claim, please produce it. Othewise, please do not repeat it on this board.

Oh, and I'm far from thinking all Democrats are good. In fact, I do not intend to vote for my Senator (Salazar) ever again.

[Bucky]

36. Good question. This was out of Democratic hands.

It's all spin and desparation claiming Democrats knew about Foley's emails. If the scandal is sourced to Republicans, then they would have gone to the press, not to the Democrats. In fact, the story broke about 2 weeks before it "broke" -- or made it into mainstream press. A small Blogger blog first ran the Foley IMs story before the full story was out in the mainstream news.

No donkey finger prints on this surprise... just lots of elephant shit.

[Singular73]

46. Link to small Blogger blog?

[Kablooie]

28. I really believe we'll be in a chaotic war with Iran.

Bush will want to get this going before the Dems take over and prevent him from attacking.
It will also leave them with a huge problem that will make them look bad and give back
some power to Repubs.
AndIf the GOP congress can give hin a declaration of war, he will have more power also.

[Toots]

33. I think Republicans are going to pick up seats in both houses

Cheney said so and he is never wrong....

[violetandblue]

34. I *suspect*

that in close races, the Reps will win by fraudulent means. I can't speak for the other states because it is a full-time job keeping up with what's happening in my own, but I highly suspect that the 04 race was taken all thanks to Ohio's people in command. Leads me to believe that it is happening elsewhere, too, though Dems and Reps alike call me a "conspiracy theorist" when I voice my suspicions.

I AM optimistic for one reason only. I think Strickland will become governor of Ohio. It's not a close enough race to take without a lot of backlash resulting. It was also unexpected that Strickland would be leading by so much, so it doesn't give them much time to strategize. Having a Dem gov in Ohio will be a big deal. I don't know if he's bright enough, honestly, to investigate possible voting scams, but he will give others, like Kucinich (who is hot on the trail), a voice. Yes, taking the House and Senate are important, but baby steps. I'll be completely satisfied if we can just get Strickland in.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

35. Narrow Republican victory, unsubstantiated allegations of fraud.

My predictions (without great confidence) are:

:-The Republicans will hold both houses, but only just. The Dems will gain seats in both houses.

:-The Foley scandal will remain "hot", but not to the extent it currently is.

:-There will be allegations of Republican fraud; there will be circumstantial evidence to support these but no proof. They will be accepted as proven by most DUers, and dismissed by most other people.

:-Joe Lieberman will hold his seat, and continue to caucus with the Democrats, although he'll probably demand special favours for doing so, and continue to vote against them on occasion.

:-George Allen will hold his seat, to the fury and bewilderment of most DUers.

:-Santorum will lose.

:-Dennis Hastert will cease to be Speaker at some point in the next year or two, even if he holds his seat, although it will be claimed this is for reasons unconnected with Foley.

[Bucky]

38. I think you're right about Virginia & suspect we'll lose Missouri, too

At current rate I'd guess a four seat pick up in the Senate. We'll hang onto New Jersey by a thread, so with Lieberman (CT) and Sanders (VT) voting to organize with the Dems it's a 51-49 and Dick Cheney gets to keep his day job (hiding in his undisclosed location).

The House is where the scandal is and there could be quite a few surprise upsets on election night. I suspect the Democrats will take the House by a sliver (less than a 15 seat voting majority).

Then, starting in December, the Arkansas Project will be reborn as the "Pelosi Project" with every little error in this sweet little gradma's past being pored over and exaggerated for the next two years. Swiftboaters will go after Murtha on his war record and won't find shit, but Fox News will keep interviewing them anyway. Murtha is vulnerable mostly on his porkbarreling ways and I don't think he's going to be terribly effective in the Majority Leader's office because of all the distractions. But they'll hold their fire until after the election.

[Ignacio Upton]

76. We can govern with a 5-10 seat majority

The Republicans did it up until about 2002 and 2004 when they gained seats (although part of those gains were from DeLay's gerrymandering. We would have gained seats in 2004 had DeLay not done it.)

I think we'll barely pick up the House, but not the Senate (we'll gain four seats, and the new total will be 51-49 with Bernie and Lieberman caucusing, which is what the Senate was before 2004 when we got destroyed in the south.) We'll use the power of the House to hold investigations, but they won't lead to impeachment because either Bush will get away with hiding documents, or because Pelosi will cave in to the GOP for fear of losing the House in 2008 over an impeachment backlash a la Clinton in 1998. However, Social Security privatization will finally be finish, and ditto the Bush tax cuts, as the House will let them expire. We won't be able to implement our plans for Iraq because the Republicans in the Senate, led by Mitch McConnell (who will replace Frist) will obstruct every bill that we pass regarding Iraq. Judicial nominees will not be as much of a problem, because the GOP won't have the votes for the Nuclear Option, and while they will still accuse us of being obstructionists, the wind will be at our backs because of our election victory (we will have political capital of our own.)

[Imagevision]

39. A distraction first - to proceeded by the installed FIX!

[leftofthedial]

40. I predict election theft re-re-re-redux

allowing just enough democratic wins to dilute perceived repuke responsibility in 2008 and beyond for the utter disaster that is America's current situation on every front.

Repukes can not govern. Conservative ideology is a fraud. Every "conservative" tenet and every one of their policies is an unmitigated failure. The last 6 years provie it. They see that they have to cut the Democrats in on the blame for the failures of 6 years of repuke dictatorship or the conservative movement in America will be dead for generations.

[Doctor_J]

41. The elections in many key areas will be fixed, some subtley,

others blatantly. For example, in OH DeSwine will hold his seat, despite polling 8-10% behind going in, because there will be almost no working voting machines in minority precincts. Similar things will happen in FL and other 3rd-world areas of the US. They will be enough for the GOP to keep the House and the Senate. It will be completely ignored by Big Media, which will be popping champagne corks right on the air and beginning their campaign for Jeb 08.

[Exultant Democracy]

47. You guys should look into MoveOn's call for change campaign

The only way they can steal an election is if it is close. Right now MoveOn members are working their butts off on the most ambitious GOTV campaign ever attempted. They are making 5 million phone calls into the 31 most competitive districts to target the lazy D's people who feel like us but don't vote regularly.

If you know anything about midterm elections then you know that most of these races are going to be won by less the 10,000 votes so 5 million phone calls will make the difference. The best news is that right now we are trending ahead of our projections. To find out more go to www.Callforchange.org please sign up and start making calls if this election is something you care about.

[DemGa]

48. The election will be stolen so that Repukes maintain

slight majority; the will of the people will have obviously been subverted, and this fact will quickly be swept into relative obscurity.

[Imagevision]

49. The Dems knew about this since 2004 Bush election, it's on them!!

[paulk]

50. I don't know what will happen Nov 6th,

but I do know that right up until that day the boo-birds and naysayers will be working overtime here at DU.

[Evergreen Emerald]

52. There was a coup and we lost.

America controlled by PNAC. Bush is a figure head. They will not give up power. And they don't have to. Diebold stole the last two elections and it is a done deal.

We just don't realize it quite yet.

[ChipsAhoy]

56. The MAJORITY of us here say we will LOSE

and I think they/we are correct. I'm not getting my hopes up again, especially when I soo so much apathy on our side. Sickening!

[Stinky The Clown]

59. 'The majority' say we'll lose?

First, cite me a scientific fact to back that up.

Second, the least thing we need right now is doom and gloom. Go peddle that noise someplace else.

Do we have issues that we need to address? Yes. Is there a history of uncertain election outcomes? yes. Is there a reason to just give up? Maybe for you, as implied by your post. But sure as shit not for me.

[SharonAnn]

60. I think we'll win BIG!!!!!

[sampsonblk]

61. Last minute appeal for moderate votes...

ruins the whole effort. We gain neither house, and all the weak-kneed turncoats blame Howard Dean.

[DrTorchwood]

63. They will rig the voting machines

Just went to a talk by a voting expert and he was convinced that the Reps stole the election against Kerry in 04

[MrSlayer]

65. I think we "lose" again.

I have no faith at all in our election system and no faith at all in my fellow countrymen. Lots of people are still going to vote Republican and it will be enough for them to steal it again. They have election fraud down to a science and they have too much to lose to ever cede power to the Democrats. This country is over, the experiment failed. Hope is the denial of reality.

I'm still voting and I'm still going to do all I can to get Democrats elected but I feel in my heart that it is a futile gesture.

[AtomicKitten]

67. I saw Mark Crispin Miller speak this week on election fraud.

And I have to say I am sickened because my gut tells me there is no reason in hell for them to stop the fraud now. 2002 was perhaps the most outrageously blatant, 2004 more insidious and pervasive. Some people think with their ratings in the crapper and all the signs positive for the Dems they won't dare steal it. But I believe they have no shame and can think of no reason why they would stop now. Our country cannot withstand any more time with them at the helm. I am biting my nails anxiously.

[IndianaGreen]

68. Red Alert followed by martial law!

Mass arrests of Al-Qaeda sympathizers.

[AtomicKitten]

70. or a mass revolt

[Mountainman]

69. 1. Repukes don't want to lose. 2. Yes there is vote fraud by repukes

I think that anyone who doesn't think the right is out to steal elections by fraud and disenfranchisement is out of touch with reality.

I hope enough people vote Dem so that the right wing attempts won't have any effect. I think we will take both Houses of Congress. People finally hurt enough. They are afraid of the future planned by conservatives. The only way we lose is if the vote fraud and disenfranchisement is a big enough effort to work.

[nickshepDEM]

71. I think we will make gains, but will not take control of

either the House or the Senate. We should do very well in the gubernatorial races though. Possibly pickup 7 or more.

[danimich1]

72. The elections will be stolen again

I'll sit up late at night to watch the returns, then I'll vow not to turn on the television again for at least 2 years. At this point, it doesn't matter what the exit polls say because the media won't listen and the people in power refuse to fight. Perhaps I'll start making plans to move to Canada...

[Stinky The Clown]

81. By your calculus, maybe we should all stay home on Novemeber 7

Would that please you by making your doom and gloom self fulfilling?

[BeFree]

82. Stay home?

You, H2S, seem to be the only one that keeps coming up with that line.

Now, if you can come up with a bright light that would scare away the idea of the election being stolen, that would be of a great benefit. But if you do, please stick to reality, and not some rosy scenario.

The reality being: the means, motive and the opportunity exists for the elections to be stolen.

I am searching for the answer to alter that reality, as are many others here. Enlighten us, please.

[Stinky The Clown]

85. I encourage you to keep searching

I discourage you to tamp down any enthusiasm that might be growing for people to go out and VOTE.

[PretzelWarrior]

75. I predict snow.

and average American gaining 10 pounds.

[Divine Discontent]

77. I predict rain.....

and I also, without LOOKING, guessed who wrote this OP, and yup, it was you! Shocking, I say. :sarcasm:

[LeftishBrit]

79. I can't really make reliable predictions from here..

but my guess (based in part on what I hear from friends living at the scene) is that the Democrats make gains, lose few or none of their own sitting members, but don't defeat all the Republicans that they should. The Democrats take over the House, but by a very small majority. The Senate goes frustratingly 50-50, with Cheney keeping it in Republican hands. Bush finds it more difficult to do everything he wants, but there is no chance of impeachment or any form of very radical change. On the other hand, it might be just enough of an opposition to prevent World War 3!

Bush will also get even less support than before in the world as a whole. Blair is a lame duck, and may be replaced in 2007 by the less gung-ho Gordon Brown. Europaean countries will be even more opposed than before to going into further military adventures with Bush. France will still be anti-Bush, and may even get a socialist government in the next 2 years. Merkel will be prevented from taking Germany into Bush's wars by strong opposition at home. Spain has of course already ceased to be a Bush-ally. I don't know what the Canadian government will do; but hope and expect that the population will resist any Bush-adventurism. So Bush will be more and more isolated. Which is good.

[ClassWarrior]

83. We're going to celebrate Thanksgiving?

:shrug:

NGU.

[blues90]

84. so many things can happen in 30 days

I at times feel the repugs are hoping to loose but at the same time the BCF is not about to let this happen either are the black box keepers . i also think there is a sort of shaddow government controlling things . I do most of the time feel the elections will once again be stolen , I feel this way because they know to date we have not fought back and our protests do not present a threat . They have too much at stake to give up now , so do we the liberals .

I just don't trust anything now days , I had felt so certain we had Kerry in in 2004 and I never suspected that outcome . we did nothing and still with 2 years we have done nothing to get rid of these machines stealing our votes .

even if we do win the seats we need we still have bush and his crime family in there for another 2 years and they have the ways to do just about anything and we will still have dems who follow in fear so who knows how this will unfold or if we will see any difference for many years to come providing we have many years before someone unleashed a nuclear warhead and starts things to really fall apart .

I wish I had some sort of clear picture but with all that is going on at once this is almost impossible to separate .

[Patchuli]

86. Pardon me but the better question may be

what are WE going to allow to happen this time? If they try to Diebold such a huge wave against the republicans to stay in power, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT IT? I am not willing to give up my freedom as an American? Are you? Millions in the street protesting an illegal election and corrupt rotten government will change that. Millions refusing to sit down, shut up and take even more years of bad times and dirty rotten politics will change that. Is the supersized, overindulged American had enough yet?

I think so...

[Tatiana]

88. Dems will control Senate and House

SENATE
Majority Party: Democrat (53 Seats)
Minority Party: Republican (46 Seats)
Independent (1 Seat) Lieberman*

HOUSE
Majority Party: Democrat (224 Seats)
Minority Party: Republican (210 Seats)
Independent Democrat* (1 Seat)

[BlueIris]

89. Massive Dem victories across the board that the MSM will have no choice

but to portray in the most demeaning way possible to imply that although the Republicans have been beaten in a way not even Diebold could stop, somehow Democrats are still disempowered. It's a way of allowing the GOP to "save face" that...doesn't exactly work. So, it's good for us on paper, (or maybe that should be blog text) and generally good socially (I think the public will feel that the Dems are back) but...I confess that I don't think it totally dislodges the neo-cons from their Iran fixation. And I'm getting a big question mark about Bush in 2007.