By rights, in 2010 the GOP should have taken control of the U.S. Senate and run Harry Reid not just out of the majority leader’s office but out of office altogether. But by nominating far-right, incompetent extremists such as Sharron Angle to run against Reid in Nevada, and Christine “I am not a witch” O’Donnell to run in Delaware, they blew that golden chance.
The 2012 cycle, with Republicans defending only 10 seats and the Democrats having to defend 23, offered an even better opportunity to retake the Senate. Once again, though, the GOP seems to be blowing it. As recently as Aug. 19, Nate Silver of fivethirtyeight.com was giving the Republicans a 61.5 percent chance of winning a Senate majority; today, he gives them a 9.1 percent chance of achieving that goal.
Why that collapse in their Senate chances, especially since in roughly that same time frame, GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney has resurrected his campaign and given himself a real shot at victory? The answer tells us a lot.
Romney, you may recall, pretended to be “severely conservative” in the primaries and is now pretending to be perfectly moderate and reasonable. (If it sounds odd to describe him as pretending in both cases, it’s nonetheless accurate. Trying to establish Romney’s true political belief system is like trying to determine the true color of a chameleon. It always depends. His natural state is pretense.)
However, that is not a gift given to every politician. Republican Senate candidates such as Richard Mourdock of Indiana and Todd Akin of Missouri really are severely conservative; their half-hearted efforts to pretend to be moderates simply are not convincing, and as a result the Republicans could end up losing two Senate seats that were once considered all but guaranteed.
Elsewhere, GOP Senate nominees in once-winnable states such as Florida and Ohio are also failing to perform and are falling short of Romney’s polling numbers in their states. Unlike their party’s standard bearer, they haven’t been able to sell themselves effectively to more moderate general-election voters.
Some of that’s due to the difference between state and national races. At the state level, voters have watched the candidates over their entire careers, so sudden shifts in ideology are more difficult. But it is also true that Republican primaries have become nothing more than tests of ideological purity, won by the candidate most willing to embrace every whim of the party base. That process attracts a certain type of candidate and discourages other types of candidates from even making the effort.

U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, left, with his Democratic colleague Mark Warner of Virginia.
It is possible that we will see that scenario play out here in Georgia two years from now, when the six-year term of Sen. Saxby Chambliss expires. Chambliss has been spotted on occasion keeping company with senators not of his own party. He has publicly suggested that as part of a larger deal to attack the federal deficit, conservatives may be forced to accept revenue increases. And as the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, he has been relatively moderate in his comments on the death of our ambassador in Libya, the current cause celebre among conservatives.
Those occasional waverings aside, Chambliss does have strong conservative credentials: The American Conservative Union gives him a 96 percent conservative rating; the Eagle Forum gives him a 100 percent rating. But these days, scores like that don’t even make Chambliss one of the Senate’s 15 most conservative members, according to the definitive National Journal rankings.

U.S. Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga.
On the other hand, nobody but nobody gets to the right of Tom Price, the ambitious Republican congressman from Marietta said to be eying a run at Chambliss. According to National Journal, Price is tied with nine others as the most conservative member in the House, and when you consider how conservative the House Republican caucus is, that’s saying something.
It also tells you something about Georgia’s Republican Party that two of the nine congressmen who are tied with Price as most conservative — Lynn Westmoreland and Phil Gingrey — are also from the Peach State. In many states, there wouldn’t be room to run to the right of Chambliss. In Georgia, there is.
It’s impossible to speculate accurately about the political climate two years from now, in part because so much depends on what happens Nov. 6. But it is conceivable that if a bitter primary battle develops between Price and Chambliss, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed would be drawn into the race to take on the survivor.
Again, this is pure speculation. Here at home, Reed has cast himself as a strongly pro-business, moderate Democrat eager to work with Republicans to get things done not just for metro Atlanta but for the state. But with his national TV appearances as a sharp-tongued surrogate for Barack Obama, Reed has tied himself closely to a man deemed little short of the devil in much of Georgia.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed introduces President Obama at a 2010 fundraiser in Atlanta.
In other words, Reed would still be at a significant disadvantage in a 2014 Senate race. But if he has electoral ambitions beyond a House seat, he’s going to have to embrace that underdog role at some point, and he also understands that waiting and sticking around as mayor has its risks. Full second terms in that office are often not kind to a politician’s reputation.
And as the record shows nationally, Republican primary battles have a way of creating opportunity for Democrats that otherwise would not be available.
– Jay Bookman
318 comments Add your comment
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
October 30th, 2012
12:31 pm
DDR:
“Ethel Waters was raised in poverty and never lived in the same place for more than 15 months. She said of her difficult childhood, “I never was a child. I never was cuddled, or liked, or understood by my family.”[2]”
Yes ………. no doubt true and inspite of that God gave her the grace to lead a wonderful life wherein she was able to reach millions with her beautiful voice. And if you take the time to research further you will find she thanked God for that privilege.
Normal Free...Pro Human Rights Thug...And liking it!
October 30th, 2012
12:31 pm
And the GOP won;t allow funding for that either. Buckets cost too much…
Normal Free...Pro Human Rights Thug...And liking it!
October 30th, 2012
12:32 pm
My last was for Taxpayer…
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 30th, 2012
12:33 pm
Roy Barnes = big reason most GA residents said no to the democratic party in this state.
And here I thought it was the Perdue saying to Republicans that he was going to bring back the old offensive GA state flag…. by the way, how did that work out for ya?
Partisay
October 30th, 2012
12:37 pm
So, since Ethel Waters grew up to be a great singer, we should make all raped, inpregnated women bear their children? I see….
Union
October 30th, 2012
12:38 pm
@jamvet.. blanco was slow to act.. christie has been on it from day one… not exactly a comparison..
STEVIE RAY
October 30th, 2012
12:38 pm
JAY
Can someone explain to me why this Nate Silver guy is all the rage for LIBS? He has track record that’s shorter than my briefs, he works for the NYT’s…no way they would print anything not favorable to BO…in short, he hasn’t remotely earned his stripes yet..Only recorded projectings were 2008 elections where he correctly picked almost all states..of course this is not McCain..
Odds are nice but finding solace in any poll or aggregator to make you sleep better is a bit desperate..wouldn’t you agree?
I think very higly of Kasim Reed and think he’d do a much better job that the GOP reps we currently endure with great suffering..
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
October 30th, 2012
12:42 pm
Partisay:
“I see ………….”
Yes you do …………. with your head but not your heart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0Jmu0zG9rE&feature=related
stands for decibels
October 30th, 2012
12:42 pm
why this Nate Silver guy is all the rage
He’s honest and he shows his work.
by the way, SR, you were asking about how Nate figures turnout? He mentioned it in today’s post:
The FiveThirtyEight forecast of the popular vote is based on adding up the projected results in each state, and then weighing them based on their projected turnout. (Turnout estimates are based on the state’s turnout in 2008 and 2010 and its population growth over the past four years.)
Child, please
October 30th, 2012
12:43 pm
“Severely conservative”, I like that. Funny, no one uses phrase “severely liberal” when discussing someone (anyone, be it Republican or Democrat) who spends trillions that we don’t have. Never hear of somene being “arch liberal” either. If only the use of these attempted pejoratives were balanced, we’d hardly know how to read a column.
It’s the little things like English that make reading so interesting. As in interviews, normally takes about 5 seconds to figure out the person’s angle by how they phrase questions, right words, etc.
Any politician who is out there not advocating large spending cuts is an “arch liberal” and should be removed from office for fiscal mismanagement. That plays in English, Greek, Spanish, all the languages of countries that have spent themselves into 3rd world status.
I do like Mayor Reed a lot, as he is pro-business. Needless to say, the City of Atlanta needs a lot more of that, and a lot less of the ‘establishment’ of people lining their pockets, contracts awarded to friends, etc.
DebbieDoRight -Will Be Good Forever and Ever. AMEN
October 30th, 2012
12:44 pm
Scout: Yes ………. no doubt true and inspite of that God gave her the grace to lead a wonderful life wherein she was able to reach millions with her beautiful voice. And if you take the time to research further you will find she thanked God for that privilege.
I think you’re romanticizing her story — didn’t you read the part where she was abused by her first husband, worked like a mule for years before she was “discovered” and even afterwards she was deceived and stolen from by managers and “friends”?
A person who grows up devoid of love and affection, ESPECIALLY a child of rape who is unloved and unwanted, grows up with a poor self esteem, hungry for love and attention and generally an unhappy person. Sometimes they turn to drugs sometimes to other self destructive habits.
Ethel ALSO said she “sang ‘Stormy Weather’ from the depths of the private hell in which I was being crushed and suffocated.” (from our Wiki link).
Since you’re pro-life I think you have a skewered view of some things. That’s not a dig at you, that’s just how you see things.
However how you see things aren’t necessarily as rosy as those rose colored glasses portrays.
Ethel Walters died ALONE. Without family by her side, her family mostly despised everything about her but her money. Who in the name of God would want a life like that?
DebbieDoRight -Will Be Good Forever and Ever. AMEN
October 30th, 2012
12:47 pm
So, since Ethel Waters grew up to be a great singer, we should make all raped, inpregnated women bear their children? I see….
He doesn’t mean that as harshly as it seemed. He’s pro-life and sees everything as “rosy” whether it is or not.
stands for decibels
October 30th, 2012
12:47 pm
oh, and about that New York Times obsession, specifically:
he works for the NYT’s…no way they would print anything not favorable to BO
You think this is especially favorable?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/30/world/middleeast/no-specific-warnings-in-benghazi-attack.html?pagewanted=all
Peter
October 30th, 2012
12:49 pm
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801 What I think you are saying is woman don’t deserve the choice ?
Normal Free...Pro Human Rights Thug...And liking it!
October 30th, 2012
12:49 pm
DebbieDoRight -Will Be Good Forever and Ever. AMEN
October 30th, 2012
12:44 pm
And after reading that, I ask what God would want to inflict that kind of life on anyone?
Erwin's cat
October 30th, 2012
12:50 pm
DDR-Ethel Waters was raised in poverty and never lived in the same place for more than 15 months. She said of her difficult childhood, “I never was a child. I never was cuddled, or liked, or understood by my family.”[2]
Yep — EVERYONE should be brought into the world under those circumstances — its a blessing……..
Are you suggesting that she would have preferred not to have exist at all…seriously
Jefferson
October 30th, 2012
12:50 pm
Some act as if everyone has the funds, the family, the place to go, the car, the gas to evacuate. Many have not. To sit on the throne and tell others they are dumb and stupid without knowing the situations is dumber and more stupid.
DebbieDoRight -Will Be Good Forever and Ever. AMEN
October 30th, 2012
12:51 pm
And after reading that, I ask what God would want to inflict that kind of life on anyone?
THANK YOU!!
I remember something I heard TD Jakes say once, “Not everything that happens is because of God — the Devil is busy too”.
Finn McCool (The System isn't Broken; It's Fixed)
October 30th, 2012
12:51 pm
Want desperation?
And while Romney also said he would suspend his campaign on Monday and Tuesday, that turns out not to be true. Romney is holding a big rally in Ohio today, which the campaign is pitching as a “storm relief event” in the hope of insulating themselves from criticism.
Using the storm for political means? Check.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
October 30th, 2012
12:51 pm
DDR:
“Who in the name of God would want a life like that?”
I ask you again to view this entire video and then research how she really felt about her life.
I think you miss the larger point that God was able to use her tragedy to positively (and eternally) effect the lives of millions of people who heard her sing and her testimony of His grace in her life.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0Jmu0zG9rE&feature=related
They BOTH suck
October 30th, 2012
12:52 pm
SR
Do you read the NY Times to come up with your conclusion that they never write anything unflattering about Obama or is that your assumption?
Aquagirl
October 30th, 2012
12:52 pm
I think you’re romanticizing her story —
If Ethel Waters was born today the cons would be snarling about her mother at the grocery store with a SNAP card in one hand and a parasite baby in the other.
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 30th, 2012
12:54 pm
“What I think you are saying is woman don’t deserve the choice ?”
and, let’s not forget – should those women choose to carry pregnancies resulting from rape to term, then WAY HEY!! 30-some-odd states give the rapist parental rights!!
YA-FRICKIN-HOO!!!
JamVet
October 30th, 2012
12:54 pm
People make decisions.
They sure do, and the Bush administration made the decision to f it all up.
And you made the decision to pretend that they didn’t…
Par for the GOP course…
They BOTH suck
October 30th, 2012
12:54 pm
SR
As for Nate Silver, I have only read a few of his columns and can’t say I have did much research in regards to his rhyme and reason for his projections.
I did compare it to the RCP average a few times and it was within a point or so.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
October 30th, 2012
12:54 pm
Peter:
1) “What I think you are saying is woman don’t deserve the choice ?”
Not when it involves another innocent human life.
2) 25% of the 58,000+ men whose names are on the Vietnam Wall (not to mention WWII, etc.) had no “choice” either. They were made to serve against their will and died as a result.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 30th, 2012
12:56 pm
Stevie: He has track record that’s shorter than my briefs
Now there is a mental picture that I hope never to form….. but I am sure that Doom will challenge you to a speedo contest if you try to take over the speedo leadership.
DebbieDoRight -Will Be Good Forever and Ever. AMEN
October 30th, 2012
12:57 pm
Are you suggesting that she would have preferred not to have exist at all…seriously
She probably wished a million times that she’d never been born.
Shifted from family member to family member and NOT ONE OF THEM hugging her and showing her any love? Married at 13 to a man who beat her? Slaving as a maid for $4.75 a week? Catching her big break then having people steal and lie to her?
Oh yeah, you betcha — She probably wished a million times she was never born. But she was — and as a black woman she had to make chitlins out of those hog guts that she got from life.
She made the best of what she had — but to imagine that she was Ms. Happy go lucky and just ecstatic at what life gave her, is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
October 30th, 2012
12:57 pm
“and, let’s not forget – should those women choose to carry pregnancies resulting from rape to term, then WAY HEY!! 30-some-odd states give the rapist parental rights!!”
And numerous other states make men pay for child support even after tests show they are not the father.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
October 30th, 2012
12:58 pm
“but to imagine that she was Ms. Happy go lucky and just ecstatic at what life gave her, is the craziest thing I’ve ever heard.”
You can’t watch this and believe that ……….. but you will.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0Jmu0zG9rE&feature=related
JamVet
October 30th, 2012
12:58 pm
Union, do you contend that Bush didn’t utterly screw up the fed’s Katrina response?
“You’re doing a heckuva job, Brownie”.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
October 30th, 2012
1:00 pm
P.S. to Peter:
And the Supreme Court has ruled since than only men have to register for selective service.
If a major conflict broke out now and the draft returned, men would be forced to serve against their will while women are free to decline.
STEVIE RAY
October 30th, 2012
1:00 pm
STANDS
I am a fellow of actuarial science so I completely understand Silvers aggregating methodology (he is a complete rock star in my circles despite the shortcomings of this particular formula..for example:
Silver was successful in 2008, but there were only five states with a spread of less than 2.5% in 2008, so correctly predicting the 45 states where results were pretty clear plus flipping a coin in the true swing states would give someone a 6-in-32 chance of getting at least 49 out of 50 states correct.
…his formula has not meaningful peer analysis, has only been tested once in 2008, and the weights he assigns to each of the data points is suspect without many more years under his belt..the voter turnout data is something no one can really project….
It is very difficult to remove all bias…for example, how much weight does he assign democratic leaning polls and republican leaning polls
Regardless, he is one of the most gifted math wizard of our generation…I just have a hard time putting too much credence in this less than mature approach..
I suspect all the polls are relatively honest..not sure if you know something I don’t…
Erwin's cat
October 30th, 2012
1:01 pm
Aquagirl – If Ethel Waters was born today the cons would be snarling about her mother at the grocery store with a SNAP card in one hand and a parasite baby in the other.
not to worry, she probably wouldn’t be “born” today
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 30th, 2012
1:01 pm
Scout – 12:57 – apples and oranges – one has to do with someone who has previously accepted parental responsibility
This one enables the rapists to assert their rights over the will of the woman.
Beverly Fraud
October 30th, 2012
1:01 pm
Yes because Kasim Reed proved just how ethical he was when he tried to strong arm APS to keep Lachandra Butler-Burks, a person who, according to this very paper (correct me if I’m wrong Jay) actively conspired with Beverly Hall to cover up widespread, systemic cheating.
Yes, just what Georgia needs; an elected official who, according to this very paper (correct me if I’m wrong Jay) tries to keep people who cover up cheating scandals in positions of authority that would have allowed them to continue to make efforts to cover up cheating.
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 30th, 2012
1:02 pm
“men would be forced to serve against their will while women are free to decline”
if the draft were brought back today, i’d have no problem with women being eligible for the draft, as well.
Peter
October 30th, 2012
1:02 pm
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801 that is what i thought……. Republican men beleive they should tell women how to live their own life.
Fedup
October 30th, 2012
1:02 pm
Did anyone notice Chris Christie of NJ is kissing upto to the Prez. That tells you what the general public is saying probably in GA too.
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 30th, 2012
1:03 pm
Scout – 12:57 – apples and oranges – one has to do with someone who has previously accepted parental responsibility
This one enables the rapists to assert their rights over the will of the woman.
sorry, I should have added … “This one enables the rapists to assert their rights over the will of the woman … AGAIN”
Erwin's cat
October 30th, 2012
1:04 pm
DDR – She probably wished a million times that she’d never been born
and yet she could have exited this life and chose not to…go figure, in spite of it all she chose life
Georgia
October 30th, 2012
1:04 pm
The Tea Party’s well reasoned break from the conservative line over the school charter amendment shows promising growth of their ideology. They were so entrenched in the Nobama mentality, that it took this long for them to actually realize what their true founding mission is: smaller, less involved government. The Charter School amendment makes for bigger government. Period. this is bigger news than the Berlin Wall coming down. It means that a large, totally written-off percentage of voters are not just kooks, that they really are for smaller government. The are not Teatards, or full figured hags, or red state dittos, but rather they are purposeful and patriotic.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 30th, 2012
1:05 pm
Senior Digits: If a major conflict broke out now and the draft returned, men would be forced to serve against their will while women are free to decline.
Your faux pout is noted. Frankly you were against women serving so whine away….but good news, homosexual men who served next to you (or may include you) can now be drafted so pout on that.
Erwin's cat
October 30th, 2012
1:06 pm
DDR – This one enables the rapists to assert their rights over the will of the woman.
More like the child, once the parasite is cast out from the womb
Aquagirl
October 30th, 2012
1:07 pm
Is Senior Digits still angry about the draft? I personally am outraged over the Teapot Dome scandal myself, I guess we all have our sore points in history.
I wasn’t old enough to vote for the idiots who thought that draft was a good idea, I’m not gonna defend them. However drafts in general are justified by the idea our survival as a nation may be at stake. That’s why we gave men in past wars no choice in the matter. If you’re taking away somebody’s rights and forcing them to suffer you should have a good reason beyond your fee-fees.
As much as we might enjoy Ms. Waters’ artistic achievement there is no compelling national interest in good jazz vocals and testifyin’ for Jesus.
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 30th, 2012
1:09 pm
“This one enables the rapists to assert their rights over the will of the woman.
More like the child, once the parasite is cast out from the womb”
nice.
so, if the woman wants to put the child up for adoption, the rapist can block it.
if the woman wants to move out of the state, the rapist can block it.
sounds like he’s asserting his rights over the woman.
but, yeah, I can see how you’d see it the other way, since women don’t REALLY matter to the GOP
stands for decibels
October 30th, 2012
1:09 pm
for example, how much weight does he assign democratic leaning polls and republican leaning polls
Again, SR, he has gone into that.
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/06/22/calculating-house-effects-of-polling-firms/
I suspect all the polls are relatively honest..not sure if you know something I don’t…
I have never claimed that they are not. I recognize Gallup, for example, for what it is–a respected firm with a very long history, useful for trend analysis.
whatever house effect these firms have in head-to-head matchups probably aren’t the result of willful mischief, but of methodology decisions that skew results a bit one way or another.
(now, if we’re going to discuss ISSUE polling, that’s a whole ‘nother story, one where both sides, obviously, have a vested interest in wording questions a certain way to subtly, or not-so-subtly, affect the outcome.)
DebbieDoRight -Will Be Good Forever and Ever. AMEN
October 30th, 2012
1:09 pm
Scout: I ask you again to view this entire video and then research how she really felt about her life.
Scout — I played Walters and Big Mama Thornton in a musical play at Spelman. Mostly because I’m tall (over 6 feet) and I love blues and can interpret the songs correctly, (thanks grand!); and because I have a great booming soulful voice.
Anyway, part of the requirement for the performance was to look up the person’s life and “become that person”. I read her autobiography, as well as transcripts of interviews done by her. We’re talking stuff from Sepia, (defunct) and BLACK magazines — not the ones from LOOK , those were sanitized. I read interviews about how she REALLY felt about things. Trust me, the woman was depressed and overworked; by the time she died she was almost broke and she’d had cancer for months without her even being aware of it so she was in pain and didn’t know why.
Her life WAS not a Crystal Stair, (shout out to Langston Hughes). That’s why she could sing the blues darn near better than anyone at that time — because she’d LIVED those blues.
===========================
AqGirl: If Ethel Waters was born today the cons would be snarling about her mother at the grocery store with a SNAP card in one hand and a parasite baby in the other.
Girl thats what so SCARY about some of these pro-lifers!! its’ like they have no conception of what happens AFTER the rape baby arrives. Not all women will experience an overwhelming feeling of mother hood. Some will actually HATE the child and try to hurt it. And then, when that happens, they’ll end up in jail for hurting a child they never wanted in the first place.
How incredibly ridiculous IS that?
STEVIE RAY
October 30th, 2012
1:10 pm
KEEP,
I’d have to agree with the less than flattering visual my suggestion would create…especially in my thong:-)
THEYBOTHSUCK
IMO the NYT is the most liberally biased newspaper in the history of news papers..IMO the papers opinons are so obviously skewed against GOP’s that it’s not worth a read..(I still read it often)…During Bush adminstration, it seemed that every day they had at least 1-2 editors opinions vs Bush..now they can’t get enough of favorable press to BO…just my opinion….I have a hard time imagining that they would have bought rights to Silvers blog if his results leaned right…they probably would have lost bidding war to WSJ
Beverly Fraud
October 30th, 2012
1:11 pm
From Jay
Here at home, Reed has cast himself as a strongly pro-business, moderate Democrat eager to work with Republicans to get things done not just for metro Atlanta but for the state.
Well, according to THIS VERY PAPER (correct me if I’m wrong Jay) he was more than willing to work with Democrats and Republican in the Metro Area Chamber of Commerce in an attempt to coverup widespread, systemic cheating, was he not?
stands for decibels
October 30th, 2012
1:11 pm
if the draft were brought back today, i’d have no problem with women being eligible for the draft, as well.
yeah, that old saw of Scout’s really has no resonance today. Were there some national security emergency where we had to resort to conscription, there’s no doubt in my mind that there would be a massive call to incorporate women into the service as well as men.
Mr Right
October 30th, 2012
1:12 pm
I wonder how much the Dems are paying Jay since he is their super spinner!
Erwin's cat
October 30th, 2012
1:12 pm
USinUK so, if the woman wants to put the child up for adoption, the rapist can block it.
if the woman wants to move out of the state, the rapist can block it
cite please,… especially as it concerns a child of rape
ATL Tiger
October 30th, 2012
1:13 pm
“Could internal GOP politics open door for Kasim Reed?”
Answer: No
Next
Peter
October 30th, 2012
1:14 pm
” P.S. to Peter:
And the Supreme Court has ruled since than only men have to register for selective service.
If a major conflict broke out now and the draft returned, men would be forced to serve against their will while women are free to decline. ”
So that means you have the right to tell woman what to do with their bodies…… WOW..what an argument.
No wonder the GOP is not going to get the woman’s vote !
They BOTH suck
October 30th, 2012
1:15 pm
Stevie
Thanks for the reply, however you did not answer my question. Do you read the NY Times to have been able to conclude they have never run articles that show Obama in a good light or are you making that assumption based on your comments from the last post, which have nothing to do with Obama?
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 30th, 2012
1:15 pm
Hmmm, Gov. Cuomo requested and received the assistant of a federal emergency team to help pump water out of the subway system. Bringing to mind the question, would this type of team exist if there were no FEMA or if the federal government did not efficiently and effectively provide these services that would be too costly for the states to each maintain on their own. Additional proof of the role of the Federal govt and the failure of desired Republican policies.
GT
October 30th, 2012
1:16 pm
Kasim Reed will be in the cabinet next term.
Peter
October 30th, 2012
1:17 pm
The morality of a GOP man is hysterical…. if you ever paid attention to Kyle’s Blog….. the under age sex crimes are mostly done by white Rich guys….. a Republican profile !
Morality?
October 30th, 2012
1:18 pm
Efforts in N.Y. have fallen below expectation, Could this be Obama’s Katrina?
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
October 30th, 2012
1:18 pm
USinUK:
Clarification:
I do not believe rapists should be allowed “parental rights”. However, as we both know the law is not always just ………… but it is the law.
Playing “God” is always dangerous.
Enjoyed the exchanges ………….. off to “babysit”.
Thank you Lord.
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 30th, 2012
1:19 pm
Erwin – that little fun factoid has been in the news since the “legitimate rape” story … again, thanks for demonstrating that women’s issues aren’t important to the GOP
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/08/22/opinion/prewitt-rapist-visitation-rights/index.html
Erwin's cat
October 30th, 2012
1:19 pm
would this type of team exist if there were no FEMA
maybe, but how could we ever know?
Morality?
October 30th, 2012
1:19 pm
Kasim Reed is a member of the Atlanta political mafia……… indictment to follow?
STEVIE RAY
October 30th, 2012
1:20 pm
STANDS
Good stuff thanks for the reference…the limitations of regression analysis is that the data and assumptions (estimates as he refers to)early in the methodologes lifespan (for lack of better word)can materially change from say 2008 to 2020…he is still refining his techique and will continue to do so…I can’t put any more credence in his aggregation that the other polls…
I hope we find that he is more accurate than the opposite….and I will be the first to acknowledge this…
saywhat?
October 30th, 2012
1:20 pm
“Could internal GOP politics open door for Kasim Reed?”
Not likely. A race to the far far right wouldn’t hurt the eventual Republican candidate’s standing in the general election. Too much of Georgia’s population has gone so far down the path of right wing nuttery that extreme is now acceptably mainstream.
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 30th, 2012
1:21 pm
“I do not believe rapists should be allowed “parental rights”. However, as we both know the law is not always just ………… but it is the law. ”
shorter: sorry about the rape baby – sucks that your rapist has more rights than you do.
Funeral Announcement
October 30th, 2012
1:22 pm
The announcement of funeral services for
Big Bird
to be held at
Sesame Street Church
Officiated by Rev. Grover
Special remarks by Deacon Bert and Bishop Ernie
The repast will be catered by Cookie Monster, Catering LLC
Burial will be at Romney Cemetery
In lieu of flowers
the family asks you to
VOTE
for
President Obama.
Keep Up the Good Fight!
October 30th, 2012
1:23 pm
EC, I think you know the answer to that is that it is highly unlikely, but seriously, you think its worth dismantling FEMA teams on the off chance that the states will each create their own and you think that is a more efficient model to provide this emergency service?
STEVIE RAY
October 30th, 2012
1:23 pm
BOTH
My observation is that I find very few editorial examples that are critical of BO compared to pro-BO..same goes for progessive versus conservative..
I prefer the Washington Post which has left leaning, right leaning and bi-partisan columns almost daily..
They BOTH suck
October 30th, 2012
1:23 pm
Again, I can’t tell you much about Silver, except to say that his projections do not seem to be far off from the RCP average.
Been a few weeks, so I couldn’t tell you what Nate is saying today or even last week for that matter.
For someone who claims to like facts and analysis, you seem to have already thrown the guy on the trash heap……… Is it because you do not like his conclusions?
You could be 100% correct, however you seem to want someone to do your homework for you. This isn’t the first time you have commented on Silver and his column running in the NY Times. Neither time that I have read your rant, have you stated where his bias is or isn’t in terms of his analysis. You have went off on the NY Times as anecdotal evidence or your “silver bullet” (no pun intended), but not once have you provided anything that shows Nate being a shill for Obama. Why is that?
If he is what you assert, why don’t you show those facts?
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
October 30th, 2012
1:24 pm
Peter:
“So that means you have the right to tell woman what to do with their bodies……”
One more quick response and I have to go ……. I’m late.
The answer is no ……. but I believe the state should have the right to protect the child’s body within her.
The Supreme Court’s reasoning regarding the draft was the “State has the right to exist and protect itself”. I believe an unborn child has “the right to exist” and should thus be protected.
And like the slavery debate (”they were not human and deserved no protection under the law”) this will continue. It took 200 years to correct that horrible wrong.
DebbieDoRight -Will Be Good Forever and Ever. AMEN
October 30th, 2012
1:24 pm
and yet she could have exited this life and chose not to…go figure, in spite of it all she chose life
Black people, as a whole don’t commit suicide; we’re not prone to it. If so, there would’ve been LOTS of suicides during the time of enslavement.
Women as a whole are less likely to commit suicide than their male counterpart. And black women have the lowest number of suicides in the U.S. — even in war torn places that have seen African women who’ve been raped, abused, and terrorize — they are less likely to commit suicide than their European counterpart.
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 30th, 2012
1:24 pm
“on the off chance that the states will each create their own”
nooooo!!!
let BUSINESS do it … they do EVERYthing better.
Lissa M.
October 30th, 2012
1:24 pm
Kasim could have gone places save for that he decided to be an Obamabot. Chambliss is so far in the pocket of the South GA farmers he can’t see the light of day. He calls the illegals in Colquitt Co. “his amigos”!!! As far as Rubio, have you ever been to Miami or Tampa in your life? Not gonna happen! Some of you folks should really get out more often!
Aquagirl
October 30th, 2012
1:25 pm
cite please,… especially as it concerns a child of rape
Here. If the big words are too much there’s a map of the states where women have no protection against rapists who claim custody.
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/08/rapist-seeks-child-custody-shauna-prewitt
Your question from gobsmacked no-way that’s insane! ignorance should be a lesson to menz blabbering that there’s no Republican war on women. If it’s not a problem for THEM, it’s not a problem and they can’t be bothered to listen to the whiny wimmen. They’re too busy talking because they know it all.
Peter
October 30th, 2012
1:25 pm
There you have it folks.. White Republican males “playing God ” with woman’s rights…..
Beverly Fraud
October 30th, 2012
1:26 pm
Is Jay suggesting, based on documentation from THIS VERY PAPER (correct me if I’m wrong Jay) that Kasim Reed is capable of having the same LACK of ethical standards as some of the GOP members from Georgia currently serving in Congress?
The evidence, according to this very paper (correct me if I’m wrong Jay) show Kasim Reed is certainly more than willing to compromise ethics in order to reach POLITICAL ends, even if it means compromising the educational futures of minority students.
We should be so proud.
They BOTH suck
October 30th, 2012
1:26 pm
Stevie @ 1:23
And that is evidence that Nate Silver is purposely tilting his projections to Obama?
Again, you could be right, but if you think that is so, you are more than welcome to go through his data and debunk it.
No one is stopping you.
Rightwing Troll
October 30th, 2012
1:26 pm
“Were there some national security emergency where we had to resort to conscription, there’s no doubt in my mind that there would be a massive call to incorporate women into the service as well as men.”
What about Iran’s super humongous bomb?
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 30th, 2012
1:30 pm
“Your question from gobsmacked no-way that’s insane! ignorance should be a lesson to menz blabbering that there’s no Republican war on women. If it’s not a problem for THEM, it’s not a problem and they can’t be bothered to listen to the whiny wimmen. They’re too busy talking because they know it all.”
standing O for that …
Peter
October 30th, 2012
1:32 pm
Black people, as a whole don’t commit suicide; we’re not prone to it
Black folks as a whole do…….only very very slowly……look at their diet. Look at the obesity rate.
Oscar
October 30th, 2012
1:32 pm
Nice to sit down with a coup of coffee on a cold day.
What’s this. Someone besides me thinks the dems could win a statewide race in Georgia in a few years.
Erwin's cat
October 30th, 2012
1:33 pm
USinUK
I was hoping your cite would support your specific claims…
C. Tampa Ironworse
October 30th, 2012
1:33 pm
There is no way we’ll have a Dem Senator again. Not unless they nominate a Sam Nunn type again. The Dems have ATL and get to mess up the city. But I just don’t see it state wide. If we’re willing to elect Johnny Isakson…we’ll elect anyone who’s NOT a Dem.
Erwin's cat
October 30th, 2012
1:40 pm
gotta run for now…go ahead and spike the ball girls
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 30th, 2012
1:40 pm
” I was hoping your cite would support your specific claims…”
what part of CUSTODY rights did you not understand???
Oscar
October 30th, 2012
1:40 pm
C. Tampa Ironworse
_____
The dems carry Atlanta, Augusta, Savannah, Macon and Columbus. And those cities are growing in comparision to the rest of the state.
Obama lost Ga by 200,000 votes. Gore by 300,000. Clinton carried Georgia.
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 30th, 2012
1:40 pm
” Not unless they nominate a Sam Nunn type again.”
you mean like Max Cleland???
oh, that’s right – the GOP painted him as a terra-ist symp
Oscar
October 30th, 2012
1:43 pm
USinUK – not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 30th, 2012
_____________
Is Zell to old to run again?
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 30th, 2012
1:43 pm
50 Facts About Rape
Low estimate of the number of women , according to the Department of Justice, raped every year: 300,000
High estimate of the number of women raped , according to the CDC: 1.3 million
Percentage of rapes not reported : 54 percent
A woman’s chance of being raped in the U.S.: 1 in 5
Chances that a raped woman conceives compared to one engaging in consensual sex : at least two times as likely
Number of women in the US impregnated against their will each year in the U.S. as a result of rape: 32,000
Number of states in which rapists can sue for custody and visitation : 31
Chances that a woman’s body ” shuts that whole thing down “: 0 in 3.2 billion
Rank of U.S. in the world for rape: 13th
A woman’s chance of being raped in college : 1 in 4 or 5
Chances that a Native American woman in the U.S. will be raped : 1 in 3
Percentage of women in Alaska who have suffered sexual assault: 37 percent
Number of rape kits untested by the Houston police force: 6,000-7,000 (Texas ranked second in nation for “forcible rape”)
Number of adult men accused of repeatedly gang raping 11-year-old girl in Texas: 14
Quote in the New York Times regarding the rape: “They said she dressed older than her age.”
Age of woman raped in Central Park in September, 2012: 73
Number of rape kits left untested in Detroit , listed by Forbes as one of two the most dangerous places for woman to live in the US: 11,303
U.S. state in which, in September 2012, mentally disabled rape victim was required to provide evidence of her “kicking, biting, scratching” in objection to her rape: Connecticut
State seeking to reduce childcare welfare benefits to women cannot provide proof of their pregnancy-causing rapes: Pennsylvannia
Percentage of sexual assault and rape victims under the age of 12 : 15 percent
Percentage of men who have been raped : 3 percent
Percentage of rapists who are never incarcerated : 97 perent
Percentage of rapes that college students think are false claims : 50 percent
Percentage of rapes that studies find are false claims : 2-8 percent
Number of rapes reported in the military last year: 16,500
Pentagon’s estimated percentage of military assuaults not reported: 80-90 percent
Percentage of military rape victims who were gang raped/raped more than once : 14%/20%
Percentage of military rape victims that are men : 8-37 percent
Percentage of military victims who get an “involuntarily” discharge compared to percentage of charged and accused who are discharged with honor : 90 percent involuntary to 80 percent with honor
Chances an incarcerated person is raped in the U.S.: 1 in 10
Increase in chance that LGTB prisoner is raped: 15x greater chance
Number of men raped that could be counted as legally raped before the FBI changed its definition in December of 2011: 0
Number of rapes noted in commonly used World War II statistics: 0
Number of rapes of WWII c oncentration camp inmates : Untallied millions
Number of rapes of German women by Russian soldiers at the end of WWII: between 1m and 2m
Number of women raped in 1990s Bosnian conflict : 60,000+
Number of women raped per hour in Congo during war: 48
Country where 12 year old was forced to participate in the rape of his mother: U.S.
Country where women are imprisoned for being raped: Afghanistan
Age of Moroccan rape victim who committed suicide after being forced to marry her rapist: 16
Worldwide number of “child brides” under the age of 18 forced to marry every day : 25,000
Ages of girls forced to marry a 59-year-old at the Tony Alamo Christian Ministry in Arkansas : 8, 14, 15
Estimated number of people, primarily children, sexually abused by priests in the U.S. versus the number of senior Catholic officials found guilty of sexual abuse related crimes in the U.S.: 10,667 to 1
Chances that a woman in the U.S. is raped versus gets breast cancer : 2 to 1
Chances that a victim is ” Emergency Raped ” by a stranger versus percentage of victims who consider their rapes emergencies: 7 percent versus 100 percent
Percentage of victims of rape who report the use of a weapon : 11 percent
Prison sentences for four men found guilty of participating in gang rapes of two teenage girls in France over two years: one year, six months, suspended sentence
State where in 2012 a doctor is facing the loss of her medical license for providing an abortion to a pregnant 10-year old incest rape victim : Kansas
Country where doctors (but not the rapist) were excommunicated for performing a life-saving abortion to nine-year-old incest rape victim: Brazil
Country where major party’s vice-presidential candidate wants to criminalize all abortions including rape-related ones, because rape is just ” another method of conception “: U.S.
http://www.alternet.org/gender/number-states-which-rapists-can-sue-custody-and-visitation-rights-31-and-other-shocking-rape
gtt
October 30th, 2012
1:44 pm
No.
Aquagirl
October 30th, 2012
1:46 pm
gotta run for now…go ahead and spike the ball girls
At the risk of being banned, you’re acting like a championship jerk. You got smacked down, mumbled some dumb $#!^ and then ran away.Oh yeah you’re all about the sacred fetus. The fact you’re a jerk to US in UK is just a coincidence, right?
If you want to know why women are suspicious of the anti-abortion movement we’ll all chip in to buy you a mirror. That should clear things up.
DannyX
October 30th, 2012
1:46 pm
“The Dems have ATL and get to mess up the city. But I just don’t see it state wide.
Yes, because Republicans have such an excellent record governing the state.
Sonny Perdue, Linda Schrenko, John Oxendine, Nathan Deal, Tom Graves, Chip Rogers, Glenn Richardson, Don Balfour, John Ralston! Republicans ROCK!
paulo977
October 30th, 2012
1:49 pm
Debbie D R…”He’s pro-life and sees everything as “rosy”
___________________________________________
Of course we cheerfully went into Iraq and ROSILY took away the lives of thousands of babies!!!!
USinUK - not very ladylike (and former Girl Scout)
October 30th, 2012
1:51 pm
daaaaaaaaaaaaaaamn, Aqua … remind me to stay on your good side
paulo977
October 30th, 2012
1:53 pm
US in UK ….”Country where major party’s vice-presidential candidate wants to criminalize all abortions including rape-related ones, because rape is just ” another method of conception “: U.S.
____________________________________________________
Decreed by the Almighty!!!!
Aquagirl
October 30th, 2012
1:54 pm
remind me to stay on your good side
And here I was thinking I would take the high road and not gloat if Obama won.
If that happens Sir Erwin the Brave will be getting a full measure from me, and it’ll be unlubed.
ragnar danneskjold
October 30th, 2012
1:59 pm
I think it would be a good idea for all of the leftist moneybags to accumulate large pools of money to push the candidacy of Mayor Reed, Wish to see them spend it all. I am highly likely to vote for anyone who runs against Sen. Chambliss in the primary, but I am also highly likely to vote for the most conservative candidate in any election.
Erwin's cat
October 30th, 2012
2:00 pm
Sorry ladies I’m not gone for good…I’ll let ya have this one, but there are exceptions to your claims and it was hardly a smackdown….I am so very humiliated and humbled…LOL (now I’m being a championship jerk)
too busy to multi-task at the moment… how does one mumble with a keyboard