I would wish liberals a happy Columbus Day, but I am not sure most of them know what that is. In California they have Cesar Chavez Day and Harvey Milk Day, yet some colonizing straight white imperialist male apparently does not deserve such recognition.
For those who actually either were home schooled, or read after school to compensate for dreadful public school textbooks, today is Columbus Day. To get back to the point where schools actually teach about Christopher Columbus, the Founding Fathers, and the Constitution, it might help to have Republicans win the 2010 elections so they can appoint people who want to improve the schools, not destroy them.
I have said that I believe the Republicans will win 50 House seats to retake the chamber and fire the Pelosiraptor. I also believe that she will resign from the House altogether if this occurs. In the Senate I have the Republicans picking up 7 seats to fall short 52-48.
It is vital that Republicans win gubernatorial races because 2010 is a redistricting year. The Pelosiraptor is already trying to steal 5 more California House seats for the left through further gerrymandering. This must be stopped.
Since I am not Michael Barone or Larry Sabato, analyzing every single House race is above my pay grade.
Yet here are my thoughts on the Senate. I will not be analyzing the overwhelmingly obvious races where no changes are taking place. Jim DeMint will not be losing to Al Green in South Carolina, despite Green doing a fabulous remake of “Put a little love in your heart” with Annie Lennox. On the flip side, Barbara Mikulski will not be playing defensive tackle in the NFL any time soon since her reelection seems assured in Maryland.
Not everybody is safe.
In California, Barbara Boxer leads Carly Fiorina slightly. My distaste for Boxer knows no bounds, but despite 28 years of accomplishing nothing, California will never learn. Boxer survives as California collapses.
In Nevada, Harry Reid and Sharron Angle are tied. Angle is a lovely human being. I have done events with her personally. Yet Reid will get in the gutter so deep that Angle will be tarred and feathered before it is over. Unless Angle is prepared for a street fight, she will lose. Reid is already trying to demonize her. I say Reid survives by the skin of his teeth.
In Washington, Patty Murray is seen as vulnerable. Until liberal Washington actually does it, I remain skeptical. I think Murray survives.
Wisconsin is one that could be a shocker. Russ Feingold is trailing by 9. Yet he has been in the Senate for 18 years and Wisconsin is liberal. Also, I want to at least say that unlike most liberals, Feingold has integrity. Unlike the other gutless little rats running away from the Obama agenda, Feingold is not backing down in his support for Obamacare. I disagree with his principles, but at least he has them. I would not be surprised if he comes back and wins. I think he will.
In Delaware, Christine O’Donnell is a lovely human being. Because she is a religious Christian, the left needs to destroy her as they did with Sarah Palin and are trying to do with Sharron Angle. Delaware is a moderate to liberal state, and O’Donnell might be too conservative for gutless Republicans unwilling to fight for her. She is down in the polls and may not have enough time to come back.
Have I become a cheerleader for the Democrats? Of course not. Republicans have plenty to be happy about.
Pennsylvania looks very good for Pat Toomey. I think he takes down Sestak with less difficulty than the left hopes.
Rand Paul has weathered the storm in Kentucky. He blundered early, but has recovered and leads by a 7 point margin.
Illinois is a nailbiter, and Mark Kirk has made some stumbles. Yet he is a Republican in the tradition of Abraham Lincoln, able to win moderates without alienating conservatives. His opponent has many scandals. Kirk may survive. I think he will.
West Virginia is an interesting case. Joe Manchin is a popular governor, which is actually working against him. Voters want him to stay as governor, which right now is costing him the senate seat. Republicans should be ok here.
Connecticut is one where the big lead could be misleading. Linda McMahon trails by 9 in liberal Connecticut, but this climate could allow her to storm back. I would not be surprised if she shocks the country and wins, especially since her opponent is mired in scandal.
In Arkansas, Blanche Lincoln is toast. In North Dakota, the popular governor leads the senate race by about 50 points. Those are pickups. Rob Portman in Ohio leads by 14, while Dan Coats in Indiana leads by 17. Those are pickups.
Roy Blunt leads by 7 in Missouri, as the Carnahan name is not what it was a few years ago. The late Mel Carnahan was beloved, but his wife squandered that good will by attacking John Ashcroft. Missouri voters don’t like mean politics, and their daughter is not making headway.
David Vitter leads by 15 in Louisiana. Whatever one thinks about his scandal, remember, it is Louisiana. Vitter will be fine, especially since his opponent is overreaching with beyond the pale attack ads.
Lisa Murkowski will not harm matters in Alaska as Joe Miller will win. In Florida, Charlie Crist has a shot if Kendrick Meeks drops out. Marco Rubio has a big lead and should win, but this race is fluid.
Kirten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer will remain in New York, while Buck will take the Colorado seat.
Realclearpolitics.com has Republicans picking up 9 seats to make it 50-50. They see GOP gains in Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, which I agree with.
RCP also has GOP pickups in Wisconsin and Nevada. This is where I differ. I hope I am wrong. I hope RCP and I are both wrong about Boxer in California.
Governorships have some give and take. Rick Scott in Florida, John Kasich in Ohio, and Corbett in Pennsylvania should all be ok, with Florida being the closest.
Yet Jerry Brown is leading Meg Whitman in California, and Neil Abercrombie leads Duk Aiona to replace retiring Linda Lingle in Hawaii. Those would be a pair of Democratic pickups.
RCP shows 7 GOP pickups to change a 26-24 deficit into a 31-19 GOP advantage. They have 6 governorships flipping to the Democrats and 13 more flipping to the Republicans, with a precious few staying in the same column.
I have 2 disagreements. Although Dudley leads by 3 1/2 points in Oregon, John Kitzhaber should not be underestimated. Oregon is liberal, and Ron Wyden is coasting in his senate race. Kitzhaber may survive.
Michigan I am really going out on a limb. The numbers show GOP candidate Snyder up by 18. Yet this is still Michigan, where unions and crippling bureaucracy reign supreme. They said Jennifer Granholm was toast 4 years ago, and she won. She is leaving, but never underestimate the left’s power to further destroy this state by electing more liberals.
So I see 7 pickups for the Republicans to lead governorships 29-21.
I am often wrong, but never in doubt.
In that spirit, let’s enjoy a peaceful Columbus Day and see what happens.
eric
It’s just that Columbus didn’t actually even discover America. That had been done by the Scandivaians, and countless untold times before by who knows? I can understand why Columbus is celebrated – not so much for the man he was (not much, according to the historic records), but for what he represented – in Latin America, as his was the beginning of the colonization effort in what would be come the greatest expansion of a single culture into new territory in recorded history, unmatched to this day – that of the Spanish.
When I working in ocean shipping, I noticed Columbus Day is popularly celebrated. I can understand that too. Personally, I thought Magellan, or better still, his navigator, Elcano, would have been a better celebratory personage for the global ocean shipping community, but hey, who am I? Whatever.
In the developed world today, thanks to the work of independent schorlarly and modern sophisticated historical research, we have a clearer picture of what Columbus and the rest of the conquistadors were all about and what the real impact of European colonization was on the indigineous peoples of the Americas. So, if what you mean by “improve the schools” is to teach kids old, inaccurate, patriotic myths to bolster the Cult of the State, and you are suggesting somehow Republicans plan on doing this, then you are suggesting something rather insidious and stupid. It’s like saying “If you want our kids to be poorly educated, blindly patriotic slobbolas, vote Republican.” Gee. What a slogan.
JMJ
Is all about numers, as a good friend tells me.
Here in California, no matter how qualified the Republican,
Jerry Brown has more votes. For 50 years, the moderates and
conservatives have relocated to other states, the void filled in
by liberals.
Its just that simple. Meg can have 500m at her disposal..it doesnt
matter, when its about votes.
Brown is old, and balding..Meg is young and spirited. Doesnt matter
how much hair she has. Donald Trump has hair. In his case, it helps.
Schumers NY.,like California, has the liberal votes. In fact, I believe
they have a liberal party. With 999,000 apartments in the city,
and minorities abounding..what does anyone expect. The upstaters
cannot overcome the advantage of their southern neighbors.
NYState, is in a shambles. Just travel throughout for proof.
It once had tne Erie Canal. Now it has abandon homes, business
and hotels. Its thriving business are prisons. Dont believe me
go there.
Look, Obama is finished for all practical purposes..He has charm
and wit..and an occasional sense of humor. He was a great
community organizer..but cannot compete with Putin, and Ahmad.
I voted. A friend who is your typical liberal..didn’t. Please dont friend.
When I asked hin how the wars are being paid for, his response,
“the poor”. Right.
25,000 (esimated) will have marched in NYCs parade.
In Los Angeles, Jimmy kimmel puts on a yearly Italian holiday..
similar, but much smaller than the one in NYC.
Many years ago, I was in the big apple., visiting friends.
We participated in the festivities during the holiday..on the famous
street set aside. There were lots of great food booths, and some
hawkers too. It was fun..lots of lights.
Israeli Indendence Day is celebrated in NYC yearly.
There are thousands who march and watch the parade.
I have never been in the city during that march, but would
participate. No, I do not have dual loyalty..my loyalties is first
and always to the United States, the country I was born in.
Meg Whitman proudly boasts an investment in Israel and purchase of
a major comany.
Fiorino was in Israel recently.
Jerry and Barbara, when were you last in Israel? Or as a boss once
asked me, “what have you done for me lately”?
Considering how much of their money comes from MOTs, one
would think they would at least visit. There is lots of Muslim money going to them also..and I think they should visit both Israel and the Gaza Strip.
They then could compare a democracy with all its faults and a dictatorship
which throws oppostion off of roof tops, places children in harms way
during wars, and sends children to its borders to “probe” Israel’s security, pending attacks by their fathers and mothers.
That in a nutshell folks is the difference between we and them.
I am a racist, I admit it. I have no reservations, no hesitation in
saying, I am a racist. I hate people who shoot at innocent civilians,
and win elections by murdering their opposition.
I voted for Meg and Fiorino, and am proud of it. I was invited
by Sarah Palin to see her in Anaheim. No democrat has ever
done anything for me, except take my hard earned money in taxes
for their pork programs (excuse the expression).
Years ago, a co-worker asked me, “What have the Republicans ever done
for us”.
Where can I begin. I told him to look at his pay checks over the years..
the more he earned, the more money was taken by the Democrats to redistribute to the poor and disanvantaged. Poor and disadvantaged?
I know another co-worker who said he is a social democrat. He then asked me how to avoid paying taxes.
The above say it all folks.
In the meantime, Sarah Palin tells us that a nuclear Iran just wont
be acceptable. Are you listening Obama?
Oh, Ahmad will throw a stone into a town in Northern Israel next week,
from a platform, surrounded by 2,500 Iranian soldiers and thousands
of Shia Lebanese (Hezbollah and their supporters).
So, in Israel you have a quiet peaceful town…on the border, with red roofs
yeshivas, and other centers of learning. In Lebanon, we will see
Ahmad, who says the Holocaust never happened, Israel is racist and must
be destroyed, and the Jews were never in Palestine.
Hey Ahmad we Jews were alway in Palestine..your people migrated
there after we built the country, drained the swamps and built
schools of religious study. My people created a democracy, while
you were beating up your people who dared to protest.
Ahamd says this is the beginning of the liberation of Palestine,
while back home..people are being tortured by Hezbollah imported
police and uranium is being enriched for medical purposes.
Yeah and Ill sell you the Brooklyn Bridge.