Sarah Palin / July 28, 2009 9:38 AM

I think that in this time of Americans having so many problems, taxes, and the like. This is a very important time in America's history, and I want to show you all that I have what it takes to be the lead dog in this Iditarod, no matter how many dogs there are. John McCain.

Patriotism means standing up and talking about stuff in big ways, and I am that standup. And talking, so you Americans in the "Lower Forty Eight" as we in Alaska say, can hear some of my great ideas.

So vote Palin in 2010, and together we can take back the White House!

Marko / July 28, 2009 9:43 AM

I'm already feeling ill that Illinois will again elect known money launderers, mobsters and prolific borrowers. Im ready to move to Texas.

printdude / July 28, 2009 11:48 AM

I don't feel all the players are in place yet.
I don't think the kid gloves have even gotten soiled yet, let alone come off.

Wait until fall, that's when the action will heat up. Now, it's all bluster and pomp, each peacock showing their feathers.

I'm waiting until the starting gun goes off. Until then, it's baseball and sunshine, baby.

annie / July 28, 2009 1:44 PM

Nope! I'm with printdude..it's too early and besides the earlier we start paying so much attention the more annoying the whole circus is going to be..I will start to pay attention when the mud slinging starts.

vanessa / July 28, 2009 2:38 PM

The one big election that I will be looking at is to make the Toddler go away. Well, him and Daley. They (unfortunately) screw us a lot more and more often than even the senators and reps.

Good Luck / July 28, 2009 3:33 PM

If I was a democrat candidate in 2010, I'd be really, really, f'ng worried.

I mean, with all of that fierce urgency of now, we have a $800 billion bill that has done absolutely nothing.

Oh "green shoots" you say (or are told, more accurately)?

US industry used only 68.3% of available capacity in May 2009, according to a monthly report from the Federal Reserve. (Thats the lowest since they have been keeping track!)

The June 2009 jobless rate reached 9.5%, the highest since 1983 (remember the promise was no higher than 8% if we went along with the spending plan!)

4 million Americans have been looking for work for more than 26 weeks, representing 29% of the unemployed – the most since records began in 1948.

During the last 30 years, Americans who lost their jobs took an average 15.8 weeks to find new positions. In June 2009, the average duration of unemployment was 24.5 weeks, the longest since records began in 1948. (that equals continued depressed consumer demand, you know that consumer demand that is 70% of the US GDP)

For the first half of 2009, US railroads reported cumulative volume of 6,806,892 carloads, down 19.2% from 2008. UPS package volumes in June -4.7% YoY, -3.9% in March, -2.1% in December, which means that the trend is accelerating (nothing ships if nobody is buying)

The Philly Fed’s Business Outlook Index came in at -7.5 in July, from -2.2 in May, a 10 month continuing contraction

US state tax revenues collapsed by 11.7% YoY, the largest decline since the records were first kept 46 years ago (and such great support for more taxes!)

Remember, its about the economy, and they have done a horrendously awful job in spawning growth via intelligent policy. Oh and it will get worse, and they will be pinned to economic results from 2006 -2010, when the democrats took control of congress)

So, yeah, all that talk of endless majorities will likely be very shortlived.

fluffy / July 28, 2009 8:38 PM

Good Luck,
were you beat up as a child? must you suck the fun out of every Fuel question? I don't even read what you post anymore. Listening to you talk must be like verbal masturbation where you don't stop talking til you get off. I believe in freedom of speech, but you're just looking for arguments. ahem, now that that's out of the way......no, I'm not up with what's going on for 2010. And marko, you don't want to move to Texas, believe me.

Carlotta / July 29, 2009 8:52 AM

I have an eye out on how the various races at all levels are shaping up. I fear, however, that a dispiritied electorate will end up perpetuating broken-down political systems.

But if there were something to heat things up, like a measure to cut the size of City Council in half, well....

Good Luck / July 29, 2009 9:04 AM

Fluffy,

I believe that I'm free to express my opinion on a subject I am quite knowledgable (or is this just an echo chamber where only progressives are welcome). You can see by the lack of response or absurdity of response to the question that there is acute ignorance of the subject. Maybe its just a situation where someone merely needs to promise unicorns and pixie dust and they'll garner your support. I'd rather be informed, and where I can inform others, I do.

This question didn't seem quite "fun", now did it? You don't see me post on items like "whats your favorite pizza" or "will you still call the Sears Tower, the Sears Tower" etc...

Specifically, you'll notice that I don't resort to calling names or flippantly refering to child abuse to make a point - because that would be reserved for someone looking for an argument.

flange / July 29, 2009 9:26 AM

i reckon most of us have already voted.

David / July 29, 2009 10:01 AM

"If I was a democrat candidate in 2010, I'd be really, really, f'ng worried."

You lost me right there, buddy. I'll admit, you've mustered an impressive set of statistics to tell us how we're all screwed. Fascinating, really.

See, I COULD try to argue your stats with other stats, but instead I'll just chop you off at the knees. Your entire argument is based on the idea that people blame Democrats for the current economic situation.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Polling has consistently shown that the American public blames the Republicans, and rightly so. They enabled the worst economic excesses of the past decade, and their constant chant of "deregulation" has put us precisely where we are as a country right now. Democrats, led by President Obama, have done a ton to avert economic disaster. Republicans, to paraphrase, ain't done shit.

Good Luck, I respect your intellect and your clear diligence in pulling together a set of statistics which prove you wrong. Keep up the good work!

annie / July 29, 2009 10:16 AM

Right on David!!

Brubeck / July 29, 2009 11:32 AM

What Democrats took 60 years to screw up, Republicans did in just 12 years. If a clear-eyed conservative like P.J. O'Rourke rings the death knell, then I know the GOP is in trouble.

Spook / July 29, 2009 1:02 PM

Always

anon / July 29, 2009 1:03 PM

Fluffy: I'm baffled by your attack on Good Luck. He/she presented a plausible scenario which was calmly bolstered with sobering statistics. If you disagree, fine.

But I was personally offended by your put-down of GL as an abused child. Those of us on the receiving end of this abuse don't flaunt this "status" and your cruel taunt belittles innocent children -- past, present, and future -- who did not deserve it.

Gerald / July 29, 2009 1:25 PM

Anon -

People who play outside shouldn't be surprised if they get dirty. If you want absolute respect when you're making your pitch, then my grandmother has a small investing club you could present to.

Plus, Mr/s. Luck can stand up for themselves, as was clearly demonstrated by THEIR REPLY. So if you want to cry boo-fucking-hoo about an off-color remark (on the internet, need I remind you), I'd strongly suggest you take your ball, go home, and stop tugging on the adults' shirt-tails.

Now, to answer the question posed, I'll let the Congressional Quarterly do my heavy lifting: The only three contests in which CQ Politics rates an advantage to the challenging party are all for seats now held by the Republicans and targeted by the Democrats. Plus, only 25% of Americans currently have a favorable view of the Republican Party, as opposed to 45% who have a favorable view of the Democrats.

If the Democrats don't widen that TWENTY POINT GAP between now and 2010, they'll be in real trouble.

anon / July 29, 2009 1:32 PM

Gerald: I didn't realize that human beings lost their right to basic decency when on the Internet.

Gerald / July 29, 2009 2:13 PM

Anon, have you ever actually seen the internet? Or had it described to you by someone under forty?

You don't lose your right to "basic decency." But neither do you get to keep your sense of righteous indignation. If you can't deal with people on their face, and instead choose to be offended by any kind of offhand remark, then I'd recommend you resign your governorship of Alaska and concentrate instead on your book tour.

Now then, are you going to actually offer an opinion on THE QUESTION ASKED?

I double-dog dare you.

fluffy / July 29, 2009 7:45 PM

to the uptight:
I have a right to post my opinions too. I was physically and emotionally abused as a child but I've worked through it. Anyway, it's called sarcasm and it's all over the internet.
David: right on
Good Luck: I love unicorns.
OK, back to the topic at hand...

mike / July 29, 2009 7:53 PM

Good Luck's an ass, but he's probably correct that Dems will soon begin to pay for what's going on. Americans are fickle and shortsighted that way. What other country would re-elect Bush and then elect Obama a few years later? We're a bizarre lot!

PMan / July 29, 2009 10:11 PM

I hate to say it, but I'm not enthusiastic. I don't dislike Quinn, Hynes or Gianuoulias, but none of the three excites me. County Board could be interesting, but I think most residents will be voting 'Not Stroger' and the way for a challenger to win is to avoid controversy. Most of the Republican contenders aren't too exciting either. Maybe I'll start to care by the time the election comes around, maybe not.

madachode / July 30, 2009 8:34 AM

"Nothing could be further from the truth. Polling has consistently shown that the American public blames the Republicans, and rightly so."
So you believe everything that the press says? What a sheep. Polls are not trustworthy, never have been and never will. if you believe any different, get your head out of that hole its in.

dragonslayer / July 30, 2009 11:31 AM

I won't pay attention until 2 weeks or so before the election and then I'll spend a couple of days reviewing every candidate on the ballot.

I don't care about the hype, the ads, the "he said, she said" bullshit. I don't care about parties. I only care about the candidate's stance on the issues I care about and what have they done, actually done, to back up that stance.