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I understand now that most of the workers on furlough at the CIA and NSA are now being called back to work and are now magically essential. I wonder if that will be the mode of operation for the other government agencies as the thing drags on. They will just call nearly everyone essential. You think?
I understand now that most of the workers on furlough at the CIA and NSA are now being called back to work and are now magically essential. I wonder if that will be the mode of operation for the other government agencies as the thing drags on. They will just call nearly everyone essential. You think?
NSA is part of the DoD. CIA not.
Every agency has Emergency Essential workers. That status is also being rotated around some offices so there's at least a person or three there.
... this would of worked better with if my surprised face actually worked on this VB. lol
It sorta looked like this.
:-O
The NSA is a part of DoD. It's a military organization dedicated to electronic surveillance from its inception (essentially, codebreaking). I'm pretty sure it's been excepted all along.
The NSA is a part of DoD. It's a military organization dedicated to electronic surveillance from its inception (essentially, codebreaking). I'm pretty sure it's been excepted all along.
Yeh, I know. Sarcasm, hence the whole = :-O
Hey, you know what I don't know? Is Social Security administration open? I have to take care of my folks...I told them that S.S.A. might be closed, and they should call before they go in Georgia...
I think I know what Dave what's his face who got let go from Metallica who created MegaDeath felt. Completely, and utter sanctification with your work, yet failure of the job that I attend to because nobody apparently give a **** about...
I'd be shocked if the House and Senate aren't a democratic majority in a couple of years. Sounds like a deal may be passed tonight, but know a couple of people who are going to file for unemployment if this thing drags out through the end of the week.
I would be too at this point. Today's press conference with Republican leadership was unreal. After all of the grand posturing and brinksmanship, they only spoke about one issue; equitable treatment for all Americans under ACA, referencing a sweetheart deal the Congress got. That's all they talked about. The only issue. I could not believe it.
The reality is that among all employers, only one subset of employees is required to only shop on an exchange for their health insurance; federal employees who happen to work for Congress. Congress is actually the only large employer that will have access to the exchange prior to 2017. Since Republicans think that exchange-offered health plans are witchcraft, I don't know why they would honestly think that requirement is preferential treatment. Their answer to acheive equitable treatment under the law? Make it so that Congressional employees are also the only group of employees who are denied an employer's contribution under law as well. It makes no sense.
All of the talk of special treatment, exemptions and a sweetheart deal for Congress under ACA is bs. They completely abandoned their other policy positions this morning. This isn't real conviction. This is purely relying on the ignorance of American voters to believe in rhetoric that has no bearing on reality to get out of a dead-end strategy. Not only is it disingenuous, it's politically predatory. Unfortunately, it works with a lot of Americans.
Even if you put reality aside; you're shutting down the government and jeopardizing the full faith and credit of the United States, and your line in the sand is the health insurance of a few thousand Americans? F**k you.
The US Senate will shift more to the Democratic Party for sure. The House is uncertain. I predict a bloodbath for incumbent GOP representatives in November 2014 mid-term elections. But the Tea Party, John Bircher radicals from the Southern and Rocky Mountain states will be safe. Why? Because the gerrymandering by state legislatures offered them safe districts.
When angry, paranoid, racist, poor-hating politicians are in sync with angry, paranoid, racist, poor-hating voters then we should not be surprised when these clowns get re-elected every 2 years.
The more "moderate" GOP Congressional representatives, the ones who opposed the orchestrated government shutdown, will get sacked by voters. They will get the blame for this mess even though they voted for temporary spending bill measures. These sensible GOP guys don't like Obamacare but they are not willing to put the entire nation and global economy at risk by shutting down government operations and forcing the US treasury into default. They will lose because they have an (R) after their name.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DomRep
I'd be shocked if the House and Senate aren't a democratic majority in a couple of years. Sounds like a deal may be passed tonight, but know a couple of people who are going to file for unemployment if this thing drags out through the end of the week.
The US Senate will shift more to the Democratic Party for sure.
What Senate seats do you see swinging from Republican to Democrat in 2014? If the composition changes at all, it will swing slightly more Republican prior to 2016.
I don't see any vulnerable Republican seats, although one or two incumbents may fall to a primary challenger. A month ago, I thought it would have been more of a challenge for Democrats to hold the Senate, with a possibility for a 50/50 split. Now Republicans are really hurting their chances of picking up some of the vulnerable Dem seats.
With Baucus, Harkin and Rockefeller retiring, Democrats have 3 extremely vulnerable seats that they held partially because of strong incumbents. South Dakota is in even more jeopardy for Democrats. Pryor has a real fight on his hands in Arkansas as does Begich in Alaska. I think Landrieu and Hagan hold on, but those races are going to be close as well.
So I count 4 vulnerable Democratic incumbents, 4 vulnerable open seats formerly held by democrats and 0 vulnerable Republican seats. I'm counting NJ as a safe Dem hold, not a Dem pickup.
I can see Democrats holding the Majority, but I don't see any realistic hope for any Democratic pick-ups in the Senate in 2014. 2016 will allow for some Democratic pick-ups, but they are going to have to make due with a few more new faces across the aisle until then.
You never know. If there is ever a ripe time for a Democratic underdog to take over a Senate seat, it would be in 2014. I also like the Democratic Party odds of keeping the White House whether its Hillary Clinton, Mark Warner, Elizabeth Warren or Bugs Bunny.
I think Mitch McConnell is vulnerable in 2014. Democrats are pumping serious money into the challenger's campaign and I would not be surprised if there is a huge upset in KY. I also think Susan Collins from Maine could be vulnerable. Remember, it's always the moderate/centrist ones who pay the price at the polls when their national party platform lurches into the radical direction. Moderate Republicans from the Northeast states have encountered more defeats than victories since 2000s. The Northeast Republican is practically extinct at the national level. Collins has serious campaign funding but if Maine voters are po'ed enough, she will go down in '14.
BTW...I always hated the Section 3 Clause 1 of the US Constitution. Two US senators for each state. Kills me that states like Delaware, Wyoming or North Dakota have that much power over the lives of 310 million citizens.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KStreetQB
What Senate seats do you see swinging from Republican to Democrat in 2014? If the composition changes at all, it will swing slightly more Republican prior to 2016.
I don't see any vulnerable Republican seats, although one or two incumbents may fall to a primary challenger. A month ago, I thought it would have been more of a challenge for Democrats to hold the Senate, with a possibility for a 50/50 split. Now Republicans are really hurting their chances of picking up some of the vulnerable Dem seats.
With Baucus, Harkin and Rockefeller retiring, Democrats have 3 extremely vulnerable seats that they held partially because of strong incumbents. South Dakota is in even more jeopardy for Democrats. Pryor has a real fight on his hands in Arkansas as does Begich in Alaska. I think Landrieu and Hagan hold on, but those races are going to be close as well.
So I count 4 vulnerable Democratic incumbents, 4 vulnerable open seats formerly held by democrats and 0 vulnerable Republican seats. I'm counting NJ as a safe Dem hold, not a Dem pickup.
I can see Democrats holding the Majority, but I don't see any realistic hope for any Democratic pick-ups in the Senate in 2014. 2016 will allow for some Democratic pick-ups, but they are going to have to make due with a few more new faces across the aisle until then.
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