So, I hear you guys are having some elections or something?

[Major Tom]

[Shadic]

[Dogen]

Makes sense to me. You just didn't register in WA in time. You should register now, though.
_________________
"Worse comes to worst, my people come first, but my tribe lives on every country on earth. I’ll do anything to protect them from hurt, the human race is what I serve." - Baba Brinkman

[Shadic]

...That would be a smart thing to do.

Done.

[Mindslicer]

Congressional redistricting reform may become a new cause for the Democrats, what with the Republicans also having taken nearly 700 seats in various state legislatures. I'd rather they move towards less gerrymandering rather than more (Barney Frank's district is this gnarled claw reaching greedily towards Boston, for example), but my hopes aren't high.

[Dogen]

Is this one of those get-out-the-conspiracy-before-the-story thing that neglects the reality of the required redistricting following a census? I hope not, 'cause that would just make you a silly billy!
_________________
"Worse comes to worst, my people come first, but my tribe lives on every country on earth. I’ll do anything to protect them from hurt, the human race is what I serve." - Baba Brinkman

[Mindslicer]

Nope, just something I wouldn't be surprised to see. California just passed a ballot initiative to have redistricting done by an independent committee, stipulating that the districts should follow county lines as much as feasible. I personally like the idea (elected officials have too much say in choosing the people who elect them, IMO), but I wouldn't expect many Republicans to take up that cause considering the majorities they hold in many state legislatures now.

[Dogen]

Speaking of our new friendly holders of the purse strings... someone remind me, they campaigned on the premise of reducing the deficit and improving the economy, right? Obama's a bastard because the debt is so high, and Bill the Bricklayer ain't got no job? I thought that was what I heard...

[WheelsOfConfusion]

Don't you get it, Dogen? Obviously a free and unregulated market offers the best opportunity for saving money, therefore the only place left to help people keep more money is by cutting taxes! Because there's no way government could ever do something cheaper than the unfettered market, like healthcare. And if people keep more of their money instead of paying taxes, they'll buy more houses and cars and this whole economy mess the Liberals got us into will evaporate! Then people will have enough money to pay for their own healthcare too, since it's The Best Healthcare System in The World(tm).

[Guest]

Correction: It was The Best Healthcare System in The World��™, until Obama ruined it (will ruin it, have always ruined it)!

[Sam the Eagle]

This whole healthcare hubbub is a symptom, not a cause. Hard numbers, right out of CIA big book of numbers, shows infant mortality rate and death rate aren't the best in developed countries. Now, the best healthcare around comes (northern EU, France, Japan) with a price-tag attached. The whole system rely on a very different culture, something un-american. So trying to emulate one another didn't work out nor it ever will.

I do like Der Spiegel take on the issue:

[ShadowCell]

Their elected representatives are just blustering and gloating right now, because they take office in January.

Speaking of health care, Wendell Potter has a Newsweek article explaining why even the individual mandate will survive and the Republicans are just blowing smoke.

[kame]

[Willem]

[Sam the Eagle]