We recently discussed how minority leader Nancy Pelosi fought off a challenge after the disastrous election losses for the Democrats and then promptly declared that the “people [do not] want a new direction.” The statement was widely ridiculed as evidence of how out-of-touch the leadership of the Democratic Party had become and how insulated the members are from voters. Now, retiring Senate minority leader Harry Reid has suggested the same party line that there is no need to change direction after the election.
Reid insisted that the blame for the loss was on FBI Director James Comey and shadowy Republican donors. As we discussed earlier, the public has been consistent that they did not want an establishment candidate and particularly did not want Hillary Clinton. Clinton and Trump were the most unpopular politicians ever to be nominated for president and over 60 percent of voters viewed Clinton as fundamentally dishonest. None of that stopped the DNC from engineering her victory over Bernie Sanders who presented precisely the populist campaign that many voters were looking for. Clinton had the Democratic establishment and many allies in the media — everyone agreed except the public. That was enough . . . until the voters had their say on November 8th.
The Democratic establishment is frantically trying to spin their huge loss to one of the most controversial candidates in history. However, the level of group delusion is impression. Reid repeated Pelosi’s view that there was no need for change in the Democratic party, stating that “I don’t think the Democratic Party is in that big of trouble.” Really, you have lost both houses and a conservative Republican Administration is about to take office. The point for many is obvious. For the establishment, and particularly members, they are not in big trouble. They can count on preserving their positions and the party elite is well insulated against voters.
Reid and the other Democratic Senators have been criticized for leaving their party without critical minority powers after using the “nuclear option” — a move challenged at the time by many of us as incredibly shortsighted and unwise.
It is hard to see what it would take to constitute “trouble” for the Democratic Party but losing total control of both political branches would seem to concentrate the mind of most people.
The fact that a weasel like Reid was a leader in the Dem party was predictive of their demise.
Canadian Bacon, Women in the Obama administration make less than men. Yeah, he’s a real champion for women.
DNC. Settles the score….Sooner or later.
1. SJWs Always Lie.
2. SJWs Always Double Down.
3. SJWs Always Project.
Reid is doing all three in one speech.
If one wants to understand how a lying, narcissistic, megalomaniac duped enough idiots into voting him into the Presidency, then read this blog. The fox is in the hen house. He has appointed his fellow foxes to the openings. A tavolo.
After the next recession, just perhaps, maybe, enough people will understand that things were proceeding well. Example, Obama had managed that his championing of equal pay for women, overtime pay, and a decent minimum wage had started to bear fruit and the dolt Trump appoints a secretary of labor who is openly against all that. Welcome to the era of the oligarchs, you idiots. We all bend over and no vaseline this time around. At least Reagan and Bush gave us vaseline.
issac – neither Obama nor Hillary paid the women on their staffs as much as the men. Get a f**king grip.
“If one wants to understand how a lying, narcissistic, megalomaniac duped enough idiots into voting him into the…”;
I thought you would have continued that thought with “Senate” but that would have taken far more humility and enlightenment than you possess.
Keep up the good work Issac. You are a one-Canadian wrecking crew against progressivism.
Nicely done!
At least you’re consistent. Things were not going well. QE is setting us all up for disaster, your little tit-for-tat feel-goodies will disappear as soon as this wacky episode ends.
QE is setting us all up for disaster,
What disaster?
The bill is going to come due for all those bonds sooner or later. Can’t duck debt forever.
Please, are you suggesting it would have been better to have Hillary and Bubba Bill back in the White House? I’ve got three syllables for you: Oh Hell NO!
I sincerely hope they keep up this line of thinking. It’s going to make the 2018 bloodbath for Senate Democrats all that more enjoyable.
Sounds like you like one party rule.
Bess – I am reading an article about the outlook for the Senate Dems in 2018 and it is not good.
Paul, 2 years is an eternity is politics. Let’s see how Trump does first.
Bess,
I’m against the progressive party which is anti-rule of law and separation of powers. It has two wings, R and D. I support Trump IF he stops both wings from flapping this republic into the dustbin of history. He will be given a chance to honor the oath and separation of powers. He will be opposed by MANY that voted for him should he dishonor that oath like every progressive President before him.
Say it with me now: Hello Republican ‘Super Majority’ 2018
Evidently Pelosi and Reid think that NY and CA stand for America. Well, they do not. Hillary ran a poor campaign. Trump beat all his Republican opponents, the MSM and her. Actually, if I were part of the Democratic Party I would be playing hide-the-ball right now. They won’t recover until summer and by then everyone will have a better chance to look at Trump. Unlike Obama, he has been talking to people across the aisle and we know he is a deal maker. However, the devil is always in the details.
While it’s not constitutionally or legally significant that Clinton won the popular vote by a substantial margin, it’s certainly significant to any assessment of what the voters preferred in this election, and yet it’s entirely ignored in this post. Maybe it would not change the author’s conclusions, but it’s fact that can’t be ignored entirely in any serious conversation about what the voters wanted.
This comment isn’t about criticizing the electoral college. I’m just saying that you can’t credibly write about what voters wanted without acknowledging how they voted.
Sure you can. Up is down and down is up these days.
“This comment isn’t about criticizing the electoral college.”
Sure it is.
Absent the EC, California and New York would decide the fate of the country.
Why would anyone else bother to vote?
This post isn’t about the vote count, it’s about Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi ignoring the enormous dissatisfaction the public has with the main stream and the powers that be. Hillary’s popular vote, as you point out, isn’t germane; the fact that Pelosi and Reid are (ostensibly) so utterly unaware of such obvious discontent is.
You may be confused because so many want this to be about Republicans vs. Democrats. It’s not. It hasn’t been for over 40 years. They both work for the same master and which ever one looses an essentially meaningless political charade that takes place every four years will say the same thing: not our fault, but one might hope for even a flicker of self examination.
If you seriously believe the public was happy with either of those two candidates, I’ve got a great deal on a bridge for you.
As Professor Turley said, “Clinton and Trump were the most unpopular politicians ever to be nominated for president and over 60 percent of voters viewed Clinton as fundamentally dishonest…”
Picking at hairs isn’t going to make things better for the next charade (if there is one).
I never suggested the public was happy with any of its choices. What I did claim, and what I stand by, is this: Any credible analysis of what happened when “the voters had their say” should take consider what the voters said. Perhaps the incorporation of that consideration into the analysis will lead to the same conclusions, but the popular vote isn’t meaningless to question of how voters voted, even if it’s legally unimportant in determining the lawful winner. Maybe you are resorting or calling me confused because you don’t have any real argument against my hard-to-dispute point—ie that a post with statements about what voters said should consider what the voters said. I’m surprised anybody would think that a consideration of the popular vote in that context is “picking at hairs.”
Maybe you are resorting or calling me confused because you don’t have any real argument against my hard-to-dispute point-ie that a post with statements about what voters said should consider what the voters said.
If it makes you happy, sure.
But it’s never about what voters said, it’s about what you think they said vs. what someone else thinks they said. To you, this particular popular vote means a majority of the people are for Hillary and you further imply that means the majority of the country. . To someone else, that simply means the East and West coast cities always go for the Democrat. It doesn’t necessarily mean that the popular opinion of the country as a whole favors Hillary to be the next president. But since you believe it does, you are defining it a big thing in your mind and then insisting, “Because I think this is a big thing, everyone -including you Professor Turley- should also think it a big thing and include it in any analysis of what the population of the country as a whole is saying with their vote. ” Because you say so. Hey, knock yourself out. Do za strut. Just don’t expect everyone to agree simply because you agree heartily with you, yourself and vous-même.
Say what you will, even corporate shill Scarborough had this to say today:
“…what have Democrats done to so offend Americans that they only have 11 governorships, they’ve lost control of the Senate, they’ve lost control of the House, they lost 900 legislative seats over the past six years?”
It was way more than just the popular vote for Clinton.
Yes, so true. But one can play with numbers till the cows come home and insist, for example, that densely populated coastal areas = the popular opinion of the whole country, without making it so.
I see no reason Turley has to resolve this issue (and I’m sure there are dozens of others people can think up) every time he wants to voice his opinion about what the people said in this election.
Can’t believe he is retiring. I thought maybe his exercise bands would have taken him out by now. Bet those pesky things were Russian assassination attempts. Good riddance.
sloh, LOL! You know someone kicked his bony, stupid ass. Probably some “Eyetalians.” Or, maybe a “neat clean, light skinned Negro with no Negro dialect unless he wanted to have one.” That’s what this loathsome scumbag called Obama.
Sounds like Uncle Joe Biden re: Obama “clean and articulate” =) You can’t make this s^%t up!!
If the Dems are so out of touch, how is it that they won the popular vote by 2.5 million?
Because uber liberal CA
Wow, a month after the election and this question is still being asked. Maybe it’s difficult to pass through the “Denial” stage until the electoral college officially votes. Maybe after that the “Anger” and “Bargaining” stages will come until January 20th. The “Depression” will likely set in after that but I seriously doubt “Acceptance” will ever happen.
How about this explanation Doglover: Because even the most popular kid in high school won’t graduate if he/she fails to attend ALL the required classes. Or, because winning the hearts and minds of STATES is more important to the Electoral College than the national popular vote. If Trump had lost by 25 million votes and those votes came from 3 states, then the electoral map still does not change.
If it helps: many people I know that voted for Trump did so because they didn’t want to vote for a Progressive Globalist. We wanted a Constitutionalist and we got Trump instead. We will be vigilant to make sure a Progressive Nationalist does not further the damage progressivism has inflicted on this republic.
Doglover, I often wonder how in the hell a slimeball, weasely little man with a weak, smarmy mouse-voice EVER get elected and reelected for 35 years? Corruption is alive and kicking.
Because of voter fraud, like corpse voting, illegals voting, felons voting, you know, the Democrats usual MO.
Please stop with the “but she won the popular vote” talking point. It is meaningless data in our electoral college system.
Who is his audience?
The American public has been living in a petulant and hypocritical world created by wealthy, none producers.
“It’s his fault.” “He’s a bully.” “Popcorn is candy because I say so.” “Unicorns are endangered species,” “I’m going to tell on you.” “All this stuff I’ve taken from you is mine, but I’m your best friend.”
Failing to take accountability, screaming “racist” when someone disagrees (or other -ist), redefining terms to fit agendas, stopping opposition by calling on federal regulatory agencies, sucking people financially dry but telling them they’re on the peoples’ side and lying are activities of pre-school playground politics. This is what happens when intellectual arguments can’t be made.
As a libertarian, I feel guilty that I didn’t see outside of my intellectual bubble. People must have been really desperate to vote for Trump. They need hope, not a lecture on fiat currency (at least not yet).
I doubt the Democrats will fix themselves. The proof is in the pudding. Pelosi and Ellison (my eh hem congressman) live in different but equally obnoxious echo chambers. Ellson is SO out of touch here in Minneapolis. Bringing his ideology to the national stage is just another nail in the coffin. Pelosi will say whatever she needs to keep the newest Hermes scarves coming.
I sincerely hope that Trump and this dominate Republican party are wildly successful for the forgotten man. It is the coal miner, the steel worker, the truck driver that needs a little hope and change.
One thing for sure is Trump will do well for the wealthy. It is already happening. Goldman shares have soared since the election. Perhaps, trickle down will work this time but I would not bet on it.
What did Obama do for the wealthy? Seems the wealthy did pretty well, while black unemployment doubled under Obama. I wish people would actually analyze Obama’s tenure and hold him accountable for the mess he has made. The Democrats have been decimated under Obama. Why not hold him and his policies accountable?
He will be remembered for the “nuclear option” ! Short sighted long term fiasco. What did he care, he was coming to the end politicaly. Now the Republicans will misuse this ruling.
Richard Faust, the senator in God Father 2 also.
Indy, Yes. That weasel Senator from Godfather 2 called my people, “Eyetalians.” Well, that fictional Senator ended up in the back pocket of Eyetalians, just like Reid. We are not people to screw with.
Establishment Dems are so removed from reality. And I don’t see that ever changing as they continue to support craven pols who inspire no enthusiasm. Time for that party to fold.
As usual Jimmy Dore is spot on
I think I agree with 99,9% of anything I’ve ever heard Jimmy Dore say. Love that guy.
In some sense they’re not. They’re good for close to half the electorate. However, their performance at statehouses is the worst it’s been in 90 years and they cannot do anything to improve the quality of local government in the loci they run because they’re in hoc to interest groups and megaphone wielders who like things just the way they are.
I estimate combined wealth of Reid and Pelosi 1/2 Billion USD.
Obviously, from both of their views, there’s no need to change anything!
Now that we’ll have a Rep. POTUS, prepare for Dems moaning 24/7 that POTUS is a killer and a war monger. Never mind Obama lied about ending Iraq and Afghanistan, utterly destroyed Libya (through HRC), armed Assad’s enemies to promote Syrian civil war, and provided arms to Saudi Arabia they use now in Yemen to commit war crimes.
Jesus Obama does it all for the chillen’…
No. About 7 million for Reid (whose prosperity smells bad) and $50 million or so for Pelosi (whose husband is in real estate).
Reid stinks to high heaven with corrupton. Why he never got caught is another question. Remember years ago he chaired the Gaming Commission in Nevada where he learned the ‘ropes’ from how the Mob operates. Dirty Harry is his Mob name.
In the moderate centrist world of the Constitutional Republic we couldn’t be more pleased. Reid and Pelosi just guaranteed us eight unimpeded years to make use of a real outsider before he turns pure politician. Which won’t take long.
We were able to pry the RINOs out of bed with the DINOs with the help of the Klingtonistas. and their magic repelling substance Clintonite. Add in Klein it’s like frosting on the cake. Now the hard work of rebuilding the Republic begins. Did I say Eight. With people like Comrades Reid, Benita Pellosillyni, and Pence having eight to develop Presidential skills make that 16.
By then people will have forgotten what’s it all about Alfie? What’s a Democrat?
Oh yes the Libertarians four percenters. What about them . Nice sounding platform but the candidates went to work for Hillary.
In the end Klein and Johnson kept her from making a majority in the popular vote and the Greens stand to pare off a lot of former Democrats.
So Clinton, Klein, Johnson THANK YOU for your efforts on our behalf.
Now as Ben Franklin said, “Trump we have given you a Republic ….if you can keep it.”
Reid: “I don’t think the Democratic Party is in that big of trouble”
Pelosi: “Voters? We don’t need no stinkin’ voters!”
Schultz: “We’ve got the big money contributors and Brazile”
We don’t need no stinking voters any more than you stinking voters are going to need stinking steering wheels. We automated that.
These Democrats really are off in a world of their own. The MSM still believes they are the anointed narrators and seem not to notice that their position in American politics has diminished to a point where it is unrecognizable. . Bill Maher thinks that the Democrat message did not get out and like the rest, are committed to double down on their message. It doesn’t occur to them that their message is their problem and these mindless stooges in the universities, the street rioters, the fake accusers that are straight out of “The Crucible”..that is a Democrat message that the public did hear and we don’t want to hear it any more, let alone doubled. These arrogant so and so’s didn’t even bother to eavesdrop on the conversations between Libertarian Conservatives that were all over the internet and to this day can not even identify who they are or what they represent nor do they understand why we voted for Trump. They actually believe that we are motivated by the dinosaur paradigm of racism and appear to believe the totality of their own straw man creations. I say let them stay in the dark.
All you need to know about Harry Reid is the role played by Dick Smothers in the movie “Casino” based literally on Harry Reid. Over and out.
Harry Reid demonstrated gross mendacity when he spoke from Senate floor and accused GOP nominee Mitt Romney of paying no taxes for a decade. The attack was false and to this day the despicable fellow has not retracted or apologized.
In my mind he should not even be President of the Chamber of Commerce in Searchlight and it is shocking that for years he was the most powerful man in the Senate. Good riddance to him.
Agree 100%. Good riddance to Dirty Harry. When asked if he regretted slandering Mitt Romney from the Senate floor by saying he didn’t pay his taxes, Reid’s response was, “We won didn’t we?” Tells you all you need to know about this ethically-challenged slimeball.