That internal division won’t change just because the Dems have grown their ranks in Congress and put one of their own in the White House. That may make it quite a bit harder for the minority party to exert their will, but still far from impossible.

Despite the GOP marketing machine, Clinton has been the most fiscally conservative president of the past 30 years (queue JimmyDhimmi’s nonsenseical the Republican’s made him do it response)

I never said that Republicans made him do it. I like Bubba. He was a good president. He was a true bi-partisan when it came to welfare reform and free-trade agreements. His greatest failing was not seeing the threat of Islamic Radicalism. I always complain about this surplus revenue fetish you have, when all Clinton did to get it was cut military and intelligence spending. You can run a defecit as long as you grow the economy in kind. Cutting military and intelligence spending was nearsighted considering wave after wave of terrorist attacks against us and our interests throughout the 1990′s.

Also, don’t forget that we had a bad recession beginning in the last year of Clinton, because like today, much of our economy was build on a house of cards. This time it was mortgage-backed securities, then it was dot-com and tech stocks.

This is probably my biggest worry about the likely Democratic gains, but the I don’t think the current Republican party deserves any significant say right now. They were too obstructionist during the current congress for my taste, and until “tax cuts” stops being their answer for every economic problem, I just can’t take them seriously.

As noted, I do not feel completely comfortable with complete Democratic control–but I also am of the opinion that one party in control can act more quickly and I think quick is needed.

I do not completely dismiss yourtheory on divided government–I only disagree with blind adherence to it.

In the current situation, I believe that the Democrats have every reason in the world after having had their tails kicked for most of the past 30 years to “do it right.” Furthermore, I think Obama is very aware of his status as the first minority president and he wants to create a legacy that will not discourage others.

I find it hard to believe the Dems or Obama would risk throwing everything back into the GOPs hands in a two-year power grab…too optimistic? Perhaps, but I until shown otherwise I generally think the best of people.

ExiledIndependent,

I don’t believe I said that the GOP = fiscal conservative. In fact, the total abandonment of fiscal conservatism is one of the three reasons I have come to loathe the GOP in the last 8 years.

I have generally voted throughout my life along with the fiscal conservative crowd, meaning while I consider myself an independent, I have leaned more right than left. Under Bush, fiscal conservatism has become a hypocritical slogan of the GOP.

Despite the GOP marketing machine, Clinton has been the most fiscally conservative president of the past 30 years (queue JimmyDhimmi’s nonsenseical the Republican’s made him do it response)

The free market is a wonderful means for profit and efficiency maximization. It’s clear that a de-regulated healthcare market is great for making Viagra’s and and other popular (and very profitable) drugs.

We have cured hypercholesterolemia, vaccinated against cervical cancer, successfully treated manic depression, not to mention all of the medical technology advancements, like remote laproscopic surgery, brain-stimulators for epileptics and parkinsons patients, as well as advanced imaging and hospital networking technology all through the free market.

NIH-funded research is good for uncovering the basic quandaries of nature, so as to provide a foundation for technological innovation, but rarely the innovation itself. A socialized system not only forces taxpayers to fund distribution of treatment, but also the research itself. What do you think gets cut first?

Always happy to accommodate.

However, if you believe like Jim S, that only 51% of electorate possess the white hot truth of what America needs, and the other 49% should have no say and no seat at the table well – lets just stay on this path and give the Dems all the keys. The result is depressingly predictable.

Check your math, mw, check your math.

“…begging them to set up internal checks and balances to off-set corrupting temptations” – mm

Yeah. That’ll work.

Historically, any time you give either party all the keys you get out increased spending, fiscal irresponsibility, abuse of power and increased corruption. It happens with the GOP, it happens with the Dems. Every time.

It is seductive to think we need to have One Party Rule under the Dems to undo the damage to civil liberties we saw under One Party Rule with the GOP. But if we give them all the keys, it won’t happen that way. Far more likely, is a wholesale erosion of economic freedoms piled on, plus freedom of speech attacked with a Fairness Doctrine and campaign finance “reform”.

Giving both sides a share of the power is the only way to limit the damage.

However, if you believe like Jim S, that only 51% 54% of electorate possess the white hot truth of what America needs, and the other 49% 46% should have no say and no seat at the table well – lets just stay on this path and give the Dems all the keys. The result is depressingly predictable.

Actual long-term care, especially for rare or vicious aliments, isn’t something the market allocates well. We need to correct this, the sooner the better.

ltimately, we could lose choice, lose quality and have no recourse because the government plan would be impossible to repeal.

We have already lost choice. If you wife had cancer, and you are self employed; try getting insurance.

I am too young for medicare, but am financially able to retire. I can not because we can not get health care at any price.

Insurance should be nationalized. If you leave to business they only want to insure the healthy people. The whole point of insurance it to spread the risk.

I paid insurance for over 30 years, with no real claims except when our kids were born. Now that we need insurance, no one wants us.