Obama’s Secret Weapon: Favorable Senate Races

[tekisui]

http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=6107

While the lion’s share of attention for November is focused on the presidential race, a related (and almost equally important) fight is the battle for the United States Senate, where Democrats hope to expand on their slim majority. Barack Obama is favored to win the White House, and Democrats will expand on their House majority. But come next year, expect Republicans in the Senate to wage aggressive filibusters—bringing all progressive legislation to a screeching halt. And while a 60-plus majority in the Senate is still very much a long shot, Democrats are virtually guaranteed to win at least four seats. And the Senate seats most likely to flip—Virginia, New Mexico, New Hampshire and Colorado—all happen to be in swing states that will pick the next President. For all the talk about an “Obama-effect” that is helping Democrats run for the House and Senate that has expanded the map, a “reverse-coattail” effect in these four states can make Obama the next President.

Many progressives fear that an Obama victory will bring us back to how things were in January 1993, the last time Democrats controlled the House, Senate and White House. Despite all the stars being lined up as they should, Bill Clinton could not get anything done—in part because Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole filibustered everything. By 1994, the Democratic base was dispirited—and Republicans ran against a “do-nothing” President to win back Congress. We’ve seen G.O.P. obstructionism in our current Senate (a record 92 filibusters in the past two years), so expect them to act the same way in 2009.

more...

[loyalkydem]

1. Maybe by some miracle

we can get the seats we need and we can beat that doutche McConnel here in Kentucky