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Angle and O'Donnell losses best thing for GOP
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Correspondingly, the worst thing for Democrats
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At this point, GOP looks like they will pick up 60-70 seats; congratulations!
But how will that play out for the next 2 years, and then for 2012? Let's see...
For the next 2 years, the large GOP majority in the House will mean that Republicans, even with defections, can effectively block ALL of Obama's legislation. There will not be any more liberal legislation for 2 more years.
This also means that the GOP House has subpoena power and can effectively launch investigations. I would take GREAT CARE for the GOP to exercise this, as people get burnt out on witch trials and tend to side with a victim unless serious wrongdoing can be proven. Notice how the Democrats did NOT investigate Bush in 2007 and won huge in 2008.
Democrats will attempt to paint all that's wrong with the world in 2012 on Congressional Republicans; but wait: Democrats, NOT REPUBLICANS, control the Senate! Barely, but still under Democrat control.
This effectively muddies the message to voters that the GOP controls Congress, yet still allows the GOP to block all of Obama's legislation.
Side benefit to Angle/O'Donnell losing is that there is no Republican that is a neophyte politician that will embarrass national Republicans with outrageous statements. Many liberals made hay with Angle and O'Donnell's statements ALL OVER THE COUNTRY: there is no such foil now.
So in 2012, voters will still see Obama as the leader (being President), and the most visible politician. Everything will be on him as before. House Speaker doesn't have nearly the name/face recognition as a President, yet all the power to block legislation. And instead of painting "Congress" as a whole as Republican, Democrats can just weakly point to the House as being Republican.
Best strategy for Republicans is to quietly block Obama's agenda except when Obama wants to pass legislation that is well-liked by a majority. Once that happens it will be smiles and handshakes, proving that the Republicans can be bi-partisan.
Do not have endless, pointless investigations.
Do not shut down the government; this will only attract attention to Republicans as antagonistic and unwilling to compromise.
If the economy improves, Obama will be praised and win re-election regardless. If the economy does not improve, Obama will lose because Senate/Presidency still controlled by Democrats. But don't make his re-election EASIER by giving him sympathy as the target of witch hunts (Clinton 1998), or the champion against an intransigent Republican House (Clinton 1996).
All in all, a good day for Republicans: they effectively neutered Obama's legislative agenda, no neophyte politicians making embarrassing quotes to be used against them, and no ability to paint "Congress" as Republican as Clinton did in 1996 since Democrats (barely) control the Senate.
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