What If President McCain and the Republicans had Controlled Congress ?

[S0S]

Quantum mechanics' many-worlds theory implies that all possible alternative histories and futures are real...

So, what if President McCain and the Republicans had controlled congress ?

idea by Death Metal Moe

[StanUpshaw]

It would basically be the same. Except instead of Obamacare, they would call it MediCain.

[Pitdoc]

OK, here's my take (after 2 yrs only)
1. STILL in Iraq
2. In Afghanistan for the forseeable future
3. GMC sold for scrap (Don't want no government bailouts) 1 million more unemployed
4. Unemployment at 14% (No more wasteful "stimulus " spent )
5.Banks allowed to fourclose on peoples houses after missing one mortgage payment
6. Bush tax cuts extended & expanded (to top 2%) .Dividend tax & "death tax" gone - Deficits to go to 5 trillion by 2012
7. Health care reform- Tax incentives given to INSURANCE COMPANIES so they'll "do the right thing"
8.Corporate taxes cut by 25%- Every Republican running for the next 20 years gets anonymous "campaign contributions " equal to 3 x what they used to spend against Democrats . A 20 yr Republican Empire is born .
9. Iran invaded by 2011


Hey, this is fun!!

[Recyclerz]

By now President McCain would have died after consuming some suspiciously undercooked moose meat and we would be living in the first years of the reign of Empress Sarah the First.

[foodcourtdruide]

Things pretty much would have been the same, except maybe a more hawkish stance against Iran and a health care bill (nearly identical) would have passed with a lot less press and criticism.

[HBox]

The Secretary of State would be reenacting Weekend at Bernie's, and the entire country would be going along with the flimsy charade in a continuing successful attempt to convince the Palins that President McCain did survive his stroke.

[A.J.]

We'd be drilling, baby, drilling.

[Dudeman]

We'd have much more Honor.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BOIebpaAlTo/TG77gV6qtrI/AAAAAAAAATc/8FuoMuwnWvg/s1600/glenn-beck-looks-nuts1.jpg

http://www2.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Glenn+Beck+Hosts+Controversial+Restoring+Honor+ZeI AMypUARGl.jpg

[WRESTLINGFAN]

We would be in another war fighting the Persians

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[Tenbatsuzen]

We would be in another war fighting the Persians



This is madness.

[pennington]

Remember, McCain was basically a Democrat (the Dems even wanted him to join them, John Kerry wanted him for V.P. when he ran). Some differences:

1) More people would have been able to play golf without the Secret Service shutting down golf courses 52 times.

2) A less unconscionable health care bill. Even my Dem congressman said it was a mistake (he still voted for it, though).

3) Less bank bail-outs. That needed to work itself out before the decision was made to dump billions (trillions?) more into them.

4) GM would have gone into Chapter 11 and the courts would have handled it the way it was intended. Dealerships would not have been forced to close unwillingly. GM would have emerged and would still exist today.

5) Chrysler would not have been given to Fiat. Chapter 11 also. Less dealerships forced out of business (a lot more of their employees would still have jobs).

5) That ridiculous stimulus bill would have been a fraction of what it was.

6) The orgy of spending would have continued but the deficits would have been slightly smaller.

[Dan 'Hampton]

We'd have an old white guy instead of a half white guy. Same shit.

[Serpico1103]

Remember, McCain was basically a Democrat (the Dems even wanted him to join them, John Kerry wanted him for V.P. when he ran). Some differences:

1) More people would have been able to play golf without the Secret Service shutting down golf courses 52 times.

2) A less unconscionable health care bill. Even my Dem congressman said it was a mistake (he still voted for it, though).

3) Less bank bail-outs. That needed to work itself out before the decision was made to dump billions (trillions?) more into them.

4) GM would have gone into Chapter 11 and the courts would have handled it the way it was intended. Dealerships would not have been forced to close unwillingly. GM would have emerged and would still exist today.

5) Chrysler would not have been given to Fiat. Chapter 11 also. Less dealerships forced out of business (a lot more of their employees would still have jobs).

5) That ridiculous stimulus bill would have been a fraction of what it was.

6) The orgy of spending would have continued but the deficits would have been slightly smaller.

Unbiased information is hard to come by, thanks.

[epo]

Remember, McCain was basically a Democrat (the Dems even wanted him to join them, John Kerry wanted him for V.P. when he ran). Some differences:



McCain was NOT basically a Democrat. Stop spewing stupid shit.

[Tenbatsuzen]

We'd have much more Honor.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BOIebpaAlTo/TG77gV6qtrI/AAAAAAAAATc/8FuoMuwnWvg/s1600/glenn-beck-looks-nuts1.jpg


I've never listened to the guy, but why does Beck always have these zany posed pictures out there? It's almost like he never left the morning zoo part of his career behind. Is there a shot where he's fake choking someone with a bemused look on his face, or maybe wearing wacky oversized sunglasses and a Hawaiian shirt?

[Syd]

The same people who listen to morning zoo shows are the same people he advertises to.

[pennington]

Unbiased information is hard to come by, thanks.

You're too subtle for me.

[pennington]

McCain was NOT basically a Democrat. Stop spewing stupid shit.

OK, he was a RINO that the Senate Democrats tried to recruit and John Kerry wanted for his V.P. running mate. Is that better?

[Dudeman]

OK, he was a RINO that the Senate Democrats tried to recruit and John Kerry wanted for his V.P. running mate. Is that better?

first of all, that's an over-simplification. secondly, he's clearly changed at least some of his ways to fall in line with the extreme right:

http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/0326.palin-dials-back-gun-rhetoric.jpg/7643347-1-eng-US/0326.palin-dials-back-gun-rhetoric.jpg_full_600.jpg

[Dudeman]

We'd have an old white guy instead of a half white guy. Same shit

we'd have 2 more white guys on the supreme court taking away the rights of women and other minorities

[pennington]

first of all, that's an over-simplification.

Not really. The same could be said about Arlen Spector (although he did switch parties, and look what happened to him).

secondly, he's clearly changed at least some of his ways to fall in line with the extreme right

I thought the premise of this thread was what would happen if McCain won in 2008. Now, if you're asking did he change his positions in an attempt to win re-election? Of course. Will he go back to his old positions if he's re-elected? Probably. Has he had a sincere change-of-heart? Maybe, who knows. As far as I'm concerned, we should have had term-limits years ago and then most of these people would have been gone by now.

[keithy_19]

first of all, that's an over-simplification. secondly, he's clearly changed at least some of his ways to fall in line with the extreme right:

http://www.csmonitor.com/var/ezflow_site/storage/images/media/images/0326.palin-dials-back-gun-rhetoric.jpg/7643347-1-eng-US/0326.palin-dials-back-gun-rhetoric.jpg_full_600.jpg

She looks like she's cold.

[Recyclerz]

She looks like she's cold.

You can't see her nips in that picture! :innocent:

To Pennington's points 3 through 6 (including both number 5s :wink:) I link for your reading pleasure a paper co-written by Mark Zandi, a well respected economist (and one of John McCain's top two economic advisors in his campaign) demonstrating how the bail-outs (to his credit, in my book, initiated by Bush), the extraordinary Fed reserve actions and the quick passage of the stimulus bill actually did have the effect of avoiding a lot more economic carnage that was on its way to our collective wallets.

How The Great Recession Was Brought to an End (http://www.economy.com/mark-zandi/documents/End-of-Great-Recession.pdf)

Admittedly, the economy is still somewhat rocky but Obama and the Dems did accomplish something significant and positive even if it is outside of the worldview of the TeaPartiers.

Since Zandi would have been an aide to McCain would this have happened anyway? Doubtful, given the unreasoned hatred for government by the latest wav of Conservative opinion leaders but possible if the remants of the sane(r) Repubs had allied with the Dems to do the adult thing.

[Syd]

4) GM would have gone into Chapter 11 and the courts would have handled it the way it was intended. Dealerships would not have been forced to close unwillingly. GM would have emerged and would still exist today.

5) Chrysler would not have been given to Fiat. Chapter 11 also. Less dealerships forced out of business (a lot more of their employees would still have jobs).

They'd have gone to chapter 11 but still would have been able to foster enough business to warrant all these dealerships? Those things were gone, period. Dealerships over-expanded during the SUV craze and as market share normalized there wasn't much point to having all of them.

Chrysler would have simply closed. Cerberus only bought them because of the Jeep nameplate and if it had gone under, that would have been finagled so that the name could have been sold off.

[Syd]

and if McCain would have been elected, there would be US troops in Yemen and Poland and air strikes against Iran. Fortunately no one gives a shit about 2/3rds of the US budget going towards the military so they wouldn't have cared about massive deficit.

[WRESTLINGFAN]

and if McCain would have been elected, there would be US troops in Yemen and Poland and air strikes against Iran. Fortunately no one gives a shit about 2/3rds of the US budget going towards the military so they wouldn't have cared about massive deficit.

McCain wouldnt have been better. The DoD budget is too bloated. However Obama isn't exactly a peace president


http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2010/10/frank_enlists_d.html

[pennington]

To Pennington's points 3 through 6 (including both number 5s :wink:)

I added another point before I hit submit and didn't change all the numbers. I blame the vodka for that (but I'm amused the rest of my post was coherent).

[pennington]

They'd have gone to chapter 11 but still would have been able to foster enough business to warrant all these dealerships? Those things were gone, period. Dealerships over-expanded during the SUV craze and as market share normalized there wasn't much point to having all of them.

Then the unhealthy ones would have closed on their own, not been forced out of business by the federal government.

[Syd]

Then the unhealthy ones would have closed on their own, not been forced out of business by the federal government.

They were closed by the business in question, not the government. Hell if anything the government helped them out since they didn't want to see the unemployment spike from all of them being shuttered.

[Syd]

McCain wouldnt have been better. The DoD budget is too bloated. However Obama isn't exactly a peace president


http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2010/10/frank_enlists_d.html

Without a doubt, Obama has been violating Pakistan's sovereignty since he came in office. It's choosing the lesser of two evils there though since America doesn't have the money or manpower to sustain the wars it is in now.

[WRESTLINGFAN]

Without a doubt, Obama has been violating Pakistan's sovereignty since he came in office. It's choosing the lesser of two evils there though since America doesn't have the money or manpower to sustain the wars it is in now.

My huge gripe with the tea party is that they do not want to take a dime out of the Pentagons budget. They label it as not caring about the troops. I understand that money is needed for returning vets from Iraq ,AF Pak operations healthcare, PTSD and that should not be cut however all of these weapons systems and waste abuse costs billions. We wont be getting into dogfights with Jihadis 35K ft above earth.

Almost 3/4 of a trillion dollars for a DoD budget is wayyyyyyy too much.

[Furtherman]

Almost 3/4 of a trillion dollars for a DoD budget is wayyyyyyy too much.

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[Syd]

My huge gripe with the tea party is that they do not want to take a dime out of the Pentagons budget. They label it as not caring about the troops. I understand that money is needed for returning vets from Iraq ,AF Pak operations healthcare, PTSD and that should not be cut however all of these weapons systems and waste abuse costs billions. We wont be getting into dogfights with Jihadis 35K ft above earth.

Almost 3/4 of a trillion dollars for a DoD budget is wayyyyyyy too much.

It's pretty ridiculous. I'd be all for cutting the budget if everything was cut, not just social programs. Otherwise why cut money earmarked for culture or health when vast sums are still spent on toys that will never be used?

[WRESTLINGFAN]

Scroll down a bit and shows a pie chart of US Military spending vs the world

http://www.globalissues.org/article/75/world-military-spending#InContextUSMilitarySpendingVersusRestofth eWorld

[WRESTLINGFAN]

Another agency that needs to be eliminated or cut severely is DHS. It would be even bigger under McCain.

[Syd]

DHS is an utter joke. Fold the agency and give the FBI responsibility. Otherwise it's paying two people for the same job.

[A.J.]

My huge gripe with the tea party is that they do not want to take a dime out of the Pentagons budget. They label it as not caring about the troops. I understand that money is needed for returning vets from Iraq ,AF Pak operations healthcare, PTSD and that should not be cut however all of these weapons systems and waste abuse costs billions. We wont be getting into dogfights with Jihadis 35K ft above earth.

Almost 3/4 of a trillion dollars for a DoD budget is wayyyyyyy too much.

Blame the Army and Air Force for that. My beloved Navy is flawless. I make sure of that.

DHS is an utter joke. Fold the agency and give the FBI responsibility. Otherwise it's paying two people for the same job.

Yep. And get rid of the DNI and roll it back into CIA: as should have been done for both in the first place.

[epo]

Scroll down a bit and shows a pie chart of US Military spending vs the world

http://www.globalissues.org/article/75/world-military-spending#InContextUSMilitarySpendingVersusRestofth eWorld

Realistically that number needs to be cut in half. The problem is that a majority of that spending is in fixed human capital expenditures.

I agree whole-heartedly that we need to pare down our military expenses. But I also think because of the nature of the costs, it will take more than one or possibly two administrations to do it.

[WRESTLINGFAN]

We have troops in 150+ countries. I understand that there needs to be some embassy guards. Marines do that. But do we need all those troops in Germany still?

[hanso]

Quantum mechanics' many-worlds theory implies that all possible alternative histories and futures are real...

So, what if President McCain and the Republicans had controlled congress ?

idea by Death Metal Moe




They already have by non partisan practice tactics. The Dems have had one short of 60.

[Pitdoc]

They already have by non partisan practice tactics. The Dems have had one short of 60.

IF the Democrats retain both houses after the election, I would hope they they get as motherfuckerish as the Republicans have been in running the Senate ( Thats not necessarily a diss on the Repubs, they've been masterful at using little known rules to get what they want) .They can vote to CHANGE the rules come January, making it impossible to stop all bills and nominations like they have the past 4 years . In fact ,if that milquetoast Reid had made the Repubs actually stand up there and actually filibuster , they'd have had to fold ther tents on a lot of stuff they've done .As it is now, one Republican stands up and says, "I fillibuster", and the bill that might have taken 5 months to write, craft, and get thru the house is DEAD. Its not the way Congress was meant to run. Even if it threatens their majority, I hop Reid loses, so we wont have the Dems lunch money taken away for the next 2 years.

[Jujubees2]

McCain wouldnt have been better. The DoD budget is too bloated. However Obama isn't exactly a peace president


http://www.boston.com/news/politics/politicalintelligence/2010/10/frank_enlists_d.html

WF, do you think it would really be tat much different if Ron Paul had won?

[pennington]

do you think it would really be tat much different if Ron Paul had won?

He certainly would have rattled some cages. But with a Democratic controlled House and Senate? They would have done everything they possibly could to block him. The deficits would be smaller, though.

[Dudeman]

He certainly would have rattled some cages. But with a Democratic controlled House and Senate? They would have done everything they possibly could to block him. The deficits would be smaller, though.

oversight of the nation's food and drug supply... bye bye
maintenance of the infrastructure... bye bye
health care for children... bye bye
::help:

[Dude!]

oversight of the nation's food and drug supply... bye bye
maintenance of the infrastructure... bye bye
health care for children... bye bye
::help:

and good riddance

[foodcourtdruide]

He certainly would have rattled some cages. But with a Democratic controlled House and Senate? They would have done everything they possibly could to block him. The deficits would be smaller, though.

Not really. The democrats are way more concerned with their public image of "not being fair" than the republicans are. The second they were accused of being "the party of no" they would cave and support a republican president, whereas the republicans stood strong.

The democrats don't have the political guts to push their agenda, even when they have a majority in house/senate and the Presidency.

[WRESTLINGFAN]

WF, do you think it would really be tat much different if Ron Paul had won?

President Paul and a majority GOP congress? If the majority was filled with Graham and McCain types there would be a lot of clashing btwn The WH and Cap Hill on issues of Patriot Act, wiretapping etc. & Troops in Afghanistan/Iraq

[hanso]

We would be in 5 wars by now.





And broke as a Mfer.