So...is Bush screwed now?

[Rooster]

I still don't really understand US politics. Someone please explain to moi just what the midterms are and why the Democrats winning is good.

[Llewthepoet]

The midterms are when the American citizens vote for part of the Senate and all of the House of Representatives in between Presidential elections years.

It would be a lot harder to get laws past with a opposite party Congress.

YAY DEMS!!!

[Tom Flapwell]

EDIT: Please ignore this post. I was thinking that we'd lost the Senate for sure, but that was premature.

[Muninn]

...and why the Democrats winning is good.

It's good because after the corruption of the Bush controlled House and Senate people wanted some change and honesty, so they opted for Democrats.

That is, in theory, people expect different politicians to be different than the ones they don't like.

[Mage.exe]

Someone please explain to moi... why the Democrats winning is good.

The US Government is divided in to three branches: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. There are two main parties with different ideals in this country, the Democrats and the Republicans. Before the midterm elections, the key positions in all 3 branches were heavy with Republican influence, meaning the country was being run mostly by republicans, and the democrats had little power in the way things were run. The three-branch system is designed so the government will keep itself in check and make sure that whatever happens is for the best, but when all 3 are being run by the same party, all that really gets addressed are things that one party deems important.
Now that the Democrats have control of the legislative branch again, things will hopefully start shifting to a more moderate government.

[Miles E Traysandor]

Basically, the voters told the Bush party to take a hike. Anybody who's afilliated with the same party as Bush generally had a bad night on Tuesday.

It's probably our way of saying "You SUCK, Mr. Bush, and NOBODY LIKES YOU. PERIOD."

That is all.

[Bocaj Claw]

Many of them, at least the ones on the internet(s), are telling him to take a hike all the way back to crawford and stay there until his time is up.

The msnbc forums make a pretty interesting read right after an election.

[sandblaster]

People think Bush sucks, and thats why he was only relected twice. The changes in congress have nothing to do with those politicians or the policies of the parties. It is only about Bush.

[Richard K Niner]

People think Bush sucks, and thats why he was only relected twice.

If people didn't like him, why would they give him more terms as President than he's legally allowed (to be re-elected twice, you have to have already served a term beforehand)?

[Mr. Neign]

People think Bush sucks, and thats why he was only relected twice.

Just would like to comment.. a president can only serve two terms max(1 term=4 years). Therefore, a president can only be "re"elected once.
Edit: and to clarify, there have been two Bush's as president.
The current one is the last one's son.

[horsedreamer]

Bush and the Red Congress are probably going to push through some "cover our asses" laws to retroactively legalize all that illegal junk they've pulled. Furthermore, Bush probably has some pardons sitting in his desk waiting for the eleventh hour.

With any luck, Germany will get to try Rumsfeld.

Interestingly, while Republicans were more than happy to try and fry the last Democratic president over personal matters, they are now saying that the Democrats shouldn't focus on taking legal action against Republican politicians who broke laws relevant to their job performance. And they'll walk, because that's how these things go.

[Tavis]

I swear, people like to characterize things way too strongly based on their own perceptions. The simple fact is this: A sufficient amount of people were not pleased with the strength of the Republican party's control of the U.S. government, the president, or whatever other reason, and then voted for change. Those votes resulted in tipping the majority for the House of Representatives and the Senate away from the Republican party.

Call it good, call it bad; that's your call. I believe it will be a halthy move for the country as long as it is a move toward balance. Only time will tell.

[sandblaster]

Bush and the Red Congress are probably going to push through some "cover our asses" laws to retroactively legalize all that illegal junk they've pulled. Furthermore, Bush probably has some pardons sitting in his desk waiting for the eleventh hour.

Even if Bush pardons them it will be no worse then Clinton pardoning criminals because they contributed to his campaign funs.

Interestingly, while Republicans were more than happy to try and fry the last Democratic president over personal matters, they are now saying that the Democrats shouldn't focus on taking legal action against Republican politicians who broke laws relevant to their job performance. And they'll walk, because that's how these things go.

Personal matters like that time he commited perjury, A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. If you think perjury doesn't matter go to prison sometime and talk to people who are there because they lied in court. So how they feel about the subject. It doesn't matter if you think he was a good president, what happened if he broke a law and tried to interfere with the investigation of a crime (White Water)

The only thing that the Democrats could even try impeaching Bush over is Iraq, which was a war that Democrats VOTED FOR!

Sounds to me like there is no reason to impeach Bush other then revenge, and that will only hurt the nation in the long run.

[Muninn]

After a few years scandals will appear for Democrats because now they're in the limelight and they'll be the ones the media investigates more. They'll start looking like how Bush and co. are now sooner or later.

Then seeing their chance the Republicans will "reinvent" themselves. They'll say they've changed and will embrace "compassionate conservatism". And the people will be joyous at this breath of fresh air.

And the political cycle will be complete only to be played out again and again.

What to do when your party is failing? Say you've changed. It saved Labour in England and the Republicans in 1994. Now look at them.

[horsedreamer]

Personal matters like that time he commited perjury, A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

He was catching a hummer in the oval office. How again was this relevant to the investigation? As I recall, there never ended up being charges against him over whitewater. That sounds like they were looking for something to get him on, to me.

The only thing that the Democrats could even try impeaching Bush over is Iraq, which was a war that Democrats VOTED FOR!

My democrats didn't vote for going to Iraq. I know plenty did, and that was wrong. It's also wrong to put off rebuilding, and if George gets in the way of that...