398 thoughts on “Live Blogging the 2006 midterm election results”

1. Abhi, When you get a chance, do share your thoughts in a few words or a post, if so inclined.

   How does the changing of the guard in the house bode for the Indo-US nuke deal?

2. How does the changing of the guard in the house bode for the Indo-US nuke deal?

   Down the tubes. Bad news for India – Republicans had recognised India as one of the rising stars. Democrats cannot think India and Pakistan as different entities.

   It’s bad news for Outsourcing as well, and hence Indian IT companies.

   M. Nam

   PS; Lieberman kicked ass. I loved it.

3. Abhi, When you get a chance, do share your thoughts in a few words or a post, if so inclined. How does the changing of the guard in the house bode for the Indo-US nuke deal?

   I may in fact do that later this week. Just so you know however, issues like the Indo-US nuke deal are WAY down at the bottom of my list of things I care about in my country.

4. Kritic:

   How does the changing of the guard in the house bode for the Indo-US nuke deal?

   Well..thats top news in India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/373576.cms

5. Down the tubes. Bad news for India – Republicans had recognised India as one of the rising stars. Democrats cannot think India and Pakistan as different entities.

   The Dems can’t do jack to outsourcing. The nuclear deal is not dead yet. The support is bipartisan and endorsed by most Dem Congressional leaders. It will depend in part upon whether progressive doves within the party reassert nonproliferation (with the concomitant South Asia thinking) as a policy priority – I doubt it though.

6. By the way, 40 seconds ago in his press conference Bush just said he’s working on the India deal. Moornam, I think your “down the tubes” answer is a typical right wing over-reaction.

7. H O L Y

   Rumsfeld stepped down!

8. H O L Y Rumsfeld stepped down!

   I didn’t think I’d live to see this day.

9. I didn’t think I’d live to see this day.

   OMG! My entire lab is hyped!.. and we aren’t even American! This is big… I can’t wait to see what will happen with Iraq!

10. This is big… I can’t wait to see what will happen with Iraq!

    Partition and leave. What else could happen?

11. OMG! My entire lab is hyped!.. and we aren’t even American! This is big… I can’t wait to see what will happen with Iraq!

    My lab is American, and we’re hyped, too!

12. Partition and leave. What else could happen?

    they can be smart about it or stupid…

13. This is big… I can’t wait to see what will happen with Iraq!

    Not much in short term. Or option (Comment #.260).

    Maybe, changes in the rules of rotation of troops, etc.

    Democrats have had the majority in past too, as late as 1994. Sharing of power is good for democracy.

14. Partition and leave. What else could happen? they can be smart about it or stupid…

    I am not so sure about the partition idea. Remember India?…1947?…things will be no better in Iraq…

15. Partition and leave. What else could happen?

    Partition and stay. Shia, Sunni and Kurdish states, with American puppets heading each.

    Abhi writes:

    I think your “down the tubes” answer is a typical right wing over-reaction.

    Most Indian newpapers/columnists are saying that it’s down the tubes. Are they right-wing too?

    M. Nam

    PS: I hope the nuclear deal goes thru.

16. I am not so sure about the partition idea. Remember India?…1947?…things will be no better in Iraq…

    Possibly.

    Back to Indian subcontinent, it lead to four wars, civil war in East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), and the Kashmir problem.

    One thing you forget: Most of the oil (major world reserves) is in Kurdish region and in the neighborhood. Parts of partitioned Iraq will starve if partitioned, I am not kidding. This could lead to further instability.

17. Most Indian newpapers/columnists are saying that it’s down the tubes. Are they right-wing too?

    MoorNam,

    The historic US-China Nuclear deal took 10 years to pass. I think India-US will take somewhat 4-5 years, I really hope Indian mandarins have the mental stamina to rough it out.

    Democrats will make noise and then yield. Why? New jobs.

18. I am not so sure about the partition idea. Remember India?…1947?…things will be no better in Iraq…

    There’s a de-facto partition of Kurdistan in place since the Gulf War. A tripartite state in place of Iraq is the only way an imperial power can make a “moral” exit and convince itself that it hasn’t left behind a minority to be slaughtered. There are unique details about Iraq that make this partition more complicated (i.e. locations of oil and Iran’s influence over a Shiite state etc.), but I’d be surprised if some form of partition didn’t occur.

19. Rumsfeld stepped down!

    i knew they would pull something like this to steal pelosi’s thunder

20. Here’s what Tom Lantos’ elevation to Int’l Relations chair means for India and Pakistan.

21. “Here’s what Tom Lantos’ elevation to Int’l Relations chair means for India and Pakistan.”

    that palpatine reference is spot-on!

22. Here’s what Tom Lantos’ elevation to Int’l Relations chair means for India and Pakistan.

    Thanks Manish, well done. And Natwar Singh deserved all the scorn heaped on him 🙂

23. We won! Yeah! Today is a great day! After poll monitoring all day yesterday and partying all night, today is even better. AP has called Montana for the Dems and now its recount time in VA before we can say hello to SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID! Mission accomplished, indeed. All the people who worked tirelessly for this victory, please celebrate like its 1994! To my Republican macacas, dont be too sad, there is always 2008 😉

24. I may in fact do that later this week. Just so you know however, issues like the Indo-US nuke deal are WAY down at the bottom of my list of things I care about in my country.

    “Your” president did comment about an agreement with “kritics’s country”, and this was not in response to any prompting by the reporter.

    It is understandable that the Indo-US nuke deal is “WAY down at the bottom of [your] list of things [you] care about in [your] country”.

    One hopes that this means that there will be far fewer posts here about other people’s countries,you know, countries that one has never been a citizen of, countries in which one has spent less than three years, countries one has no interest in moving to(Bidismoker exclusion!).

25. The whole ‘Whats good for India’ worry is really getting old. I dont think relations with India ranked in the top 50 concerns of an average voter.

26. amfd,

    An american citizen should vote for what is in America’s best interest. I agree. I would not want to see a desi version of the likudnik coalition.

    My response was to the “my country”ism bit.

27. Maybe some people think the US-India nuclear deal is good for the US……one of those win-win situations…..

28. Maybe some people think the US-India nuclear deal is good for the US

    Yes. And even if you’re not sure, this is the right framing to use 🙂

29. One hopes that this means that there will be far fewer posts here about other people’s countries,you know, countries that one has never been a citizen of, countries in which one has spent less than three years, countries one has no interest in moving to(Bidismoker exclusion!).

    If you don’t like my posts then don’t read my blog. 😉

30. Rick Santorum is (was) just as much a bogeyman and unAmerican to some types as Pelosi is to, uh, other types.

    Santorum was not held up as a PA-based conservative bogeyman. He was not attacked on the basis of geography. Instead , he was replaced. He made himself a bogeyman by spouting hatred. When has Pelosi ranted against a group with intrinsic qualities, part of their human condition, the way Santorum has ranted against gays? I proudly charactertize gay-bashing as malicious b/c it is malicious, and directed against people I care about deeply, without any fault on their part except being themselves and being part of the human condition. Characterizing foreign policy dissent as malicious is evidence-free, imprecise fear-mongering.

    It’s apparently fair game to toss a generic, evidence-free jibe at an accomplished historian (read the endnotes sometime) and teacher. You know which conservatives you’ll see me serving that kind of disrespect to? Coulter. Santorum. Limbaugh. DeLay. You know why? THEY’RE MEAN! They’re cruel and hateful. They’re proud of it. When was Pelosi ever repeatedly, deliberately, mean to a whole group of human beings? There is no symmetry. It is a false symmetry.

    I disagree with your New England hair dresser, but I also see why she feels that way. The values of tolerant, progressive, coastal urbanism have been attacked ceaselessly for the last 12 years–just to create a bogeyman so appropriations can explode and regulations be gutted. More than 50 per cent of the population lives in a coastal county, so technically speaking, New England IS closer in character to most of America. Not to mention that that’s where most of the taxes and GDP come from. Well, I’m proud to say the coasts are sticking up for themselvs and the heartland is remembering its glory days as a bastion of progress. Ideals like living wages, better healthcare, environmental stewardship, just & sensible foreign policy, and tolerance aren’t, actually, a function of a particular population density, cultural makeup, or geographical location. E Pluribus Unum.

31. When has Pelosi ranted against a group with intrinsic qualities, part of their human condition, the way Santorum has ranted against gays?

    well, she at least gave a wink to homophobia with regards to the Mark Foley scandel. “Protect our children”, please…no children were involved and that gays are pedophiles is a very hurtful stereotype, and this coming from a clinton defender.

    I sure Siddhartha agrees.

32. To my Republican macacas, dont be too sad, there is always 2008 ;)?

    If the democratic victory reduces the influence of Rove and other Republican consultants who keep telling Bush to shore up the base as opposed to moving to the center or bringing the center to them, I for one am happy. Hopefully the house, the senate and the presidency keeps moving between the parties every 4-8 years as opposed to the current 12-15 years. This should reduce the influence of lobbyists. Another piece of good news, Rumsfeld was fired. Now let us get rid of Condi and send Cheney hunting in Iraq and we should be fine.

33. I sure Siddhartha agrees.

    You don’t need to bait me. As I said in the comment you refer to:

    My point is that appeals to gender, race, or religious animosity/insecurities are difficult to unpack from other aspects of political messaging. That goes for any election, any party.

34. I proudly charactertize gay-bashing as malicious b/c it is malicious, and directed against people I care about deeply, without any fault on their part except being themselves and being part of the human condition

    I couldn’t agree with you more. I consider myself a moderate republican but the one candidate I was hoping would lose was Santorum more than any democrat. This interview should convince you that this freak’s defeat was good for the country.

35. Saheli – as someone whose best friend is gay (and who shares her blog) I don’t much care for gay bashing either. I just thought your rant was a little strange – you won, my friend. Enjoy it.

36. First Muslim elected to Congress

    Does that mean no pork for his district?

37. Seems like many democrats won in Middle America by co-opting the socially conservative agenda of the Republlicans. This is no victory for a liberal agenda, just an anti-incumbency, anti-war vote.

38. First Muslim elected to Congress

    Does that mean no pork for his district?

    Ha! If that were true then CT would be in trouble …

39. Plus, they did so why cant we is not a good argument.

    Beige, Thats not my argument. I am saying that Bush is responsible for a genocide of Shia and Sunnis of Iraq. Close to a million people will have been killed due to Bush’s stupid and imperialistic action out of hubris. If that is done by other countries they end up in the “Internation Criminal Court” ….

    There is difference between two consenting adults having sex, and one president causing death of 1 million people. I hope you see the difference. Thats why IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH !!!!!!

40. I hate to break it to you, RC, but the Republicans might welcome the impeachment proceedings, nothing will rally the troops better (oops, bad metaphor). I give you voter disgust with impeaching Republicans last time around as exhibit A.

    And the genocide is caused by the people genociding, not Bush, i.e. the rival sectarian factions who would rather let blood than work together. If they would just stop blowing each other up, well, they’re would be less people being blown up. Why give the genociders a free pass? Can we impeach al Sadr? Can I get a witness? Oops. Second bad metaphor.

41. If you don’t like my posts then don’t read my blog. 😉

    I neither like nor dislike your posts. But I come here, because, to use razib’s phrase, “brown is being made here”. When you and Amardeep go on radio, I am sure neither one of you is presumptuous enough to think that you speak on behalf of 2Gen south asians, but I suspect that the people who invite you to speak do so because they find you both intelligent and radio-worthy, and to them you and Sepia Mutiny are stand-ins for the 2gen south asian voice.

    And so I feel compelled to in the words of Martin Buber, to fight in the revolution, against the revolution, for the sake of the revolution.

    Anyway, what prompted my initial response is the “my country” bit.

    This is unrelated to this thread but I find that the Indians and ex-Indian citizens (the non-nutty ones) here are far too gracious of the critiquing of things Indian. I think they ought to pull the same “my country” attitude. If SM is talking about India, and you are an Indian citizen, you ought engage more vociferously. No apologies. No pussyfooting. No I am sorry I am reading “your” blog, is it ok for me to post on “your” blog.

    Next time someone says all Indian politicians are corrupt, tell the posters that none of those corrupt politicians pushed for a war under false premises, that lead to the death of 600,000 Iraqis. Some will refer to the Times of India as the Slimes of India, but the New York Times and Judith Miller is more respectfully disagreed with. They will speak of diabetes in India, but not obesity in America. The criticism of culture is asymmetric. Every thing (politics, religion, culture, movies) in India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan falls under South Asian umbrella. But 98% American issues do not fall under their purview, because well there isn’t a South Asian angle, and so the asymmetry of criticism.

42. MD, what was your original stand on the War and what is it now? You can always take a situation where so many people are dying and obfuscate the facts because, after all, there’s so many people dying, no one can really pay attention anymore.

    At first it was WMD, then it was getting rid of Saddama, and now its Al Sadr? Come on. Thats a shell game. And meanwhile, people are dying.

43. I am saying that Bush is responsible for a genocide of Shia and Sunnis of Iraq

    RC,

    I am not a big fan of Bush but I have to completely agree with MD.

    Moreover, in 2003, almost everyone (yes, almost everyone including Democrats and Republicans) were gungho about Iraq. There was a very small minority opposing the war, like Jimmy Carter and few handful of people. It was “shock and awe”, baby.

    What is happening is simple: The body count of American soldiers are rising. Most of the soldiers dead are from middle, white America. Middle, white America is rightfully so getting concerned, and they see it escalating endlessly. That is pretty much it.

44. This is unrelated to this thread but I find that the Indians and ex-Indian citizens (the non-nutty ones) here are far too gracious of the critiquing of things Indian. I think they ought to pull the same “my country” attitude.

    A much better idea would be for them to start blogs of their own, don’t you think? There is no monopoly on thought here. This blog will always be from an American perspective since we are all American. Likewise there are plenty of blogs in India that “pull” the same type of thing you want to see more of.

45. Kush, good point, but I also think that ‘middle America’ wants to win and if we are not going to win it, then end it. So, it’s more than a pure body count thing.

46. And yet, we were told that Iraq is better off now than under Saddam. And nor that they is likely not true, we’re told that its Shia and Sunni killing each other and its all their fault. Whatever metric is used to say that the war as wrong is simply changed to some other metric. WMD? Its about Saddam? A lot of people dying? At least not as many as during Saddam’s time. More people (possibly) dying now than in Saddam’s time? Its the nature of the country for people to kill themselves? What will the next change in metric be? All so we can just stay there and take absolutely no responsibility at all for what is going really wrong there

47. Kush, good point, but I also think that ‘middle America’ wants to win and if we are not going to win it, then end it. So, it’s more than a pure body count thing.

    I’m not getting it, middle america wants to win? Is that a policy description? If middle america wanted all the legos in Scandanavia, should we just go and get all the legos there?

48. “A much better idea would be for them to start blogs of their own, don’t you think? There is no monopoly on thought here.”

    those two statements seem contradictory. why is it that when people criticize something they are told to go start their own blog? i understand that sentiment when there are some truly unpleasant people who say unpleasant things or those who try to tell you exactly what you should and shouldn’t write about, but why should an indian/south asian citizen arguing vociferously (but politely) about something written about south asia on an american-perspective south asian blog go start their own blog? a blog is written to get reaction (agreement and disagreement) from others (if comments are allowed, that is). isn’t that like telling people to move to another country if you don’t like this one (if they say something critical)?

49. sahej – why are people dying again? Are they dying in Kurdistan? And, didn’t the NYT just publish an article where Saddam was within a year of building a ‘nucular’ bomb? You know, that whole, they put that stuff on the internets for the Iranians to use (okay, that was a silly article). The Iraqis are dying because of a civil war between rival factions, plus some contribution of Iranian/Syrian proxies/jihadists. They were dying under Saddam, they were warring with Iran under Saddam, and now they are dying without Saddam. Whose fault is that? What do you mean shell game? If there was no civil war, US troops would be home now and there would be no dying. Why can’t you see that? So, you tell me. Sanctions were wrong, except that they were working, except when they weren’t. And, Saddam was no threat to us, so let’s keep him in place, except that’s wrong because we are ignoring evil dicatators. Supporting/tolerating Saddam was wrong. Removing Saddam was wrong. Are there any other options out there, adults?

50. those two statements seem contradictory. why is it that when people criticize something they are told to go start their own blog?

    Because bloggers HATE when people tell them what to blog about/how to blog. This is a universal rule that you will not get unless you become a blogger. Go start your own blog is our standard response.