(CNN) -- Now is not the time to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gay men and lesbians serving openly in the U.S. armed forces, Sen. John McCain said at a hearing Thursday.
"At this time, we should be inherently cautious about making any changes that would affect our military, and what changes we do make should be the product of careful and deliberate consideration," the Arizona Republican said at the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.
His position is not that the law should never be changed, he said, but that "it may be premature to make such a change at this time and in this manner."
In contrast, Defense Secretary Robert Gates urged that the repeal be signed into law as soon as possible, to avoid the issue being taken up again by the judiciary, where a repeal of the ban could be ordered immediately, rather than on the military's timetable. A judicial fiat would be "hazardous," he added.
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, said he believes that even among those combat forces, a transition to a new law is possible.
"Should repeal occur, some soldiers and Marines may want separate shower facilities. Some may ask for different berthing. Some may even quit the service. We'll deal with that. But I believe, and history tells, that most of them will put aside personal proclivities for something larger than themselves and for each other," he said.
My Opinion
First, I think it is very funny that my very blog post was about Senator McCain and my very last post coincidentally is about him too. However, in my first blog post I criticized him on his policy views toward immigration. I have matured since then. I will not criticize him on this, because I don't believe his views towards this issue are wrong. I feel like he is being reasonable on this and is just looking out for the safety of the country. Not that he was not looking out for the safety of the country with the immigration issue, but I believe his beliefs on this issue are more noble than the ones from immigration.
He believes that the DADT policy should not be repealed because it may affect our military conditions. In a sense I believe he is right. There are a lot of people who strongly oppose gays and lesbians. Somewhere in the military some of these people exist. So, I just think he is looking out for the safety of the country, and the safety of those troops who are gay or lesbian.
On the other hand, I also agree with Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen. I have no military experience, neither does anyone in my family so I speak for myself when I say this. I believe that in the military is not about being gay, lesbian, straight, Black, White, Latino, or Asian. I believe that in the military a brotherhood exist. I believe that each and every one of those soldiers will have each other's back at any given moment. Like the soldier who recently received the medal of honor, with his story I highly doubt that if his wounded brother was gay that he wouldn't have returned for him. I think that if that soldier who eventually died was openly gay then he would have still went back for him. At least I would.
I think that the media could play a little bit more of a role in this issue. They could interview soldiers about how they would feel if this policy was repealed. That way the world could see that it is not about being gay or lesbian, but about staying alive. In this sense I agree with McCain when he said he was bothered that the soldiers did not get asked how they felt about this. They wouldn't care, they probably know already who is gay and who is not.
Closing Commentary
Welp, just like my first post I will end this one with a few comments. It's been fun blogging this semester, I have learned a lot. Reading you guy's blogs has kept me informed with the many stories that I don't keep up with. Just like I said before, our mission entering this class was to get out with an "A." I hope we all do that, and we all succeed in the future, and also thanks to Dr. DeWitt for a fun semester. My fellow classmates, good luck the rest of the way with your education/ professional career, and life. I wish you all the best, and many blessing your ways.
Over and OUT!!!
-Hector Rojas
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Amazon Pulls Plug on WikiLeaks
Computers run by Amazon's Elastic web Computer service in Tulsa, Portland, New York and elsewhere had been hosting the site cablegate.WikiLeaks.org, the Wall Street Journal noted on Tuesday, as well as WikiLeaks.org, the controversial site's front page.
Joe LLieberman, chairman of the Homeland security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said that Amazon told him of the decision to end the relationship between the two companies.
"This morning Amazon informed my staff that it has ceased to host the WikiLeaks website," Lieberman said in a public statement. "The company's decision to cut off WikiLeaks now is the right decision and should set the standard for other companies Wikileaks is using to distribute its illegally seized material," he said in a statement.
"I call on any other company or organization that is hosting WikiLeaks to immediately terminate its relationship with them," Lieberman added.
My Opinion
Most of us know what happened here with this developing story. If you are new to the story then I will take a second to explain the situation. WikiLeaks, a website know for publishing anonymous submissions and leaks of sensitive governmental, corporate, organizational, or religious documents. The contributors to this website are unknown.
Recently the website has leaked thousands of documents that detail with the nation's diplomatic interactions with other countries. To just name a few of the issues leak: ---Saudi King Abdullah urged the United States to attack Iran to halt its nuclear program, warning that if Tehran we to go nuclear, other countries in the region would, too. --- The United States keeps bombers ready to strike al Qaeda targets in Yemen if "actionable intelligence becomes available.'
So, this is what is going on recently in the world of politics today, as long with many other things. Many Politicians, including President Obama, are saying that with the release of the documents we are hurting our relations with foreign countries. I completely agree. It is almost like when that one pastor down in Florida was contemplating on burning the Koran or not. People all of the sudden became aggressive and threats against the United States arose. Well, with the release of the leaks, I feel like the same could happen. The release of more sensitive documents in the future could lead to possibly new foreign enemies.
Amazon backed out I think because of the pressure from the media. Although in this article, provided by Fox mobile, says that Amazon would not comment on decision. I still believe that they backed out because of pressure form the media and the government. I have read lately that the government plans to file suits on WikiLeaks, maybe this is why Amazon backed out. Maybe they did not want to be affiliated with them just in case they did go down.
Again this is one of the many ways how the media is so powerful. Once something gets out, its out forever. It is down in the record books and no one can erase it. In this sense the media is so powerful.
-HR
Monday, November 29, 2010
"White America"- Eminem
Eminem’s “White America” is one the Detroit rappers most potent records where he pens and open letter to the main stream. The animated video is a work of art.
(The video will not play on my blog because it is from "VEVO" and it is restricted, but if you click on the link it will redirect you to youtube and you should be able to see it there.)
Lyrics
"White America"
America, hahaha, we love you, how many people are proud to be citizens of this beautiful
Country of ours, the stripes and the stars for the rights that men have died for to protect,
The women and men who have broke their neck's for the freedom of speech the United States
Government has sworn to uphold, or
(Yo', I want everybody to listen to the words of this song) so we're told...
I never would've dreamed in a million years I'd see,
So many motherf*****' people who feel like me, who share the same views
And the same exact beliefs, it's like a f*****' army marchin' in back of me, so many lives I
Touch, so much anger aimed, in no particular direction, just sprays and sprays, and straight
Through your radio waves it plays and plays, 'till it stays stuck in your head for days and
Days, who would of thought, standing in this mirror bleachin' my hair, with some peroxide,
Reaching for a t-shirt to wear, that I would catapult to the forefront of rap like this, how
Could I predict my words would have an impact like this, I must've struck a chord, with somebody
Up in the office, cause congress keeps telling me I ain't causin' nuthin' but problems, and now
They're sayin' I'm in trouble with the government, I'm lovin' it, I shoveled shit all my life,
And now I'm dumping it on...
[Chorus]
White America, I could be one of your kids, white America, little Eric looks just like this,
White America, Erica loves my s***, I go to TRL, look how many hugs I get, white America, I
Could be one of your kids, white America, little Eric looks just like this, white America, Erica
Loves my s***, I go to TRL, look how many hugs I get...
Look at these eyes, baby blue, baby just like yourself, if they were brown, Shady lose, Shady
Sits on the shelf, but Shady's cute, Shady knew, Shady's dimple's would help, make ladies swoon
Baby, {ooh baby}, look at my sales, let's do the math, if I was black, I would've sold half, I
Ain't have to graduate from Lincoln high school to know that, but I could rap, so f*** school,
I'm too cool to go back, gimme the mic, show me where the f*****' studio's at, when I was
Underground, no one gave a f*** I was white, no labels wanted to sign me, almost gave up, I was
Like, f*** it, until I met Dre, the only one to look past, gave me a chance, and I lit a fire up
Under his a**, helped him get back to the top, every fan black that I got, was probably his in
Exchange for every white fan that he's got, like damn, we just swapped, sittin' back lookin' at
S***, wow, I'm like my skin is it starting to work to my benefit now, it's...
[Chorus]
See the problem is, I speak to suburban kids, who otherwise would of never knew these words
Exist, whose mom's probably would of never gave two squirts of piss, 'till I created so much
Motherf*****' turbulence, straight out the tube, right into your living room I came, and kids
Flipped when they knew I was produced by Dre, that's all it took, and they were instantly hooked
Right in, and they connected with me too because I looked like them, that's why they put my
Lyrics up under this microscope, searchin' with a fine tooth comb, its like this rope, waitin'
To choke, tightening around my throat, watching me while I write this, like I don't like this,
Nope, all I hear is, lyrics, lyrics, constant controversy, sponsors working 'round the clock, to
Try to stop my concerts early, surely hip-hop was never a problem in Harlem, only in Boston,
After it bothered the fathers of daughters starting to blossom, so now I'm catchin' the flack
From these activists when they raggin', actin' like I'm the first rapper to smack a b****, or
Say f*****, s***, just look at me like I'm your closest pal, the posterchild, the motherf*****'
Spokesman now for...
[Chorus]
So to the parents of America, I am the derringer aimed at little Erica, to attack her
Character, the ringleader of this circus of worthless pawns, sent to lead the march right up to
The steps of congress, and piss on the lawns of the White House, to burn the casket and replace
It with a parental advisory sticker, to spit liquor in the faces of in this democracy of
Hypocrisy, f*** you Ms. Cheney, f*** you Tipper Gore, f*** you with the freest of speech this
Divided states of embarrassment will allow me to have, f*** you, [vocal melody],
He, hahaha, I'm just playin' America, you know I love you...
Meaning
I feel like there is a lot of meaning behind this song, and that it is not just Eminem being typical young Eminem as he was in his early career. Basically I fell like Eminem is attacking the censorship in America and pushing for more freedom of speech. There is a line that says, "I must've struck a chord, with somebody Up in the office, cause congress keeps telling me I ain't causin' nuthin' but problems, and now They're sayin' I'm in trouble with the government." I feel like this is the thesis of the song. I feel like Congress is his audience and this entire song is for them, and he is just basically just exercising his freedom of speech. "White America" is also a song in which Eminem creates many contradictions to show inconsistencies in the American social structure. These contradictions are important because they reveal a critical flaw in the American society that disillusions both immigrants and natives into thinking America is a leveled playing field for capitalistic ventures.
Some of these flaws include the idea the "Democracy" is the ideal form of government. He also states this in one of his line towards the very end of the song.
I realy like this song not becuase I am an angry person, rather becuase it states many truths of the nation. It shows the reality of the way people think, but are just afraid to say anything about how they feel. If you have ever herd any of Eminems lyrics, well then you know he is "Not Afraid!" I also like the lyrics to this song because they are in a sense objective. Even though he is talking about his personal feelings and beliefs, there are many Americans (as he states in the beginging of the song) who feel like him and share those same exact beliefs. Imagine if the media and Journalisim was like this, completely raw. If it were like this, then it would be no suprise to us when important documents would be leaked, such as those leaked recently.
-HR
(The video will not play on my blog because it is from "VEVO" and it is restricted, but if you click on the link it will redirect you to youtube and you should be able to see it there.)
Lyrics
"White America"
America, hahaha, we love you, how many people are proud to be citizens of this beautiful
Country of ours, the stripes and the stars for the rights that men have died for to protect,
The women and men who have broke their neck's for the freedom of speech the United States
Government has sworn to uphold, or
(Yo', I want everybody to listen to the words of this song) so we're told...
I never would've dreamed in a million years I'd see,
So many motherf*****' people who feel like me, who share the same views
And the same exact beliefs, it's like a f*****' army marchin' in back of me, so many lives I
Touch, so much anger aimed, in no particular direction, just sprays and sprays, and straight
Through your radio waves it plays and plays, 'till it stays stuck in your head for days and
Days, who would of thought, standing in this mirror bleachin' my hair, with some peroxide,
Reaching for a t-shirt to wear, that I would catapult to the forefront of rap like this, how
Could I predict my words would have an impact like this, I must've struck a chord, with somebody
Up in the office, cause congress keeps telling me I ain't causin' nuthin' but problems, and now
They're sayin' I'm in trouble with the government, I'm lovin' it, I shoveled shit all my life,
And now I'm dumping it on...
[Chorus]
White America, I could be one of your kids, white America, little Eric looks just like this,
White America, Erica loves my s***, I go to TRL, look how many hugs I get, white America, I
Could be one of your kids, white America, little Eric looks just like this, white America, Erica
Loves my s***, I go to TRL, look how many hugs I get...
Look at these eyes, baby blue, baby just like yourself, if they were brown, Shady lose, Shady
Sits on the shelf, but Shady's cute, Shady knew, Shady's dimple's would help, make ladies swoon
Baby, {ooh baby}, look at my sales, let's do the math, if I was black, I would've sold half, I
Ain't have to graduate from Lincoln high school to know that, but I could rap, so f*** school,
I'm too cool to go back, gimme the mic, show me where the f*****' studio's at, when I was
Underground, no one gave a f*** I was white, no labels wanted to sign me, almost gave up, I was
Like, f*** it, until I met Dre, the only one to look past, gave me a chance, and I lit a fire up
Under his a**, helped him get back to the top, every fan black that I got, was probably his in
Exchange for every white fan that he's got, like damn, we just swapped, sittin' back lookin' at
S***, wow, I'm like my skin is it starting to work to my benefit now, it's...
[Chorus]
See the problem is, I speak to suburban kids, who otherwise would of never knew these words
Exist, whose mom's probably would of never gave two squirts of piss, 'till I created so much
Motherf*****' turbulence, straight out the tube, right into your living room I came, and kids
Flipped when they knew I was produced by Dre, that's all it took, and they were instantly hooked
Right in, and they connected with me too because I looked like them, that's why they put my
Lyrics up under this microscope, searchin' with a fine tooth comb, its like this rope, waitin'
To choke, tightening around my throat, watching me while I write this, like I don't like this,
Nope, all I hear is, lyrics, lyrics, constant controversy, sponsors working 'round the clock, to
Try to stop my concerts early, surely hip-hop was never a problem in Harlem, only in Boston,
After it bothered the fathers of daughters starting to blossom, so now I'm catchin' the flack
From these activists when they raggin', actin' like I'm the first rapper to smack a b****, or
Say f*****, s***, just look at me like I'm your closest pal, the posterchild, the motherf*****'
Spokesman now for...
[Chorus]
So to the parents of America, I am the derringer aimed at little Erica, to attack her
Character, the ringleader of this circus of worthless pawns, sent to lead the march right up to
The steps of congress, and piss on the lawns of the White House, to burn the casket and replace
It with a parental advisory sticker, to spit liquor in the faces of in this democracy of
Hypocrisy, f*** you Ms. Cheney, f*** you Tipper Gore, f*** you with the freest of speech this
Divided states of embarrassment will allow me to have, f*** you, [vocal melody],
He, hahaha, I'm just playin' America, you know I love you...
Meaning
I feel like there is a lot of meaning behind this song, and that it is not just Eminem being typical young Eminem as he was in his early career. Basically I fell like Eminem is attacking the censorship in America and pushing for more freedom of speech. There is a line that says, "I must've struck a chord, with somebody Up in the office, cause congress keeps telling me I ain't causin' nuthin' but problems, and now They're sayin' I'm in trouble with the government." I feel like this is the thesis of the song. I feel like Congress is his audience and this entire song is for them, and he is just basically just exercising his freedom of speech. "White America" is also a song in which Eminem creates many contradictions to show inconsistencies in the American social structure. These contradictions are important because they reveal a critical flaw in the American society that disillusions both immigrants and natives into thinking America is a leveled playing field for capitalistic ventures.
Some of these flaws include the idea the "Democracy" is the ideal form of government. He also states this in one of his line towards the very end of the song.
I realy like this song not becuase I am an angry person, rather becuase it states many truths of the nation. It shows the reality of the way people think, but are just afraid to say anything about how they feel. If you have ever herd any of Eminems lyrics, well then you know he is "Not Afraid!" I also like the lyrics to this song because they are in a sense objective. Even though he is talking about his personal feelings and beliefs, there are many Americans (as he states in the beginging of the song) who feel like him and share those same exact beliefs. Imagine if the media and Journalisim was like this, completely raw. If it were like this, then it would be no suprise to us when important documents would be leaked, such as those leaked recently.
-HR
Rage Against The Machine: 'Testify'
The movie ran through me
The glamour subdue me
The tabloid untie me
I'm empty please fill me
Mister anchor assure me
That Baghdad is burning
Your voice it is so soothing
That cunning mantra of killing
I need you my witness
To dress this up so bloodless
To numb me and purge me now
Of thoughts of blaming you
Yes the car is our wheelchair
My witness your coughing
Oily silence mocks the legless
Now traveling in coffins
But on the corner
The jury's sleepless
We found your weakness
And it's right outside our door
Now testify
With precision you feed me
My witness I'm hungry
Your temple it calms me
So I can carry on
My slaving sweating the skin right off my bones
On a bed of fire I'm choking on the smoke that fills my home
The wrecking ball rushing
My witness your blushing
The pipeline is gushing
While here we lie in tombs
While on the corner
The jury's sleepless
We found your weakness
And it's right outside your door
Now testify
Mass graves for the pump and the price is set
Who controls the past now controls the future
Who controls the present now controls the past
Who controls the past now controls the future
Who controls the present now?
Now testify
The music video shows the two presidential candidates at the time ( George W. Bush and Al Gore for the 2000 Presidential Elections) stating the same policies and views on important issues, and the movie aims to highlight the lack of choice in the US electoral system. Other key themes in the video focus on America's reliance on oil, with several clips of the Gulf War, and lines at gas pumps accompanied by the lines "Mass graves for the pump and the price is set." This line shows how we sacrifice our soldiers and send them to Iraq to get oil, even if it means war. "I'm choking in the smoke that fills my home..." is referring to the diesel that cars burn that are polluting our air.
The song also shows how the media takes stories and twist them for their own gains, such as higher ratings.
"Mister anchor assure me, That Baghdad is burning..." This line right here probably refers to what I was saying. This shows how even 10 years ago the media is still the same. They still skew stories so that we get what they want us to get and not the truth . Although I will admit it has gotten better. This is a great song that is very political, and got many people thinking about these events.
The glamour subdue me
The tabloid untie me
I'm empty please fill me
Mister anchor assure me
That Baghdad is burning
Your voice it is so soothing
That cunning mantra of killing
I need you my witness
To dress this up so bloodless
To numb me and purge me now
Of thoughts of blaming you
Yes the car is our wheelchair
My witness your coughing
Oily silence mocks the legless
Now traveling in coffins
But on the corner
The jury's sleepless
We found your weakness
And it's right outside our door
Now testify
With precision you feed me
My witness I'm hungry
Your temple it calms me
So I can carry on
My slaving sweating the skin right off my bones
On a bed of fire I'm choking on the smoke that fills my home
The wrecking ball rushing
My witness your blushing
The pipeline is gushing
While here we lie in tombs
While on the corner
The jury's sleepless
We found your weakness
And it's right outside your door
Now testify
Mass graves for the pump and the price is set
Who controls the past now controls the future
Who controls the present now controls the past
Who controls the past now controls the future
Who controls the present now?
Now testify
The music video shows the two presidential candidates at the time ( George W. Bush and Al Gore for the 2000 Presidential Elections) stating the same policies and views on important issues, and the movie aims to highlight the lack of choice in the US electoral system. Other key themes in the video focus on America's reliance on oil, with several clips of the Gulf War, and lines at gas pumps accompanied by the lines "Mass graves for the pump and the price is set." This line shows how we sacrifice our soldiers and send them to Iraq to get oil, even if it means war. "I'm choking in the smoke that fills my home..." is referring to the diesel that cars burn that are polluting our air.
The song also shows how the media takes stories and twist them for their own gains, such as higher ratings.
"Mister anchor assure me, That Baghdad is burning..." This line right here probably refers to what I was saying. This shows how even 10 years ago the media is still the same. They still skew stories so that we get what they want us to get and not the truth . Although I will admit it has gotten better. This is a great song that is very political, and got many people thinking about these events.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Website takes votes on whether woman should get abortion
The site, called birthornot.com, asks readers to take a poll that asks "Should we give birth or have an abortion?"
In today's world, we vote for everything. We vote for policies, officials, and for important decisions. With this said, who would have thought that our world would come down to voting on whether a human beings life should start, or end before it ever started. This site, birthornot, is absolutely disgusting. I personally visited the site, and am in complete disgust after viewing it. We don't vote for things like this, personal things. This is between the couple and they should make their decision based on their current life status. The life of this human being should not be left to complete strangers of the world, it should be the couple's choice. So far, 81% encourage the birth while 19% encourage the abortion.
If people voted for the abortion, would this couple seriously make the choice to kill this baby? It makes you wonder what kind of country we live in, and the people that live in it.
Many people, including myself think that this is just a sad way to get attention. The website, which is essentially a blog, includes post about their experience throughout the short pregnancy. In the post they seem happy talking about the baby named "wiggles." This is just an example of how different media outlets, such as the Internet can grab attention. Also, I think that this is an example of how soft news/entertainment still rules the news world.
Another thing that is disgusting, is the people who visit this site and comment on the blog. If we didn't pay too much attention to it, then they probably would close the blog down, and make their own decisions and not bring the world into it. But as consumers we hunger for stories like this, entertainment, and soft news that fill our minds with garbage. I can see why Senator Rockefeller wants news stations such as Fox to shut down. It's because they are garbage and do not give us stronger more hard news stories. Sure they give you a few stories here and there, but there are other news stations that can provide gossips for us. I hope these people make an informed decision based on what they want, and not what strangers they have never seen want.
-HR
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Senator Rockefeller wants FCC to 'End' Fox News, MSNBC
"More than just retransmission consent ails our television markets. We need new catalysts for quality news and entertainment programming. I hunger for quality news. I'm tired of the right and the left. There's a little bug inside of me which wants to get the FCC to say to Fox and to MSNBC, "Out. Off. End. Goodbye." It'd be a big favor to political discourse, our ability to do our work here in Congress, and to the American people, to be able to talk with each other and have some faith in their government and, more importantly, in their future."As the New York Times points out "There is little the Federal Communications Commission can say about Fox News or MSNBC since the channels are on cable, not delivered over the broadcast airwaves."
Rockefeller opened his remarks with a stinging rebuke of the 24-hour news cycle and the blurring of news and entertainment:
"When it comes to developing content, our entertainment machine is too often in a race to the bottom. In fact, it is in a race to the bottom. Getting close. Even worse, our news media has all but surrendered to the forces of entertainment. And much of our news media is entertainment as opposed to news. Instead of a watchdog that is a check on the excesses of government and business, we have the endless barking of a 24-hour news cycle. We have journalism that is always ravenous for the next rumor, but insufficiently hungry for the facts that can nourish something called our democracy. As citizens, we are paying one heck of a price in the dumbing down of America. You're probably responsible for that."Watch
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/18/senator-rockefeller-wants_n_785253.html
My Opinion
In class all semester we have been discussing how the media can help or hurt politics. We have also been talking how different forms of media exist such as free media and biased media. We have also discussed how some media sources are a lot more biased than other news sources. Fox News, is an examole we all used in class that tends to favor a particular side.
Fox News slogan is Balanced and Fair, but are they really balanced and fair? Or do they tend to serve to Republican side a bit more. It isn't strange that a Democratic senator would be saying this about Fox News, becuase a Republican would certainly not say this about the news station.
Senator Rockefeller says that news stations does not serves us as citizens well. He says that one of the reasons he believes this is because our news seems to be more entertainment based. He mentions that journalisim has become more hungry for rumors than for the facts that can nourish our democracy.
I completely agree with senator Rockefeller. I agree that news has become a lot more entertainment based and that hard news tends to stay out of the picture now a days. Soft news has become more dominant with the rise of popular culture and with that hard news begins to diminish.
The only time you see hard news on t.v. these days is when there is a crisis or an election, other than that its just celebrity gossip and rumours. I agree when Senator Rockefeller says we need a new catalyst for quality news.Objectivity is key to news sources and media outlets, but a lot that has vanished. We need a news source that is not biased and that is literally fair and balanced and does not just portray that false image. This may never happen, because we all all humans and eventually emotions will play a role in everything we do. If it does happen though, I believe that we will become more informed citizens that will be able to contribute to the community in a positive manner.
-HR
Sunday, November 7, 2010
2010 Midterm Election Analysis
After the 2008 elections and their subsequent events, the United States Senate was composed of 57 Democrats, 41 Republicans, and two independents who caucus with the Democrats. Of the above 37 seats up for election in 2010, 19 were held by Democrats (seven of whom retired or were defeated in the primary) and 18 were held by Republicans (eight of whom retired or were defeated in the primary).
As in most midterm elections, the party not controlling the White House gained ground. Republicans captured six seats from the Democrats by defeating incumbents in Arkansas and Wisconsin and winning open seats in Illinois, Indiana, North Dakota, and Pennsylvania. This was the largest number of Senate gains for the party since the 1994 election and also the first time since that election that they successfully defended all of their own seats.
The 2010 Elections pretty much went as planned, with the Republicans on the winning side. I do not think that their victory was because of their ability to campaign and run ads, but with the American people frustration towards President Obama's administration. Before the 2010 Election and after the 2008 Elections Democrats had complete power in Washington. They had the majority in the House (which they lost), the majority in the Senate (which they kept) and they had control of the Presidency.
With complete control in Washington, Democrats still were unable to get much done. They only thing they got done was passing the health care reform. But is that what is really on the mind of Americans? Health care? NO!!! That is not what Americans are concerned with, and it has been proven by surveys and polls. The American people number one concern going into the election was and still is the economy. The American people want to feel secure, that they have money and that they have a job. They want to feel secure enough that they will be able to pay their bills and have food on the table. The economy is my main concern to, but these past two years Democrats with complete control have not done anything. Now, it will be a lot harder for Democrats to implement or pass policies with the Republican party victories.
Here are a few links that take you to the New York Times website. They show a complete breakdown of the Senate and the House and who won each state, and each district. The first link shows the break down of the House http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/results/house. You can see a lot more red states here as the Democrats lost 60 seats.
The second link shows an analysis for the Senate http://elections.nytimes.com/2010/results/senate. Here the Democrats keep their majority, but lost 6 seats in the process.
In the end I still believe that the Republicans victory was due to Obamas lack of getting things done. In life, if you try something and it does not work then you try something else to fix it. I think that is the approach that the voters took this time around, and that is why so many states are no colored in red.
-HR
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