Article By President Tom Dwyer posted by NARVRE webmaster We are only three weeks away from the mid-term election and the outcomes are primarily settled in the House of Representatives with the GOP expected to gain anywhere from between 6 to 12 seats. The Senate is another matter. Polls have fluctuated for the past few months. The odds are in favor of the GOP due to the fact that the Democrats have more seats to defend with Democratic incumbents representing red states with 21 seats up to only 14 for the Republicans. Experts have conceded the states of South Dakota, Montana and West Virginia to the Republicans. South Dakota and West Virginia are seats that are being vacated by Democrats and the Montana seat is held by a caretaker after Senator Max Baucus resigned when he became Ambassador to China. Mark Begich in Alaska, Mark Pryor in Arkansas and Mary Landrieu in Louisiana are Democratic senators in red states attempting to hang onto their seats. There is also Kay Hagen in North Carolina, Mark Udall in Colorado and Jean Shaheen in New Hampshire. There are open seats in Michigan, Georgia and Iowa and two held by Democrats and one by a Republican. There is a big race in Kentucky where Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is running against Kentucky Secretary of State Allison Lundergan Grimes which are expected to be close. The odds are with the Republicans to take over the Senate alone just by the numbers and the makeup. The majority will not be very large if they do. With the victory goes the spoils. The majority party no matter who it is will control the agenda as well as the Committee Chairs. If the Republicans win the Senate of course expect changes in the agenda such as approving the Keystone Pipeline, Tax reform, Regulatory Reform and even Entitlement Reform (social security,Medicare, Medicaid and Railroad Retirement.) You may see committee investigations again on Benghazi, IRS, Secret Service or hearings on the Administration themselves. Of course the president has veto power over legislation that may arrive on his desk although political chicanery with giving the president some carrot in order to get their agenda passed may be in the legislation. The main thing is for all of us to vote. When you do remember who will protect our railroad retirement and Medicare and what some call entitlements. Remember we contributed to Medicare and Railroad Retirement when we were working and we must fight to maintain them.
Posted on: Fri, 17 Oct 2014 03:34:43 +0000
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