Last night, TRMS led off the show with a very real reminder for voters of what, it seems, they're about to give up today. The accomplishments of President Obama, his administration and this 111th Congress, controlled (ostensibly) by Democrats have been many, and Rachel details them all above. And about that "hurricane" that's allegedly about to hit many of those Democrats today? Despite the laws of physics and Beltway common wisdom, that hurricane is not inevitable.
Whether Democrats pay the price for difficult policy decisions depends on who votes, on who gets up and goes to the polls today and casts a ballot. If you're a progressive, Republican candidates count on you not showing up. It's simple math. Why do you think that they're trying to make you more scared of some nut in Philly than of them?
So go vote. And tell us what you see out there. We'll be live starting at 6 p.m. Eastern with returns, and we'll be on this until the last results are in, however long that takes.
After the jump, a list of accomplishments by the 111th Congress.
- Lillly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
- Children's health insurance
- Tobacco regulation
- Credit card reform
- Bailing out the auto industry
- Tripling the size of America's national service programs
- Reforming the student loan industry
- Federal stimulus bill, including largest tax cut in history
- Health reform
- Wall Street reform, including creation of Consumer Financial Protection Agency
- Most funding ever for Veterans Administration
- Most significant land conservation bill in nearly two decades
- Passed 25 tax cuts
- Shrank the federal deficit
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Voted in Chicago around 6:30AM. Found a neighbor from my building working as a GOP representative, with the following greeting: "I'm glad you came to vote early. I didn't know you were a Republican." I went, "I'm not," and he continued, "Because this is where only Republicans vote." The other GOP representative chided him, saying he'd get her in trouble "if so and so hears you." If he was trying to be funny, fail. If he was trying to intimidate me, fail. Reported his ass to the Board of Elections, legal section.
GOOD JOB! Hold them accountable!
Good for you! Such blatant tactics should be reported.
Wow. what nerve! Good for you. I sincerely hope more folks do the same as you.
I think that kind of thing is funny. Of course, I'm usually in a pretty good mood.
Good for you!!! I voted Friday and the place was filled. I hope they were all voting Dem. I wish the list on the accomplishments had been given more air time.
I was told that I had to go to another precinct because I moved. When I went across town to that precinct, I was sent back to the original one b\c the lady changing my address at the first precinct had entered it in wrong.
Upon going back, I was chastised for "double voting" and told that my ballot would be held out of the machine until it was verified I was indeed only voting once. I sat there and phone the supervisor of elections office myself. I told them to put my vote through or I was calling the Times then and there (2 hours prior to polls closing)
No drama in my super-blue-blue neighborhood in Tucson this morning at 6:30, although I did get some personal excitement out of the fact that for maybe the fourth time in my entire life, somebody pronounced my last name correctly on the first try. And we had plenty of time to chuckle about it because there was nobody else there. Hopefully the pace will pick up quickly...
Voted this morning when the polls opened at 6AM. Actually when I arrived at the fire house where we vote there was already a line of about 20 people waiting to get in. Signed the book, got my ballot, made my choices, off to work. No hassles, no drama.
vote in peace vote in confidence vote your choice
Loved early voting. No waiting. Less than 20 minutes.
Rachel Maddow Did an EXCELLENT Re-Cap Of ALL the Accomplishments that President Obama has Made. It Has Been an Important Moment in History--- With a Democrat President, Senate, and House!!! Yes--- the Reality is We Will be Heading Into a Divided Power, after this Mid-Term Election.
(The Democrats could Have Governed by Accumulating Polital Capital and Being Constantly in Campaign Mode. The Legislative Agenda Was NOT Designed to Win These Elections. it Was ALWAYS About POLICY, Not Politics--- and to Get Stuff Done---- and THEY DID)----- Except with DADT and the Money being Spent in war though.
But Still---- Beautifully Spoken!!! We Should All be Proud of President Obama in Passing Legislation that Helps the Average Person!!!
It Really Upsets me, When the Tea Party Has Created an Agenda to Diminish and Destroy His Personal Character. The Birther Movement Alone--- Saying that He is Not an American Citizen---- is Just Awful, Disgusting. It should Disgust Everybody!
Diana B
Totally agree, great program. I actually wanted to get a list (on paper) of Obama & Co. 's work/accomplishments for the last 21 months, as Rachel presented them, last night, so I can keep it in my purse and take it out when any of my republican friends tell me, Obama has done nothing in the last 2 years. On top of that they don't know how to count, Jan (end) 2009 to Jul (beg) 2010 (that's when I heard it from a friend) is not 2 years, not close. My memory fails me, and I am not much into politics, so I need my cheat-sheet, like they need their prompter. I will print thousands of copies, and start passing them around. It will do nothing for the republicans inside the square box, but for those independent thinkers that are not sure where to get their news, it might clear it up. Rachel always backs her info and if you really want to find out if what she says is true you can always dig it out of the Internet
Oh he did a lot of stuff in two years, sadly none of it helped, only hurt the country.
Mark, you seem very unhappy. Misdirecting your personal frustrations at Obama isn't a good way to get a handle on things.
How did it hurt the country?
Do I really have to respond. Really. It isn't obvious to you.
long lines in Louisville KY..have never missed a vote but these lines today were the longest i have seen in 30yrs
We voted this morning at 7:30 am. There was a line to vote and it was good to see.
I still think that there should be a federal holiday for General Elections.
My VERY red state of GA will continue to be red, even after I cast my ballot. I wish the dems would spend more money, visit more often and support my local democratic candidates. They don't stand a prayer outside of the city limits of Atlanta. BUT, off to the polls I shall go after my little guy wakes from his morning nap.
Rachel, I want to thank you for the review of the Democratic Party's legislative successes last night. It was a very impressive list. The one regret we all should share is that the administration failed to communicate early on in the campaign season what its accomplishments were and how they affected every American.
I loved it too! My one regret was that Rachel hadn't done EXACTLY this a week earlier so that it could have been sent to friends/contacts in time to, maybe, influence one or two more voters.
No lines to speak of in my sleepy little Western Mass town this morning - but when i checked the polls last night the race for governor was a little too close for comfort.
Had a mildly "heated" debate with my girlfriend over voting for Jill Stein - she arguing we will never get more progessive candidates to be viable options if we don't vote for them, me saying it was too close between Patrick and Baker to risk taking votes away from the Democratic choice.
I wish I could be as idealistic as her when it comes to politics, but I'm too much of a pragmatist, I guess.
I wonder what Al Gore thinks about voting for the 3rd (or more) candidate. ;-)
I think the Dems will do ok.
The main thing is, for the next 2 years the White Supremists (ie. Tea-baggers) will be out to get Obama out of the White House.
We Liberals keep saying 'oh, but they are voting against their own interest.'
Wrong. They ARE voting for what they see as their best interest. We Lib's just don't comprehend or accept what that is.
They are terrified of blacks taking control. Of the government, of their jobs, of their 'values'. And maybe the blacks will be out for a little revenge.
That's their issue. Period. It's not about anything else.
They are united. And funded with huge money. By the the Kock Brothers and BP and blah blah.
Not taxes (hell, how many of them pay much anyway).
I suggested last week that Obama announce a series of summits with the White Supremeist leaders. Wouldn't that be the ultimate Ti Quan do (sic) Judo technique to tie them in fits?
He's smart enough to do it.
I joked that he said "What the heck, they hate me anyway. I might as well get to know them.
We'll have it in January, in Minnesota. That way, we don't have to worry about blacks protesting it, because everybody knows blacks don't out in cold weather."
Bob Oemen, the Meanest Damn Liberal in the Land, Chicago
Light, early turn out in Tiverton, RI, though the Fall River Herald reported the polling locations had changed. I reported that to the polling supervisor.
Left, right, red, blue, gay straight, right, wrong, angry or apathetic; GET OUT AND VOTE!!!
The good thing about voting early - no lines or hassles. Bad thing - had to call the county recorder's office because my ballot hadn't arrived. They managed to put my address on the envelope incorrectly, so sent out a second ballot for me to use (appropriately marked as a 2nd issue)...so, I get to watch the results from comfort of home on sofa with friends and dogs and cats, eating BBQ, sipping libations and really hoping that the inaccuracy of polls is as wrong as they were in 2008. (really hope so!). So, if you didn't do it yet - GET OFF THE CHAIR AND GO VOTE ALREADY!
Well, one person went to vote and hit the building: http://www2.turnto10.com/news/2010/nov/02/ri-polling-place-evacuated-after-car-crash-ar-278500/
My husband and I will go down and vote at our local elementary school in our little town around 5 PM. Then will share pizza with about 20 other folks before being sworn in at 6:45. At 7 PM, as soon as the polls close here in VT, we'll begin counting the ballots. (No fancy machines here.) Since there is a close race in VT to replace the outgoing governor, our town clerk expects ballot counting to go on well into the evening, even though folks have been doing early voting for the past month.
Last night's recap was so positive, and therefore so NEEDED. I echo the earlier comment - thank you, Rachel.
Voted this morning at 6:30 in West Harlem and was happy to see a lot of activity that early. One problem - the doors were locked when we arrived. We had to pound on it to be let in. We had just seen three people standing outside and then leave as we arrived, so we weren't sure if they had already voted. When someone let us in a few moments later, we asked why the door was locked and were told that there was no way to unlock it, so it had to be opened manually every time (the polling place is at Boricua College in uptown Manhattan). When we told the gent that people may be leaving without voting because of locked doors, he responded, "They'll be back." Really? You think? Because I don't. And in my mostly-minority populated neighborhood, we really want them voting!
Once inside, everything went smoothly, even with the new voting system in NY. The poll workers were very efficient and helpful (the gent who opened the door and downplayed the significance of its being locked was good enough to remind everyone that the ballot required voting responses on both sides every so often).
When we left, that same gent mentioned to us that they had fixed the door issue.
There's no room for error in this election.
As soon as I get off this damn computer, I'm on my way!!! Boxer and Brown! :)
Wow its great to hear about all the achievements of the Democrats in the last 21 years. Thanks Rachel. That should be more published, people forget those to quickly, especially the naive Fox viewers. Who can really believe the Republicans will govern in interest of the people after all the money they got from their benefactors. It's obvious (even for me as a non citizen) that these man were expecting a serious return on their investment. And this will be a shockingly bold demand unfortunately not in interest of people and country.
Voters in Tom Periello's district are being called by someone claiming to be an employee of the City of Charlottesville and being told that they aren't allowed to vote:
http://www.wina.com/Local-News/3077192?contentId=7083507
The mayor's not a fan of this, apparently.
No lines...no problems. Hugged a good friend greeting for Democrats. Smiled at the GOP greeter standing on the other side. Got to meet my State Rep. Mike Gerber who came out to my polling area (Narberth) to say thanks for voting. Actually everyone Dem. or Rep. just said that: "Thanks for voting." I love my town.
Everytime I go vote and see everyone participating in their country, I cry. So this year I got a mail in ballot and voted at home. It wasn't as gratifying but at least I didn't cry in public!
Voted around 930 AM; quick and easy. I have had 2 calls today from the OH Dem party, reminding me that today is election day and the race is a VERY close one. Here's hoping the Dems keep control of the state house!
Here in super-blue Sonoma County, CA it's a gorgeous fall day. No line at my polling place, but steady traffic. Chocolate bundt cake too. Pre-election chatter around here has been mostly about local politics and those damn CA Propositions that you have to spend hours reading and researching every election cycle. I'm ready to sacrifice a chicken if it prevents Whitman and Fiorina from winning. (Ok, maybe not. Maybe a nice omelet with organic local eggs will work?)
How about sacrificing Sharron Angle? She's too close to you all out there in CA. The religious psychoses might be catching.