To the Center or the Right? What 2 More Years of a Republican-Led House Might Look Like

The article overlooks the most obvious move: the first thing the republicans will do is cut Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, and there won't be a thing we can do about it.

Can I ask everybody, has your life gotten better the last 2 years or worse? Or no real change? Mine hasn’t changed much except economically a bit, but I don’t attribute that to Trump only. The Bull market was already underway before he got there. So, anyone’s lives really changed? There seems to be so much “alarmist” behavior on both sides that I’d like to know if it’s truly justified.

Re: "making last year's tax cuts permanent" Please NYT lets be accurate and not just repeat GOP propaganda. Last year's "tax cuts" were cuts for some by huge tax INCREASES for millions of Americans. Not trivial "cup of coffee" increases but thousands of dollars increases on people where their social contract was broken. Tax bill. Tax reform. Tax changes all innocuous terms that mask the real affect that the tax increases will have on working American families so that wealthy can be better supported. "Tax cut" is a lie of omission.

Democrates have put our nation back on track after it’s been driven off the rails by republicans. Another two year mandate to Republican will certainly make that impossible. Climate Change is the worlds immidiate highest priority. Native American Culture taught us how to raise crops and govern. Democrates need to return to and adapt Native American cultural ways of leading respecting and tending to Mother Earth immediately. Native American leadership needs to be brought back into our government now. Every US citizen eligible to vote needs to support Democrates right now in order to save the world.

Today's GOP has the most radical agenda of any political party that I have seen in my 65 years. The notion that they will somehow become less radical if they retain their majority is delusional. They will gut SS & Medicare then privatize what's left. Private insurers won't cover pre-existing conditions without the mandate so those folks will be bankrupt. And the only hope for infrastrure after massive tax cuts will be privatization of public assets by the most corrupt administration in our history. Trump, the love child of George Wallace & Ayn Rand, will enable the GOP and they will enable him and we will become a Russian-style oligarchy, ruled by con men, kleptomaniacs & grifters.

This sounds like an untested recipe for an exotic scrambled egg dish. Dealing with the deficit by cutting needed aid for the poor and many middle class voters is no solution: it's destruction.

Republicans will need to build border walls to keep citizens IN the country, instead of keeping immigrants out.

Even the thought of Republicans controlling Congress in the next two years makes me ill. And frightened. If what has happened in the country for the past two years hasn't awakened the electorate to get involved and to vote the Democratic Party line then there is no hope for the nation. I am not an alarmist, but I do not think the nation can survive two more years of an unchecked Donald Trump in the White House.

There is nothing in the history of Trump era Republicans that implies any graciousness toward Democrats.

The next two years under democrats will be obstruct and investigate. They are prepared to over look their many shortcomings, including lack or leadership and policy. They decry racism whilst indulging heavily in it. They support candidates like Mendendez in NJ who is proven corrupt. And yet still in unison they mindlessly shout YAY for democrats.

"“The first thing you need to be is gracious,” said Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina."? Coming from the utterly irrational ranter during the Kananaugh hearing, that's RICH! The LAST thing that the likes of Graham and Trump is is "gracious"!

Who says we can’t come up with something better than Obamacare in this country? I don’t buy it. I will say my 8 month hiatus in Obamacare was a nightmare. My deductible was almost 8,000 before I could even get a prescription paid for. I prayed everyday just to make it to Medicare intact. Like everyone else I went without proper care during that time. We are creating a system that will produce sicker more vulnerable patients. Anyone can give you an aspirin and antibiotic and call it healthcare, but I vote to give the Republicans a real chance to overhaul Obamacare and see if we can do better. My brother lived in Australia under national health for 14 yrs. It was great for simple care. However when he broke his ankle he was told we don’t surgically pin ankles in this country. My husband am orthopedic surgeon reviewed his X-ray and said for sure it would have been pinned here. It never healed correctly and he know takes painkillers every day. After 2 other major health issues he got the blank out of there and came home for real USA style medicine and he would NEVER go back.

Illegal immigration needs to be urgently addressed. Trump is smart to look at requiring people to enter through a legal migration zone just as Australia did and they solved their illegal immigration crisis and stopped all those boat people coming in. Regardless if Democrats get the house the GOP will hold the Senate and the long term for that is that the GOP will keep appointing judges and Trump may well get another 2 SCOTUS picks if he is re-elected in 2020. It is simply wrong to allow millions of people to remain in the USA illegally.

The Times writes "adjustments to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and welfare programs"? This is bad journalism. All "adjustments" would be reductions. This is what the Republicans say themselves. Accurate reporting would say "reductions".

Be afraid. Be very afraid. I think Democrats will win the House, but that is not nearly enough. With the Supreme Court kidnapped by the far-right, who ignore climate change/global warming in favor of short-term profits, phony Christians and moneyed interests, it will be a generation before we can begin to cleanse the sewer. But what scares me is what Repubicans will do between November 6 and January 7. They are immoral enough to take advantage and do immense harm during that period. Then there are some other big problems. Wholesale vote cheating, suppression, intimidation, hacking, gerrymandering, the whole sorry equipment for stealing elections and allowing the minority to rule the majority. "Second amendment solutions": the far right has been arming itself and Trump Inc. has been encouraging their lowest and worst fears and instincts. Re the Supreme Court, it is Democrats who recuse themselves for conflicts of interest. Republicans never met a self interest they didn't like. An all too likely possibility, reported by Carl Bernstein, that Trump and Republicans will find ways to set aside those results they've been unable to manipulate. "if the congressional midterms are very close ... Trump was already talking about how to throw legal challenges into the courts, sow confusion, declare a victory, actually, and say that the election's been illegitimate,"" https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-2018-election-illegitimate-democrats-take-control-congress-carl-1181683

If republicans maintain their majority they will eliminate health insurance for anyone who isn't rich, they will slash Social Security benefits, they will crush Medicare and Medicaid, and their fiscal idiocy will drive us once again directly into a recession.

One word. Plutocracy.

Since most Republican office holders profess to believe that global warming is a hoax, if Republicans continue to maintain control of the House, we can expect more policies that make the planet increasingly uninhabitable for humans. You would think that everyone would be concerned about living conditions for their children and grandchildren. However, for some it seems that the psychic pleasure they get by sticking it to the Democrats or to various minority groups is more important than mankind's future on the planet.

Can we please have reporters be a bit more skeptical? “Republicans would claim a conservative mandate to cut taxes, chip away at the Affordable Care Act and shrink federal spending.” When was the last time that a Republican controlled government shrank federal spending? Unless I’m missing something- not in my lifetime.

The GOP doesn’t have a clue what it’s agenda would be if they had 2 more years, they barely accomplished anything in the 2 years they had control of both the House and the Senate. The main focus of the party for years has been obstructionist in nature so much so that they forgot how to lead. One area they seem to have perfected has been partisan investigations which now will likely see the tables flipped as the Democrats are likely to gain House control. It’s sad that our elected officials have moved so far away from the process of governing.

Serious question here: If Republicans do retain control and also keep the promise of cutting Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, what is the American public prepared to do about that?

Much too sanguine. Look for Medicare and Social Security to be gutted, if Republicans hold control. Look for more extremist judges to be confirmed, including another Supreme Court seat, and look for abortion laws to pass judicial review more and more. If Republicans retain the House and Senate, Trumpism wins and America will suffer a decline in its status as a democracy to the point of failure.

You paint a very optimistic picture of economic achievement for America if the Republicans maintain control of the House. Thanks.

The Republican Party is dominated by a base self centeredness that just makes them an obstacle to good government and sound policies that can serve the interests of all and of those who will follow us. The golden rule is anathema to them and enlightened self interest becomes an oxymoron in their unexamined lives and minds. Extreme climate change accelerated by man’s activities is no joke. Despite all the fantastic excuses used to rationalize denying it, it’s progressing. Natural forces cannot be altered by man and God is not going to do so, either. We have always tried to understand nature and to learn from it so as to benefit from aligning ourselves with it to benefit from it. Denying it is just stupid, but that is how unreasonable the Republicans have become, and it’s not limited to ignoring science. We no longer create enough wealth in this country for all to prosper. The Republicans advance policies that make it worse and cannot see it. We suffer from profound malaise across the country because people are losing ground. Instead of helping others to rise up, the Republican response is to ignore them except to use their frustration with demagoguery.

Why would we expect the Republican party to have a cogent agenda now? They are not much except "cut taxes", "restrict women's rights", and "make it really really really easy to buy a gun".

All interesting analysis, and I hope none of it winds up happening. Naturally if the Republicans hold onto control of both the House and Senate, they'll enact more conservative policies. Tax cuts for the rich and corporations (but none on the middle class, that's ridiculous, the GOP would never do that). Cutting welfare, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid would be high on the list too. Amusingly, that would hurt a lot of Republican voters, but at least they would fully deserve it. I don't think the GOP will invest in infrastructure no matter what. There's not enough profit in it for them, and they don't care about improving America in the slightest. But like I say, with any luck the GOP will lose majorly in the House, and ideally they could lose the Senate too. And then, in the long run, they could just keep losing, and finally America would be made great again by the disempowerment of these greedy fascists.

Wait, wait, don’t tell me. Eliminate pre-existing conditions language from healthcare insurance. Limit/cut back/increase coPays for Medicare. Increase the social security age cutoff, and reduce benefits. Pass any and all legislation necessary to increase the need to burn more oil and coal. Eliminate any support for alternative energy. Eliminate any rules and all regulations that protect the environment. Eliminate abortion. Make guns more available - buy them anywhere along with you cigarettes and beer. and

A Republican led house would mean more of corporate greed and less individual "perks" or "handouts". We are going from being our brother's keeper to being our brother's executioner.

And you could add the end of democracy. Any chance of ending gerrymandering must happen now. When 52% of the population of PA votes for a democrat to represent them in Congress, but 13 of 18 PA seats belong to Republicans, the will of the people has been ignored. When the POTUS doesn't win the popular vote and re imagines the country in ways the majority of country finds horrific, the will of the people has been ignored. If Republicans win all branches of government they will continue redistricting, Trump and the lunatic Kobach from Kansas will use the 2020 census to obliterate democracy and completely the unjust coup to take the government away from the people. It is quite ironic that the party of Lincoln, who stated, "that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth", is the party that has taken the reins of power in a political coup from the people and is actively pursuing the destruction of the people's power to have their will represented by the government.

A republican victory in the house will swiftly lead to the dismantlement of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. Donald Trump is demagogue not a populist. He is distracting us with culture wars and fear and hatred while dismantling our institutions with the complicit help of the entire republican party. The GOP Tax Scam has put our country into debt and there are no funds for infrastructure, education, healthcare or anything else. A vote for republicans is a vote against your children and the future of this country.

Medicare and Medicaid are not entitlements.

A 10% tax cut for the middle class? If that isn't throwing bread crumbs in my direction to try to buy my vote, I don't know what is. Here, I'll give $500 to vote for me.

It's not hard to metaphysically underscore this subtext inferring Republicans won't know what to do if they win the House again. Historically low unemployment, astonishing trade and tax cut accomplishments, a real chance at border sovereignty and a refusal to be cheated by our alleged NATO and UN allies in only the first two of eight President Trump years in office will so decidedly right our ship. Republicans will have more than a passing hunch about how to deal with this. And that's the choice: don't want those moves forward? Okay, let's shrink and accept defeat at home and abroad.

If Congress starts taking away Social Security and Medicare it will be the largest theft the world has ever seen. We have paid into both all our working lives, and I don't think even hardcore Republican voters will sit still and let that happen. The Congressional representatives would need armed body guards for themselves and their families 24/7.

"What 2 More Years of a Republican-Led House Might Look Like" It's not Who would be in charge? It's not more tax cuts. It's not killing the Affordable Care Act. It's not finding common ground. It's not Infrastructure, unless the "wall" qualifies as such. What it is. The country will all have to learn the "Goose Step".

A Republican House of representatives: the end of the Republic. It is in astonishment that anyone can pretend otherwise. Paul Krugman doesn’t. Steve Schmidt doesn’t. Politics makes for strange bedfellows but it doesn’t get any stranger than that. RIP, United States of America.

I want more tax cuts. Please.

Two more years of a Republican Congress under Trump means the end of freedom in America. It means the successful completion of a right-wing revolution that has its roots in anger against the racial equality demanded by the Warren Court. It means a lot of very bad policies, but first and foremost it means the end of any kind of free politics by which the public will have any say over policy. It might even mean the end of free speech. Don't kid yourselves. You've seen not only Trump, but McConnell, Cornyn, Grassley, Ryan, Meadows and all their ilk, and judges like Gorsuch and Kavanaugh. Think about those men and what they mean. Focus on it without denial.

Exactly what they’re doing now: Whatever it takes to hold power.

And of course, Nancy Pelosi would forever be pushed aside.

Regarding Social Security and Medicare: 1. Take Social Security out of the budget, both expenditures and contributions. If that doesn’t balance the budget then, 2. Take Medicare out of the budget, both expenditures and contributions. If that doesn’t balance the budget then, Stop blaming entitlements! 3. Balance the remaining budget however congress sees fit. 4. Address funding Social Security. It’s not that hard. Numerous solutions have been proposed since the 1980s. Choose one or a combination of several. 5. Address Medicare, Medicaid, and healthcare in general. What do we want to do as a civilized country? 6. Make Social Security a stand alone program outside of the budget so that we don’t continue blaming the wrong thing indefinitely. 7. Do the same with Medicare.

If they keep the house and expand the senate I hope that the following will happen: Implement the president's proposals for immigration reform. Replace or at least give a better alternative to Obama Care. Reduce spending in many of the agencies, including the number of employees at least 5% and some much more. Infrastructure program focused on roads, bridges, airports and ports (especially LNG export ports). Some improvements in pollution and adapting to the changes that are coming. Experimental type of projects to reduce methane from animal wastes, reforming the national flood insurance plan (including not allowing rebuilding in some areas). This is way more than they could ever get done, but not as much as we need.

The economy is better than it was in 2009 but it's not fundamentally strong enough to sustain steady economic expansion. The increases in wages and salaries and bonuses are not enough to support sustained increased consumer spending. Businesses are building inventories but they are not capitalizing to increase productive capacity. They are not convinced that the economy is going to grow as the administration likes to claim. Cutting taxes and regulations are not the means to more business success which brings along everyone else. That was the assertion in 1980 but the reality has not proved it to be true. The key to growth is having something to work towards which requires a long term commitment, something concrete. The development of the industrial might of the late 19th through the mid-20th centuries were driven by the transition of an entire country, indeed world, from an agrarian based economy to one based upon huge production of every kind of good and services with modern technologies. The recovery from the Great Depression by public works expanding the capacities of the whole country to use modern infrastructure followed by a World War for which the key to material used was the U.S. followed by a three decade long boom. Not one dollar was made because of the incentive of making more money. If anything, the incentive of money had been to invest in nothing during the Great Depression, the government had to spend tax money to generate growth.

Long sought adjustments to s security and Medicare are code words for gradual elimination. The right has been against this since it was created. By ballooning the deficit, they now will claim the mandate cannot survive. Since raising taxes is against their religion, cutting benefits is the only option.

“prioritize making long-sought adjustments to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and welfare programs.” These are the NYT’s words. Social Security and Medicare are not, contrary to right wing propaganda, “welfare” programs.

Two more years of anti-democratic and anti-liberal (not political liberalism but liberal democratic governance liberal that traditional conservatives used to follow) and radically reactionary legislation, executive orders, policies, and practices under an administration that cannot govern as well as cub scouts, with a Congress that has no sense of civic responsibility. I could never imagine this country being controlled by a demagogue who can’t lead, except in some silly farce comedy movie, but here it is.’

It would continue the unholy alliance between the 0.1% and the conservative underclass who don't know any better and with the former manipulating the latter for their pwn purposes.

I think this article hits the target on several counts. First and foremost the Republican Agenda in the unlikely event of retaining both house of congress will be to repeal the ACA and all it's protections to healthcare consumers, cut taxes further, slash the 3 primary social safety net programs (Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid) and continue pouring billions into the military. The general impact on the U.S. will be to push us closer to bankruptcy (both at the governmental and individual levels), greatly degrade public health and be left with a country that has a crumbling infrastructure. For all their "talk" of business know how and prosperity, the Republicans are the party of recession and depression. As proof I give you Herbert Hoover and George W. Bush, the primary reasons for the Great Depression and the 2008 Recession.