Couldn't the Democrats have successfully wooed Olympia Snowe and/or Susan Collins to vote for the ACA (with some changes, of course) if the Democrats would have had one less seat in the U.S. Senate in 2009-2010, though?See https://www.alternatehistory.com/discussion/showpost.php?p=9298478&postcount=58 for why I think Palin had relatively little impact on the result of the election. Yet even if she hurt only slightly, that could be significant; after all, if even one close Senate race had gone the other way due to a slightly stronger GOP ticket--say McCain-Pawlenty manages to keep Coleman's Senate seat in MN--there would not have been the 60-40 vote for the ACA. True, after the Democrats lost their Senate supermajority, they were able to pass the final version of the ACA through reconciliation, but that was only possible because there *was* a bill passed by the Senate to reconcile with the House version. And there would not have been any such bill if the Democrats did not, for a few months, have the votes to defeat cloture...
I largely agree with this, but I want to point out the fact that the Iraq War actually was mostly won by 2008.Probably no one- Sarah Palin did her job and united the Republican Party behind John McCain. She appealed directly to those groups most distrustful of McCain particularly the social conservatives and his poll numbers surged after her nomination
Unfortunately for McCain, the fiscal crises erupted and the continued failure of the Bush administration to win the Iraq war, led the country to no longer consider a Republican for office. McCain also retook the spotlight and quickly reminded America why they hadn't liked him before
Couldn't the Democrats have successfully wooed Olympia Snowe and/or Susan Collins to vote for the ACA (with some changes, of course) if the Democrats would have had one less seat in the U.S. Senate in 2009-2010, though?
Didn't both Snowe and Collins vote for the stimulus package, though? If so, then why exactly did McConnell not punish them for this vote of theirs?I don't think so, if Snowe or Collins had had been able to make up their own minds they would have been very likely to vote for the bill, but McConnell ensured that wouldn't happen by threatening their positions and committee roles. Throughout 2009 any appearance of bipartisanship was simply the Republicans stringing the Democrats along, trying to delay the bill's passing. Perhaps instead more moderate and smaller reform would have to be passed instead.
Didn't both Snowe and Collins vote for the stimulus package, though? If so, then why exactly did McConnell not punish them for this vote of theirs?
Probably no one- Sarah Palin did her job and united the Republican Party behind John McCain. She appealed directly to those groups most distrustful of McCain particularly the social conservatives and his poll numbers surged after her nomination
Unfortunately for McCain, the fiscal crises erupted and the continued failure of the Bush administration to win the Iraq war, led the country to no longer consider a Republican for office. McCain also retook the spotlight and quickly reminded America why they hadn't liked him before
That is about what I feel. If it was 2004 or 2012 McCain could have won with Palin.
Nobody would have mocked her if she hadn't run in 2008. No one outside of Alaska would have heard of her in 2008 if she hadn't been chosen as McCain's running mate.By 2012, Palin had been ridiculed and mocked for 4 years. Nobody is going to win with her on the ticket, they'd be laughed out of the building.
Condoleeza Rice might have been an option as well. She had very high favorability ratings even as other members of Bush's team were dropping.
By 2012, Palin had been ridiculed and mocked for 4 years. Nobody is going to win with her on the ticket, they'd be laughed out of the building.