The U.S. Senate is likely going to see some changes. With long-serving members Pete Domenici (R-NM) and John Warner (R-VA) retiring, as well as the recent illnesses of Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Robert Byrd (D-WV), some of the Senate’s traditional voices may be replaced with younger ones. Note: Kennedy and Byrd are both holding their seats.
Now with yesterday’s indictment of Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), another recognizable member may lose his reign in the Senate. He is currently in his 7th term as a Senator and is up for re-election in November. But first, he must triumph in the Republican primary on Aug. 26, where he is battling five opponents to hold his seat.
Other retiring senators include Wayne Allard (R-CO), Larry Craig (R-ID), and Chuck Hagel (R-NE). Republicans must defend 23 seats this November, Democrats only 12.
The combination of older members — the majority of which Republican — retiring, and the youthful energy of change accompanying Senator Barack Obama’s presidential bid, it is possible that fresh voices may take over the nation’s capital come November.
What impact do you think these retirements will have on the makeup of the Senate? What about on the makeup of Washington?
in our society we are told that we ARE free, but when i take a look around i see a fence holding us all in and on the other side is another group of people being held back.
were taught that we can all have our own opinions, but honestly we really dont know what to believe anymore because we just started making things up. for all you know kids on the other side of the world could think that a McDonalds is a cult that pretends to serve people but when the days over they go out and set things on fire.
thats one of the stupidest things i’ve ever heard and yet somebody can believe that because society tells us we can and we should believe whatever we want
well i advise you to take a look to see what is really real and whats not
http://misc.teenink.com/blogs/2008/07/05/president-of-the-united-states-of-love/#comments
The article President of the United States of Love is pretty good. The comments are even more entertaining though 
It’s not unusual for presidential candidates to move closer to the center for the general election than they were for the primary, hoping to pick up votes of moderate or undecided voters. But Barack Obama’s whole campaign was about how he was a different type of politician – going against the Washington norms and bringing honesty and ingenuity to the nation’s capital.
Is Obama reverting back to standard Washington ways or does this imply that he has reached a form of post-partisan politics? Some feel that shifting views is necessary in order to be elected, which is the campaign’s primary goal. Others view it as a way to show adaptability—a means of proving that the candidate is not stubborn and stuck in his ways.
Will Obama’s “zigzag to the center,” as Bob Herbert of the New York Times referred to it, be able to pick up enough moderates to make up for the voters he turns off by changing his ways?
Will John McCain start sliding toward the middle like his opponent? Or is it likely that his views will become more conservative to appeal to the right?
