Kudos to YouTuber jdhenchman who assembled this video for his depressed Democratic friends in hopes of helping them remember happier days. What follows is an invaluable written and visual summary of the legislative results of the past 730+/- days. They serve as a reminder of what happens when you govern with unchecked impiety coupled with unwavering partisanship.
- House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on taking up the gavel in January 2007. She lost her speakership as a result of the 2010 election.
- Rep. John Spratt (D-SC), to Pelosi's left, first elected in 1982, lost re-election.
- White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has resigned to run for Mayor of Chicago.
- The S-CHIP bill raised taxes on cigarettes to pay for an expansion of the children's health care program, although expenses will outstrip the new tax revenue.
- Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) lost her re-election.
- Rep. Chet Edwards (D-TX), first elected in 1990, lost re-election.
- Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) gave up the chairmanship of the Ways and Means Committee after a series of ethics complaints, although he survived a primary challenge and was re-elected in 2010.
- Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO), first elected in 1976, lost re-election.
- Rep. Steve Kagen (D-WI), first elected in 2006, lost re-election.
- The cap and trade bill passed the House but was never voted on by the Senate, and is now considered dead.
- Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA), first elected in 1982, lost re-election.
- Scandal-plagued Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-IL) appointed Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) to President Obama's old Senate seat, despite allegations that Blagojevich sought to sell the seat. Burris decided not to run for election, and a Republican won the seat.
- Rep. Walt Minnick (D-ID), first elected in 2008, lost re-election.
- Gov. Jon Corzine (D-NJ) lost re-election despite a strong campaign effort by President Obama.
- Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-PA), first elected in 1984, lost re-election.
- During President Obama's State of the Union, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-NC) interrupted by yelling, "You lie!" Wilson apologized; despite being a top Democratic target, won re-election.
- Rep. Bobby Bright (D-AL), first elected in 2008, lost re-election.
- Against the background of the health care law debate and despite a strong campaign effort by President Obama, Democratic candidate Martha Coakley unbelievably lost the Massachusetts Senate seat to Republican Scott Brown.
- Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN), first elected in 1974, lost re-election.
- Rep. Dave Obey (D-WI), first elected in 1969 and the third longest serving member of the House, retired rather than face re-election.
- Rep. Patrick Murphy (D-PA), first elected in 2006, lost re-election.
- Sen. Arlen Specter (PA) switched to the Democratic Party after it became clear he would lose the Republican Party primary, then lost the Democratic Party primary.
- Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), first elected in 1992, retired rather than face re-election. He had been the focus of a bitter debate over the health care law's funding of abortions.
- President Obama and his advisers routinely speak of complete agreement among economists regarding additional stimulus spending. The Cato Institute took out an ad signed by hundreds of economists, including Nobel Prize winners, who disagreed.
- Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), first elected in 1992, lost re-election.
- Rep. Alan Grayson (D-FL), first elected in 2008 and considered a progressive hero for his biting criticism of Republicans, lost re-election by 18 points.
- Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), first elected in 1992, lost re-election.
- Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-NC), first elected in 1996, lost re-election. He had been caught on video manhandling students asking him questions on the street.
- Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-FL), first elected in 2002, chose to retire and instead run unsuccessfully for the Senate seat, coming in third place.
- Continuing the Bush Administration policy of defending DOMA and retaining Don't Ask Don't Tell alienated gays who supported the Democrats.
- Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) hung on to his Senate seat but is severely weakened as Senate Majority Leader.
- The Obama Administration described how unemployment would drop once the stimulus was enacted, but the actuals have gone in the other direction.
- Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN), first elected in 1998, retired rather than run for re-election. He has been critical of his party's legislative agenda.
- After the election, President Obama admitted in a morose press conference that his party had suffered a "shellacking."
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