The Coming Democratic Majority?

With which GOP will Reid be forced to deal? The I'm Not George Bush GOP, such as Duncan, Jr. (R-TN), Gilchrest (R-MD), Young (R-FL)... or the pathetic remnants of the Bush contingent, now circled behind the wagons, picked off by scandals?

Hillary's high negatives are something of a bugbear. Republican women love her. Their husbands might not, but I don't see a Republican woman voting for Giuliani or any of the other contemptible asskissers in the Republican hustings. Giuliani is the Ted Kennedy of the Republican Party. Huckabee's out there annoying everyone who believe's the world's a bit older than 6000 years, he's a nice guy, but he scares me to death, the last thing America needs is a pastor in the White House.

While the Dems are divided, they're only biding their time, letting Bush and the Republicans shoot themselves in the feet. Never get between your enemy and his destruction, and never oppose an enemy returning home. The Republican Party of the last eight years has disgraced itself beyond all recognition, to the point where the new caricature of a homosexual predator is now a Republican. Useta be some bucktoothed and ill shaven vagrant, but now he wears a red elephant in his lapel.

How have the mighty fallen, and how very far. They have farther yet to fall. It's not the fall that gets you, they say, but the sudden stop at the bottom.

Well, it's all quite anecdotal, to be sure, which group supports which candidate. Hillary's paddled around to many corners of the swamp, making allies and friends in surprising places, it's certainly more than the NOW crowd.

Barack Obumpkin seems to be coming up strong at the five-furlong pole, Lord the cartoonists are gonna have a field day with those ears if he gets elected. Poor old Okra Wingfree looks a bit silly, earnestly preaching his virtues. If the po'ly ejucated women are going to vote for anyone, it's a vote for Obumpkin.

The GOP could and should have cleaned house after the last elections. They didn't. Mercifully, the worst of them are dying off, and Hastert's leaving like the Grinch with his burglar sack full of pork. I should pay more attention to what old Mitch is up to these days, seems to me the Dems don't have anyone to run against him.

I think the electorate is being a bit unreasonable with their expectations of the Democrats slim majority. They cannot override a veto in either house, and don't have the numbers to stop a fillibuster in the Senate, yet everyone seems to expect that they should be able to force their agenda down the throats of the Republicans now that they have the majority. Maybe people were expecting the Republicans to be a bit more contrite in their defeat, but really, there isn't much the Democrats can do without a handful of Republicans coming along for the ride.

That said, I think they wasted too much time on Alberto Gonzales this year, and really need to focus on governance, not scandal, if the 110th Congress is going to produce any meaningful results.

Bill - re: the omnibus spending bill can work if:
1) Pork is kept to a minimum (not exactly betting on that), and
2) The 30 Billion (I think that's the amount) with no strings attached for war funding is enough of an incentive to Bush that he's willing to take a compromise (again, not exactly betting on that either).

Also, they have gotten a reputation (fairly) for claiming they want to end the war in Iraq, but being unwilling to put up a responsible policy for doing so. As a result, much of their own party are disgruntled with them. It will be an interesting election, at the very least.

Honestly, I think the Dems have painted themselves in a corner here. If they listen to the public and force a withdrawal, the Republicans can attack them (and surely will) for withdrawing at a time when the numbers coming out of Iraq show marked improvement. It was one thing to push for withdrawal when peace seemed impossible, but with the way things are looking over there now, I think you have to re-evaluate your position. On the other hand, if they do re-evaluate their position, and stall a withdrawal, they will be accused of being weak, "flip-flopping," and not listening to the will of the people who elected them.

Iraq is going to weigh down the Democrats in next year's elections more than anyone is reporting now. It's a big issue, and it's trending in the Republicans favor.

Good points, Bill.

Speaking solely in regard to 2008 (as I see it to be a different, but related topic to your article), the Democrats' actions with regard to Iraq are going to be a major issue, if for no other reason than the Republicans' demonstrated ability to find an issue and milk it for all its worth. Will this be enough to cost the Democrats the election? I'd say it largely depends on the nominee.

Going beyond 2008, though, I think the factors you mentioned definitely outweigh Iraq, but the Presidential election next year will play a crucial role. It'll be hard for the Democrats to form a majority behind either a defeated or divisive candidate, and frankly, I don't see many in the party, save my preference for President, with the charisma or character to lead and inspire the electorate into a cohesive left-of-center majority.

Bill...you have to stop being so reasonable...I'm going to lose a lot of cred for agreeing with you.

I was once told the key to any well-argued thesis resolves to building its framework with patient scholarship. Once erected, you can fly any flag you wish from it. Not pseudo-scholarship, facts don't take sides.

Those who get caught up in partisan hokum are not doing their homework. He who can't see through the vast parade of charlatans and grifters swarming through the halls of Congress, and realize political parties are merely organizations of self-interested crooks has missed the point. Honest men are neither Republican or Democrat. They get beyond partisan interests, and make friends among their intellectual opponents.

I've already got one wager going with Killfile on the "Bush won't bomb Iraq"

Iraq? Didn't he already bomb Iraq, or am I completely out of the loop due to my limited intake of US media reports?

Joke aside, I suspect you mean Iran. Iraq. Iran. They sound the same, and yet they are very different things ^~

I do think people are ready for a change.

I echo that Shaun v. You can actually feel it all the way here across the Pond, blowing on a wind of hope! :o)

I'd like to see the Clintons go back to Arkansas and stay under the radar...

The Democrats do have a sensible policy for immigration, in several variants. I'd like your opinion on this one.

Really? Care to explain this, then?

Fascinating poll, Eco-geek, thank you. Translated simply it means that Hillary might win the battle for the Democratic nomination but would lose the White House war in the end. Mmmm.

Look at www.realclearpolitics.com, or www.pollster.com for up to date information. The one poll that shows this information is not a fair sampling, nor does it show in any way that Hillary Clinton is not electable.

I will note that I actually paid for Zogby polls in 2004. I will never do so again, in part because I found that his polls were often like Gallup polls. Inconsistent with inconsistent and often biased polling.