Should the Democrats now bother working with an unpopular Prez?

[59millionmorons]

According to the last five polls I have seen all showing Bush approval below 45%, should the Democrats do anything to help Bush in the next three years? I think they now should oppose everything he wants. Americans just don't like this guy. I think now that the Democrats should hope for the nuclear option. 1 because it would be fun to hear Bush say nuclear for a few weeks and 2nd, I believe the reason his approval has fallen is because of his unpopular ideas.

[slackmaster]

1. The minority party has a duty to make its voice heard

Popularity of the President is irrelevant.

[Pacifist Patriot]

11. That's all I was saying below.

[Zenlitened]

2. No. Dems should create and promote their own legislation...

... on issues that matter to us, the base. Loudly and proudly say, in essence, "This guy sucks, and we have a better way."

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

5. But not too soon.

Why take the focus OFF their shitty agenda and put the spotlight (and the criticism that goes with it) onto ours?

No, let the American people stew with their displeasure long enough. Then, around March 2006, we unleash our version of the Contract with America. We must make sure the Republican (piss)ants are fully cooked before we give them a way to move the magnifying glass. Once the people have truly had enough, our alternatives will look like gold, no matter what kind of smear the Republicans put out.

But to do that, we must NOT give them a distraction from their incompetence. They have no scapegoats left - you can't blame it on Clinton or the Democrats, so why GIVE them a scapegoat?

edit for typos

[Zenlitened]

9. Hmmm... I see your point. But can't we at least have...

... a weekly cameo appearance by George Galloway until then? :D

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

12. Sure! He's British - he doesn't count!

[PATRICK]

19. We've been doing that since Carter's fall

Then an occasional meteor like Galloway(a speaker to power NOT a mad John Brown) shows what a feeble and compromised pile of manure this fitting into the spin and drift machine has been. The Communists also boasted of this strategy of letting our corruption sink us, glutted on triumphs and decadence. Fat lot of good that did them. Let the mobsters shoot each other. Fat lot of good that does either.

Then creeping like cockroaches out of the ruins...

The majority of Americans ARE and HAVE been ready for a better way NOT the oxymoronic DLC Third Way. The leaders of the party have too often abdicated the very role of leadership to let the people take the flak and in total silence, lack of recognition and lack of protection against fraud and criminal power ploys. May we make a side note how many people have died here and abroad while this thoughtful ruse(supposedly, it's wishful hypothesis mostly that it even exists as a policy)is comfortably, politely, silently, ensconced in the mansions and clubs of the well heeled heroes of the party.

To me they seem all posed like Dan Rather to suddenly show their modest, ineffectual hand, get easily shot down, then humbly in shame depart with never a direct confrontation of the central evils affecting our system AND our leadership. THAT is how clever they seem to have been allowing these thugs a free ride for decades. The party, the people and the nation and the world and the future have taken enormous hits, possibly fatal. This is hardly an example of how right and reason should function in an imperfect world.

Unless you enjoy a lot of dramatic, needless slaughter.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

20. Since Carter's fall, eh?

Except we still were IN control of Congress until 1994. Please highlight for me exactly how we held off presenting an agenda while we were in power?

[Pacifist Patriot]

3. Popularity has nothing to do with it.

If a president, popular or not, is advocating dangerous, unethical or just plain stupid policies than the opposition is obliged to work against rather than with him. I don't care if Bush's approval rating was 90%, I'd still be lobbying hard against the neocon agenda.

[59millionmorons]

6. ????

If it wasnt for Bush popularity after 911 many Democrats would have voted against the war. So his popularity did have alot to do with that vote.

[Pacifist Patriot]

10. Exactly my point.

Even with a high approval rating they should have gone against the idiotic decision to go to war. I'd rather have politicians who vote their conscience than by hanging on to popular coat tails. Discovering intestinal fortitude for opposition because of a loss of popularity is disgraceful. They should have had it all along.

[59millionmorons]

17. Gotcha

I agree 100%

[whistle]

4. It depends on the events that will follow during his presidency...

...there is no need to give in on the judicial appointees and certainly not on privatizing social security. If another 9-11 type event happens, it will be all bets off of the table.

The focus then will have to be on the causes and prevention of such an event. It's a real mess.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

8. No, if another 9/11 happens, we need to point the finger.

The blame needs to be pointed directly at them, loudly and clearly.

[jobycom]

7. Yes-- whether we like it or not

Democrats are still the minority, no matter how unpopular Bush is. We can't get anything done without Republican support, and they rarely need us for anything except issues which divide their own party.

So if we want to temper any of his extremes, we have to work with COngress and the President--he's the only one we've got.

Now, we should still oppose his sorry ass on every blamed issue we can, and we need to fight like the world's future is riding on the fillibuster right in COngress. WIthout the filibuster, Republicans rule the world, and they don't have to listen to us on anything.

We have to make enough concessions to retain SOME ability to influence government. Although, I think we should make fewer concessions, and absolutely none on issues of morality, like the invasion, or social security, etc.

[BillZBubb]

16. Whew, your subject line scared me!

Fortunately, your message was better stated.

We should only work with them on items that fit our values and objectives. Anything else, the Repugs are on their own--with our absolute opposition.

[jobycom]

21. Hey, made you look!

There are times we will have to give them something we don't want, to get them to approve something greater we need. One of the good things, though, about being completely out of power is that there are fewer times when they will actually need our support, so we are more free to cut loose. Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose. (Damn, that was a great line. Christoferson is genius!)

[insane_cratic_gal]

13. Shaping up that we are the Majority

BushINC is now the minority, does that people's voice count for nothing?

keep letting the reps ignore their own, 2006 will show them the error of their ways. That's if we start insisting on paper ballots and not republican controlled voting machines.

[GoBlue]

14. Only if they believe a traitor

deserves their support.

[alfredo]

15. bush's idea of negotiation is our surrender

Neo cons do not negotiate in good faith. No surrender, no compromise. Fuck em

[ConfuZed]

18. TIMBER!!!!

LET THE VILLAGE IDIOT FALL!