2006 Will be the Year of America's Salvation, or its Demise

[louis c]

I place great stock in this coming year being a turning point in U.S. history. The Democrats must gain control of at least one branch of Congress, or we will never recover from the Repuke agenda of bad trade deals, a tax structure that concentrates wealth at the top, economic policies that reward "economic treason" (Pat Buchanan's words), a morally and financially draining war, an erosion of civil rights, abuse of power, corruption, and on and on.

You see, I do believe that an alternative view in the House or the Senate would at least stem the tide, and perhaps reverse it.

If, by chance, one branch is placed in Democratic hands, we as activists, must make sure they live up to their promise. Timidity can not be tolerated. Changes must be made, and they must be made swiftly.

This is why we must attempt to defeat every Republican running for congress or the U.S. Senate. If, for example, Lincoln Chaffee is re-elected to the Senate in the Bluest state, Rhode Island and the Repukes have only 50 Senators, they still control every committee and the subpoena powers. Every Democrat this year is better than every Repuke. We don't have the luxury of electing a token, moderate Republican, because the numbers are against us, and there is too much at stake.

If a Republican Senator like Chaffee or one of the Maine Senators want to live up to their principals and become Independents and side with the Democrats, as Jeffords did, than let us know now.

This is a watershed mid-term election and even one vote in the Senate or the House could literally make all the difference in the world.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

1. I'm really liking Collins and Snowe right now.

If they'd STAND UP--though Collins is already starting to do that more frequently--I could really be proud of my state. Even so, I'm glad to have them, compared to what Rethugs I could have. But you're right: I want at least one Dem, ASAP.

[louis c]

2. If the numbers were different

say, for instance, Dems 54 and Repukes 46, then Snowe, Collins and Chaffee would be just fine. Kind of like Ed Brooke in the seventies.

But as a minority party facing such a hard line right wing Administration, those moderate Republicans turn out to be a luxury we can't afford.

[WritingIsMyReligion]

5. Problem is, they're fairly old-school Repugs.

None of that neo-con nonsense. So I don't ever see them switching to be Dems.

So they've got to go....

[depakid]

7. Crikey- they're Republicans!

They toe the party line!

They do as much damage to the country as any other Republican. At this point, any politician who willingly associates with that party- and continually votes for their corrupt, inept and abusive policies is part of the problem- and not part of any solution.

What is it about Mainers- who are usually pretty reasonable and responsible folks, that they can't see that? It's not like they're Ohians (who seem masochistic to me).

[Selatius]

3. But we haven't even resolved the problem of vote fraud

The GAO report about the problems in Ohio highlight what could go wrong. As of yet, the problem has not yet been resolved, and 2006 is just around the corner. There cannot be any confidence in the election system unless the people are allowed to verify their votes and that the votes are counted.

[Mend]

6. we have to win elections with such huge margins

that they can't steal them....that means getting out the vote. Pick any age group and you will find ridiculously low numbers of voters. No excuse this time....

[Selatius]

8. The day the Dems win such huge margins is the day...

the leadership goes back to the fucking basics and stands up for the working man, something the Democrats have been doing with timidity and pale colors for decades now. I keep saying that to folks here: Economic Populism, but I get slammed as a fucking far leftist "pipe dreamer." For example, certain individuals here told me Casey up in Vermont was the "winner" because he was more middle of the road than ol' Bernie Sanders, the independent populist democratic socialist, but gee, somebody tell me the fucking poll results today of how much Sanders' candidacy is a damn "pipe dream"!

I'm not trying to rain on Dem chances in '06, but I'm angry right now because I am almost always, always forced to make concessions to everybody to the right of me, and frankly, I haven't seen many concessions made in my direction or other people who hold similar ideas with me on things such as "socialist" health care. There is NO reciprocity. Keep on ignoring the left half of the Democratic Party and you risk permanently driving away those votes and splitting the base.

[Mend]

9. I agree with you....Dems better come back to their base. eom

[Conker]

11. Exactly.How can the Dems expect to win with voting fraud?

Diebold and E&S must go.

[Mend]

4. I totally agree....there are no good repukes, not in 2006

we must regain the majority in both houses, run the committees, and set the agenda. If not, all is lost. Look at the voting records of these so-called moderate repukes: I bet you will find they almost always follow the party line when they vote. They are trying to move more left with elections coming and repuke polls down, but they are still repukes. Find good Dems please, and we will all support them.

[Nay]

10. Agree as well. No good Republicans. They are all tainted by

simple inclusion in a group that contains the Bush cabal. We have to make them all suffer for their stupidity in caving in to the RW in their own party. They have to get some balls, too.

[Bloodblister Bob]

12. An attack in the US if Dems win back congress in '06?

If you force your mind into that dark, twisted neocon mode we have all come to know, staging an attack inside the US if the Democrats win back congress in 2006 makes perfect sense. It would probably guarantee a swing back to the Right in '08, especially if it was some truly horrible and devistating attack.

I mean, what else would they have left? They're not just going to go quietly away.

[louis c]

13. There is no excuse

to avoid the opportunity to win in '06, whatever the cost