The next Dem President is going to inherit a h*ll of a mess. Will anyone

[FormerRepublican]

...actually want to take it on? I hope someone is hatching up some good plans to fix this sheet.

Who's the best problem solver we have?

[sandnsea]

1. Oh I don't know

The one who has predicted every problem and had the exact right answer on every single issue for the last 30 years.

[Tiggeroshii]

9. Who's that? n/t

[wtmusic]

2. Al Gore nt

[Hissyspit]

3. To be President of the U. S., you have to be power-hungry, a martyr

or both.

[Initech]

45. You also have to be supported by the oil industry

[cyclezealot]

4. US politics is mostly pr.

I fear McCain wil come across as Mr Clean and be our next president. Resulting in another 4 years of financial chaos. We need a president with some smarts. I say the president with a plan is Feingold. A more informed president still would be Kucinich.

[laheina]

13. There's no love lost

between the zealots and McCain. I don't know if they would even run him.

[cyclezealot]

28. when faced with scandal and potential loss

even the fundies will cling to whatever to hold onto any assemblance of power. Most repugs are so tarred by Abrahamof and Delay, they might have to con us with some Mr Clean imagery to maintain power.
McCain plays footsie with the likes of Feingold giving him an undeserved clean image.
Maybe the fundies won't have complete control of the next Gopper nominee, like this one; but in the end you accept what you must to keep some control.
Social conservatives afterall think tax cuts for the rich are the will of god, too. Should REpug revulsion reach such a point as exampled in Friday's New Hampshire press- New Hampshire and Iowa Repugs might just start a stampede for McCain.?

[laheina]

46. True.

Then they'll just revise their version of events so that they were all for him the whole time.

I forgot who we were dealing with for a second.

[Cleita]

5. We are going to need a Marshall Plan right here to put

us back together again. I think we should make Halliburton and the rest of the theives pay back the money they stole from us.

[Bigmack]

25. Funny you should say....

... Marshall Plan.

I've been thinking about a bunch of WWII and postwar programs that attacked HUGE problems.

How about a Marshall Plan to rebuild our own country, the way the original MP rebuilt Europe?

How about a Manhattan Project to attack the energy/oil problem?

How about building (rebuilding!) alliance systems like NATO?

I was a baby during WWII, but reading the history of that war tells me this country can do great things with real LEADERSHIP.

Too bad....

[Cleita]

37. I was a toddler during WWII, but I absorbed a lot of the ideas

of the era from back then. We have come 180 degrees in the opposite direction from the Greatest Generation's thinking on social issues. I believe it's because our parent's generation also were racist in a lot of ways and this is what brought their decendents to where they are today, Kool-aid drinking Republicans.

However, none of my racist relatives would have advocated doing violence to people who were different than them the likes of what Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter are suggesting today. Mostly they wanted different races and ethnicities, like immigrants, out of their sight, but wished them well and didn't wish them any harm.

This is why the Marshall Plan was accepted as their responsibility both in Europe and Japan, especially Japan. The Japanese wouldn't be the industrial, affluent nation it is today if the Americans hadn't felt the responsibility to extend a helping hand after their defeat and the destruction of much of their country.

Contrast that with what we are doing today in Afghanistan and Iraq. I hang my head in shame.

[TankLV]

48. Exactly right. I don't EVER want to hear any idiot say "but we can't

afford it" bullshit.

We "lost" over 18 BILLION DOLLARS in bunkerboy's war and somehow it's "not important".

That's enought to make every American a MILLIONAIRE SIXTY TIMES OVER!

Think about that for a minute.

EVERY AMERICAN MAN, WOMAN AND CHILD A MILLIONAIRE SIXTY TIMES OVER!

I don't ever again want to hear how we can't afford something.

"We" always seem to afford Krap whenever "we" want to!

[Bigmack]

49. I can't get your numbers....

... but you're really onto something.

If this war costs one trillion... and it will... at least... how much is that per American? or per American family?

I'd love to do the math and find out myself, but I'm math challenged. I get lost in all the fucking zeros.

This is HUGH!!!

[TankLV]

50. Simple - take 18,000,000,000 divide by 300,000,000.

I assume 300 million is the current US population - I believe it is less.

Works for paying for health care, education, getting americans debt free and off the predatory "payday loan" corps.

Give every American a New Start, A Fresh Start.

Just think what the power of POSITIVE spending would do!

[Telly Savalas]

51. That's $60 a person. Not millions.

But the war has cost a lot more than $18 billion, and tax rates are a lot lower and more regressive than they were than say during the 1950's.

[TankLV]

53. Oops - damn! I stand corrected.

Damn damn damn damn damn!

:banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

[mikehiggins]

6. Wes Clark

Today I was talking to an old friend who is hyper-involved in NYC politics, especially South Brooklyn and the topic of veterans came up. I am part of a 501(c)(3) that is moving towards taking on aid to veterans as our main mission. I was asking him for information about a US Congressman who we would like to honor at our annual event. He suggested we contact Clark instead. I was floored. ALl these months he was a Clarkista, and I never even knew.

His reason? We're going to need someone who can make things work and the only one on the horizon is the General.

Put a smile on my face for sure.

[Kat45]

7. Wes Clark

He's already coming up with plans for extricating us from the mess we've created in Iraq and he has ideas for what we need domestically as well. This man is incredibly intelligent, he's a problem-solver, and he has respect worldwide. He recently gave an excellent speech, "The Real State of the Union," which is available on his Securing America website.

[DemInDistress]

8. I just don't feel it..there wont be another election..too much

lies,thefts and murders in this whitehouse to allow another election and we are just one more major attack away from Martial Law..It could also happen if the US Dollar collapses. The Bush Crime Family can and will suspend the elections...JMHO I hope I'm wrong but!!

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[FormerRepublican]

12. ???

:shrug:

[ribrepin]

11. McCain is arrogant and stupid enough

The GOP will find a way to blame the Bill Clinton and the dems for Bush's mess and enough people will believe it.

I think Wes Clark would have the best shot @ controlling the mess. I don't know that anyone can fix this boondoggle anytime soon. If the repubs lose the presidency, Bush will march us into Iran the next day.

[liberalpragmatist]

14. You can bet DU will be a pretty unpleasant place during a Dem presidency

Democrats are not above criticism; I don't believe in hero-worship. Nevertheless, knowing how emotional DU is and how hung up DU gets over every issue, turning everything into a litmus test, my guess is that DU during a Democratic presidency is going to be filled with threads bitching about the President and how we need a "real" Democrat in power.

[FormerRepublican]

15. Compared to Bush?

I think it will take more than 10 years just to get over the feelings of relief! Lordie, that man makes me sweat and want to hurl.

[liberalpragmatist]

17. Oh I'll be incredibly relieved

Although I think I'll go into severe depression of I wake up on Nov. 5, 2008 to be greeted by President-Elect Allen.

I'm just saying that knowing DU, even if it's just a minority, after the first couple months of relief, there will be people ceaselessly bashing the Democratic president. Like I said, they shouldn't be above criticism; but lashing out and dismissing them at every opportunity as a DINO probably won't be appropriate.

[JohnnyRingo]

16. And the freakin' republicans will blame him on day one

They'll call for an impeachment by the end of January.

Fox News will shift overnight from a "bright and rosy economy" to recession and despair. They'll paint the Iraq war as a "tragic use for our once fine military".

It'll be as if suddenly the blinders will come off and they'll see the country as it really is, but the blame will come down on the newly elected president.

A couple years ago I wouldn't have thought that possible, but I've seen a lot since then that nothing surprises anymore.

[Nay]

18. That scares me, too, Ringo. I know for a fact that wingnuts I know

will immediately shift any blame for anything, even if they supported their Repub while he did the same thing, to the new Dem prez. It will be as if the last 8 years under total republicanism never happened.

[kentuck]

19. It's gonna take some radical changes to fix this radical mess...

It's going to take some courageous leadership. We don't need someone to just take the helm. If that is their idea, please don't run.

[CJCRANE]

20. Wes Clark is the man. nt

[rucky]

21. If Conyers doesn't want the job, then Dennis Kucinich is the man.

Both are out-of-the-box thinkers who are focused on positive solutions.

plus, they've shown they can put up with a beating and still keep plugging away.

[Marleyb]

40. I think Dennis Kucinich is the only one that can fix this mess

He would put a stop to NAFTA .He already has plans for no interest loans to the states for rebuilding infrastructure and creating jobs.

He would stop the phony war on terror and return that money and effort to our own country.

[Burning Water]

22. Clark is best,

I think. Next best = anybody but Gore, Kerry, or Clinton.

[Mass]

23. One of our last two presidential nominees. They both have proven

that they understand what is going on and how to fix it and have the experience both on foreign and domestic policies issues.

[Road Scholar]

24. No one person could ever un-fuck-up the mess that George W

Bush has made. He didn't do it by himself. It will take a team of like minded professionals years and years to fix this mess he's gotten us into.

[dogday]

26. But the great thing is he can blame the previous

administration and it will be the truth.

[madokie]

27. Oh yeah, I think Al Gore will come to our rescue

He told me that in his speech on the constitutional crisis.

[cyclezealot]

29. what I fear an economic collapse

will not wait for the Democratic president. To avoid such, Democrats have to find the means to stop the temporary tax cuts from becoming permament. The petrodollars won't wait that long.We will have another Brenton Woods in our life time.

[Roho]

30. A true leader

A true leader would look forward to taking on this challenge.

Gore/Feingold 08

or

Redford/Damon 08

[against all enemies]

31. Bill Clinton - He already did it once. Who would listen to him?

[Lorien]

32. That's what everyone said

right before Clinton took office.

[Loge23]

33. We are.

There can be no doubt that we face a gigantic mess, post idiot.
However, until we all face up to the responsibility of "government by and for the people" we will continue to pile the problems on.
We need to wake up, collectively as all Americans, and regain the power of running our country.
We (collectively) gave up the responsibility when we accepted the (not so) Supreme Court's appointment of the idiot president. We can't continue to delegate the operation of our democracy to elected officials. We must be active and we must be heard.
Those of us on this board know this. Until the masses buy into this, we'll get what we pay for.
What do we want? What is truly important to us?
The illegal occupation of the WH has bankrupted us. But we have to start somewhere.

[porphyrian]

34. At this point, any step in the right direction would be improvement...

...and most Americans will be nose-deep in the mess before bush leaves office (unless he does so before 2008). All they'd have to do is stop making things worse. It's not like anyone will be able to convincingly blame the next President for this administration's mess.

As for actually solving the problems, virtually any non-neocon could do it. The question of who would do it best depends on whose methods/priorities are closest to our own. Since we disagree as a party about this, we'll have to duke it out in the primaries and hope our votes are actually counted correctly.

[FrenchieCat]

35. Wes Clark can do this......

He's an "out of the Box thinking non politician" who's usually ahead of the curve. While most politicians are saying Bomb Iran, he's saying "can we talk?"....He's also talking about a transitioning to a single payer health care system.

His motto-- "Country before party"....and currently that is what's needed; to start doing what's best for this country and our future.



PS-Clark will be on C-SpanII interviewing David Rieff this eve at 8:00 p.m., and on C-Span tomorrow (a repeat). For those who don't know David Rieff, he's written 6 books. His latest will be discussed with Wes.

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0684808676.01._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-dp-500-arrow,TopRight,45,-64_AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[stepnw1f]

36. This is a Blessing in Disguise

It's a chance for the left to reassert itself in American society and tradition. Once again, the left saves the day!

[Uncle Joe]

38. Al Gore is the visionary, and he knows more than

anyone on the horizon on how the government works, as he reinvented it under the Clinton administration.

He has an in depth knowledge of our historical democratic philosophy and truly respects our constitution, as one example his speech on M.L.K. Day basically indicting Bush for breaking the law with his warrant less wiretaps of the American People. He has empowered more people than any living person when he championed the internet (democracy's last best hope as the corpwhorate owned MSM abandoned their obligations to be the American People's watchdog), he was of course trashed for this gift to us. He has not stopped there, he is currently attempting to bring a more democratic form of television to the people because he has faith in the people, however again the corpwhorate owned MSM are doing what they can to hinder this venture.

He is the premier champion on the biggest problem facing humanity, global warming, and will have a movie coming out this spring regarding what we need to do.

Al Gore and David Blood have started a venture fund to invest in businesses with an emphasis on sustainability (again it's that vision thing). He knows we have to change our economic model, because the planet cannot sustain the current rate of consumption of the human population.

I believe he has been adept at solving problems for the American People from his 8 years as Representative, 8 years as Senator, 8 years as Vice President and coming up 8 years as professor/business man/venture capitalist. In spite of being denied his rightful place in the White House, Al Gore has never abandoned the American People or all of humanity for that matter.

[graywarrior]

39. We're gonna need Winston 'The Wolf' Wolfe

[Greyhound]

43. Now HE could make a real difference.

[rpgamerd00d]

41. Step 1: Tax the !@#$%^&* out of the rich. After that, its all downhill...

[Greyhound]

42. My greatest fear. I've noticed how many people here and IRL

seem to ignore the fact that the Democrats simply winning won't make much difference at all. A cohesive super-majority in both houses is what is necessary to undo the 8 years of laws that this cabal has forced on us. There are no "do-overs" provided for in the constitution. We've passed these laws and the beneficiaries of them are not going to sit quietly by while we try to undo it. Have we forgotten Scalito and Roberts and Scalia and Souter and Thomas and...? After the hack-pack-attack the re:puke:s have imposed, I think the likelihood of even another O'Connor hiding in the court is remote at best.
It will be an uphill battle for years and years and the DINO to progressive ratio is not promising.

[Marleyb]

44. SHAFTA is a BIG part of the problem in this country

Everyone thinks Clinton was so great, and blame Bush for the loss of jobs...but that aint exactly the truth. The job losses have been a result of NAFTA and the WTO which Clinton implemented and the Republicans were against back in the day. We use to have tariffs for a reason. Both Democrats and Republicans have participated in this boost to the corporations and the expense to the American people.

We need a democratic president that will admit what NAFTA has done to our country and stop it.

Kucinich stated that upon becoming president he could and would stop NAFTA and the WTO immediately to save American jobs.

Here a clip from the Dem primary debates on this subject
http://ftp.radio4all.net/pub/archive/05.29.04/cnndeb-outsource-k93a.mp3

[tinfoilinfor2005]

47. I would like to see Gore because of his deep concern for

the environment. We are so close to destroying our planet and Al Gore is more knowledgeable about the subject than any other politician on the planet, IMO. If it has to be a repub (yuck, but it could happen) I have wondered who might be the "lesser of the evils." McCain has spoken out strongly in favor of environmental concerns whereas I haven't heard that from another repub. I just have a hard time trusting him.

[flyarm]

52. Carter was stuck will a hell of a mess and so was Clinton@!

the dems always have to clean up the gop messes..nothing new!

only this time they have to restore the constitution! and bill of rights!

fly