For six years the repukes have controlled the agenda

almost every republican supported that agenda

in 2006 and 2008 will the Democrats finally use it against them as a campaign issue?

I hope the last six years are NOT representative of what the Democrats will do in 2006 and 2008. They had better stand and fight

mccain is going to paint himself as a moderate, and the democrats better NOT let that stand. His puke voting record speaks for itself

I suspect that we'll see the party poobahs sit on their hands through the summer, giving the GOP time to recover (again) from their self-inflicted wounds, then run a fall campaign based on vague niceties without any firm positions that the GOP can attack, while the repukes continue in full swing with their own program.

I'm still holding out hope that Dean can do something about that, but I'm not betting the bank that we're going to see any great, rousing campaign that might do something dangerous...like get people out to vote Dem.

the MSM has already painted him as too angry and irrational. The Democrats should grab that and say, YOU ARE DAMN RIGHT WE ARE ANGRY:

1. You have gotten us into a war based on a lie
2. You have weakened our position in the world
3. You have increased our deficiet to dangerous levels
4. You have made it more difficult for students to get loans
5. You have destroyed a prescription drug program, that could have had some merits, and you aim to do the same thing with medicare and social security
6. You screwed up with Katrina
7. After 9/11 you still haven't secured the ports
8. You have put the government into personal lives, Terry Shivo(sic), abortion, stem cell research

said that was the plan.

'Just don't say anything, and let the Republicans collapse on themselves'.

He seemed to think it was just the height of strategy, and from his position, I can see why. If they can just be *less* corporate, they can step right into the peoples' government without even glancing at the people. Made me sick.

who these knuckleheaded "Democratic strategists" are and who hired them.

Dems need a principled, intelligent, tough, savvy leader in 2008. Kerry and Gore were both close. Not quite there, at least then. Would take either now. A Bobby Kennedy would work for me. McCain is despised by the GOP far right, and that's nearly all of the party now. I predict Jeb Bush, but likely somebody with strong ties to Bush (and Rove) gets the nomination. If there's an election. Which I doubt. And many will do whatever Bush says, no matter what. He could eat a live baby on national television and still poll 33%, with Rush Limbaugh leading the cheers.

but in his place I will settle for Russ Feingold

You are correct the extreme right hates mccain, but it is the independents who think he is moderate

That is the job of the Democrats to show his true colors if he is their nomination

The Dems basically handed it to them- and many have gotten on the bandwagon and played along (including Clinton).

It doesn't look to me as if the Dems are very interested in taking it back. They've passed every significant piece of legislation and confirmed every nominee the Republicans offered up.

I don't see any evidence that they won't keep on enabling the far right in the months and years to come.

otherwise, there will be much more pain coming down

But the evidence suggests otherwise. Over the past 6 weeks- the Dems as a party have rolled over a series of golden opportunities to regain some respect, assert some power, and contrast themselves with the far right.

Yet their performance has been nothing short of pathetic- as bad if not worse than their performance over the past 6 years. That's not how you gain the voters' confidence in your ability to lead. They had a chance to create some serious momentum- and instead, they let the Republicans up off the ropes- again.

Ulysses and I have watched this same pattern and posted about it since 2001. And without some "divine intervention," I don't expect to see any different results come this November.

:hi: depa!

...think that the Democrats presently control Congress.

that's why the Democratic party is in such disarray...