My take. Don't elect a Dem President until you can elect a Dem Cong.

[cantstandbush]

There is just too much mess to clean up after two Bush terms and a government run into the ground by a Republican controlled House, Senate, and Court.

If we want the next Dem President to be successful we will have to give her or him the tools to succeed. It can not be done with a Republican Congress.

[Oceansaway]

1. i have to agree with you....

we need to GET ACTIVE with the '06 elections....

[ktowntennesseedem]

2. Agreed, but we're likely stuck with a right-wing court for some time.

Unless we do some serious filibustering, not only of Alito but anyone this administration tries to inflict upon America. But we can and must take back Congress, and if we succeed we can then work on taking back the WH. Hopefully via impeachment, because I don't think I can stand it until '08, and I don't think the country can hold out that long.

But I do hope the next Dem president has the support of a Democratic congress. With any luck it will happen soon enough that we can still salvage the judicial branch as well.

[cantstandbush]

6. Forget the Court. Congress can legislate over them. But we do need

to have a Congress that is not owned by the corporate crew, AIPAC, or the oil congloms. It would be great if some decent folks would just be able to run on guts, truth, and tenancity. It can be done. The corporate media has lost so much credibility you don't really need to spend a lot of money on those hate ads anymore. Most people just tune them out now because they know they were bamboozzled by them in the last two elections. The swiftboaters actually helped the cause of decent and honest campaigning by the backlash that has since come out against them. With the new attacks on Murtha, it only reminds people that the Republicans really don't honor legitimate military who have actually served honorably in wars and it brings back shades of the swiftboaters and Kerry. I have had several people tell me that they were not Kerry fans but they thought the swiftboater smearing was way over the line and two said they despised the media for supporting the seiftboaters.

There is hope out there.

[ktowntennesseedem]

27. Absolutely, the court is the least of my concerns.

I'd love to see it stay balanced, and certainly don't enjoy the prospect of court packed with judges of the Scalita/Thomas mindset. But we can live with any kind of court as long as the other two branches are back in Dems' hands.

Get congress first, and we have a good chance of that in '06. Then we can focus on the WH, either in '08 or, with a Dem congress, even sooner via impeachment. Then we can worry about the court, and by then there won't be as much need to worry about it.

[AX10]

3. I agree. Both houses must be in the Democratic Party's control...

if we are to be successful.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

4. I don't think you'll get one without the other.

If we have the bully pulpit, we'll be in a better position to grab Congress. Think Bush 2002.

[DaveinMD]

5. we need at least one

at least to stop more damage from being done.

[tx_dem41]

7. What are you afraid of?

Afraid that a Democratic President can't lead this country?

Pure defeatism in the OP! I can't believe that people are that defeatist and that scared to lead a nation.

[cantstandbush]

8. Some say "defeatist" some say "realist."

No one said that they were "afraid." And no one said that a Dem can't lead this country. But Dems must be tactical as well as strategic. Fixing the nation must begin within the ranks of the people...and that means Congress. We must begin at the foundation...that is where, afterall, the opposition first DEFEATED us. And then, they elected or selected their President.

[tx_dem41]

10. I repeat....what are you afraid of?

The text of the OP is full of fear.

If we aren't ready to fix things in 2008, at an executive level, regardless of the 2006 election results, we deserve our spot on the trash heap of history.

[...of J.Temperance]

14. Hey cantstandbush...have you NEVER heard of a thing called

The Executive Order, huh? It's very possible for a Democratic President should they find themselves in the position of having a hostile Congress...that that Democratic President can get BIG things done by wielding the BIG STICK known as The Executive Order.

Also, that same Democratic President would have available to them a thing called The Bully Pulpit.

Just sayin'

[...of J.Temperance]

13. Hey you know, if I've never told you before

You're a really wise fellow...mind you, you are from Louisianne, so I'd expect NOTHING less :)

I'm getting tired of the defeatism too. You know, as a party, we've had a FANTASTIC few weeks, we've done some GOOD stuff...and even BETTER, to top that off, the Repukes are imploding and Junior's all at sea.

And instead of REJOICING at what a GOOD position our party is in...we have these people with their defeatism...and it's getting mighty annoying I can tell ya.

I hate to put anyone on Ignore, but Jaysus, my fingers sure a-itchin'

[prescole]

15. I'll second that emotion (from NE Georgia, fella rebs)

Sometimes I'm too much of a smartass for my own good. TexDem keeps me humble.

[...of J.Temperance]

17. I'd better delete this...and just say, yes I agree with you :) n/t

.

[dogman]

9. Can't live with Republican Executive Orders either.

Since this is such a prevalent way of circumventing Congress we need a Dem President.

[rzemanfl]

11. If we can run the bastards out of the House and Senate, then

the Dems don't have to elect anybody. They can impeach Bush and Cheney and put Kerry or Gore in by having a congressperson resign, having their governor appoint one or the other of our real Presidents to fill the vacancy and then electing them Speaker of the House. I lean toward Kerry as President with Gore as V-P solely because Gore is the younger of the two. After the disaster of BushCo that should give the Dems the White House for at least 17 or 18 years.

[...of J.Temperance]

19. Of course that IS my ULTIMATE fantasy *sigh* if ONLY we could n/t

[rzemanfl]

21. We need to have it come true. The country cannot take three

more years of these incompetent bastards. More people voted for (or tried or wanted to vote for) either Kerry or Gore than for Bush.

[...of J.Temperance]

28. I know, and if there's any

Justice in this world and if it holds true that the truth will out...this SHOULD happen.

Let's keep hoping :)

[skipos]

12. Dem presidents have been able to get things

done with repub controlled houses before. Obviously we are in extremely challenging times but I am sure we will have candidates who can make it work. Warner was able to get a lot going on in republican dominated state. I am sure there are other candidates who would work well too.

[prescole]

16. If Dems take the House and Senate, the electorate may lean towards

a Republican president. We don't like one-party control...JUST LOOK AT WHAT IT GOT US WITH BUSH!!!!!!!!!!

Though I'd take Dems over Reps any day (small "l" libertarian here.)

It takes two wings to fly.

Still, Dems need to fight for every inch and quit being such pussies. (No offense, ladies.) Such limping weinies.

No guts, no glory.

[...of J.Temperance]

18. You do have a point their...about splitting the government branches

Often, people will vote for a Democratic President and then split the legislative branch...or vice versa.

Right now, I'd just settle for a Democratic President and a Democratic Senate...and to kick out the Delays, Hasterts, Noes, Blunts etc from the House.

[Awsi Dooger]

20. Don't make a 30 foot putt unless it's for a birdie

I'm having a tough time with the original premise. For one thing, does this mean we're not allowed to vote for a Democratic presidential nominee in 2008 if we haven't already secured the House or Senate in 2006? Or does it mean we shouldn't support a Democratic presidential nominee unless we're also certain to switch one or more of the chambers in that specific year? Independent influences and results, in many cases. In 2000 we gained 5 senate seats despite the devastating presidential "defeat."

[MissMarple]

22. An excellent point. We fight on all fronts.

It's the only way.

But if we win them all, all the battles, all of the three, the Executive, the Legislature, and the Judiciary ...who protects us from ourselves?

I hope our diversity wins out...it's the only way our country can survive. I like Democrats...keeping them on point is like herding cats.

[ProudDad]

23. We MUST think dem congress in '06

I can't wait to see John Conyers gavel the bush/cheney impeachment hearings to order in the House!

[Neil Lisst]

24. You're right. Our best shot in 2006 is the House, IMO.

Maybe the Senate in 08.

[Nimrod2005]

25. I agree 100%

[Orangepeel]

26. so you want a Rep. President with a Rep. House?

not only will nothing get fixed, but things could get a hell of a lot worse.