Democratic Congress in 2006?

Skyhunter

According to a WSJ/NBC poll Americans want the Dem's to control congress.
Republicans sure are not helping their case any.

Not even the oil companies are happy with all the tax breaks this Congress has lavished on them.

Smurf

I think that study is effectively stupified.

Art

What do you mean?

Anttech

Interesting

Informal Logic

Maybe not - The oil companies prefer "just in time" production. Part of the subsidies would be to build more refineries, which would help allow for surplus production. Oil companies do not want surplus because that would result in lower fuel prices. And do not forget, such multinational companies are loyal to no government or people.

BobG

Question 10 of that survey is just as ominous as Question 9 (do you feel your representative deserves to be re-elected).

Usually, while people have negative feelings about the federal government in general and Congress, especially, they believe their own Congressmen are doing a good job (reflected in polls and by the fact that most incumbents are re-elected). About 50% said their vote for Congress was a message to the President in '98 and '02 with more using their vote to voice support for the President than to voice opposition.

In this poll, 51% feel its time to give someone else a chance to represent them in Congress and 60% of voters say their vote for Congress will be based on a desire to send a message to the President (21% using their vote for Congress to voice support for the President and 39% using their vote to voice opposition to Bush).

I think a bigger problem than Bush is that James Dobson, Pat Robertson, and Jerry Falwell seem to be in charge of the Republican Party (in fact, Bush might be just one consequence of this). Unless you're Baptist, you don't really have a place in the Republican Party anymore, nor do you have a place in a Democratic Party run by East Coast liberals - a little bit of a dilemma if you actually consider using your vote for Congress as a message. (In any event, the Democratic Party is pretty much non-existent around Colorado Springs.)

Skyhunter

I agree with you 90%. Maybe 100%, but I have to take your word on the political environment around Colorado Springs.

loseyourname

Colorado Springs belongs to James Dobson.

Art

I had to look up his bio to find out who he is. It seems he believes kids should be beaten into submission and gays can be 'cured' I've often wondered where these crackpots 'spring' from. Now I know. It's Colorado

BobG

I wasn't born here.

Skyhunter

I am optimistic.

My hopes are that as the neo-con wing of the Republican party loses it's grip on power, that the traditional Republicans will purge themselves of not only the neo-cons, but also the moderates that refused to take a stand against them. Aided and abetted, as it were.

There already seems to be an influx of new faces in the democratic party, and many traditional supporters of the Dem's are not happy with the DNC, which is why Howard Dean is the new head. A purge by the Repub's and perhaps we just might get some fresh thinkers involved in government. Perhaps enough people will be inspired to become politically involved that both parties will go through a transformation for the better.

Astronuc

If the local elections are any indication, the sentiment seems to be leaning Democratic for 2006. In several local elections, several democrats were elected in predominantly republican areas - in some cases, democrats were elected for the first time in more than 4 decades, and in same cases, first time ever!

Now a local republican representative blamed the national republicans. However, several local people voted against the incumbents based on poor performance.

The republican candidate for mayor of Albany, NY said during an interview that he was glad he lost, because Albany would soon blow up like Paris! If he was glad he lost, why did he want to run for mayor?

Meanwhile elsewhere -

FBI Whistleblower Coleen Rowley Runs for Congress

AP wire

It should be an interesting year in politics. I just hope the various candidates can rationally discuss issues and avoid hyperbole!

Skyhunter

The problem with that is that the issues are so serious, and the actions of The administration, in respect to the Iraq war so outrageous,that it is hard to make a factual statement without sounding hyperbolic.

Art

I wasn't getting at people from Colorado BobG it was just a pun on Colorado - Springs.

Art

If the transformation is genuine then it is good but didn't Bush senior get elected following a similar supposed transformation as a 'more compassionate conservative' than Reagan only to disappoint?

Skyhunter

Something like;

"We got thousand points of light..... for the homeless man"

"Got a kinder, gentler, machine gun hand"

Neil Young

BobG

I know (just wanted to state if for the record, anyway. )

Actually, Colorado's in transition. They made the mistake of luring in all of these high tech IT companies and rocket manufacturers and what happens? Californians start to appear all over the place - it's like a plague of toads!

Colorado Springs is just transitioning slower than the rest - well, with the exception of all the cars driving around with "Focus on your own damn family!" bumper stickers.