If a Dem wins in 2004, he'll be a 1-termer.

[Jackpine Radical]

No matter what he does, the economic, social and environmental disasters initiated under Bush will continue to roll along (deficit & debt, reversal of clean air & water regs, damage to Medicare, VA rollbacks, etc.). Most of the real damage from Bush's unprincipled rule have not yet come home to roost. Also, Republican majorities will remain in the House & Senate to obstruct the passage of any progressive initiatives or meaningful reforms (rollback of tax breaks, re-imposition of environmental controls, health care reform, whatever). The aftermath of the war, and an unavoidable cleanup cost in the hundreds of billions for Iraq, will still be there. If the hypothetical Dem President does get anything meaningful through, the payoff will likely be too far in the future for it to do him any good in 2008.

The next Presidential term will be four years of hell for us all no matter who wins. I have real trouble imagining anybody being re-elected (or maybe even wanting to be) after all of that.

None of this will stop me from voting for the Dem candidate of course, but I will feel like I'm putting a curse on him by doing so.

[ecstatic]

1. you're probably right.

i'm just so afraid of what Bush would do to this country if he was allowed to rule for 4 more years, without having to worry about being re-selected.

For the safety of us all, we should fight for a Dem, even if he can't clean up Bush's damage in time for the 2008 elections. At least our country will have a "band-aid" on it, so to speak.

[cthrumatrix]

25. I say "not so" --- if upon office the Pres. comes out and shares the truth

of all that is currently screwed up and projected and work together with congress/senate....that way ownership is established.

[Jackpine Radical]

26. I LIKE this approach

as long as the candidate is smart enough to wait until after the election to break the news. Something like, "Hey folks--we've been looking at what kind of mess the Bushies left us, and it's a lot worse than we thought. They were lying to us about the state of the Union too, just like the did about WMD. Now we all have to pull together and get ourselves out of this mess. First, we repeal the tax breaks for the rich because they have to pay their share too. Then we have to do health care reform because we can't afford to allow the HMOs and drug companies to continue to rob us. And then...

When you think about it, that's just about what FDR did, turning lemons into lemonade. But we sure need control of Congress to bring off any such thing.

[Democrats unite]

2. Correct me if I am wrong, people said Clinton would be a...

term President in the beginning, because of what the other Bush did & it would affect his Presidency.

[StClone]

6. Don't you get the impression

That somehow BushCo has done and how the world is now is all new territory?

[Democrats unite]

10. Actually what bushco has done...

Will make a Democratic President look like a saint!

[Jackpine Radical]

16. Clinton had a Democratic congress at first ...

and still lost a lot of early battles, Health Care reform being the biggest one. I don't think there will be a Democratic congress again for some years.

[On the Road]

3. What's So Different from 1992?

All those things could have been said then.

[aquart]

4. Yes, the next Dem President will have all grief.

And he'll get the blame for what BushCo has done.

So, sweetie, the next step is to get the fascists out of Congress, even if it means, try to deal with this, helping moderate Republicans to launch primary challenges.

There are MANY Republicans who are appalled by Bush. But they vote Republican, that's what they do. They need a choice.

[lovedems]

5. Yep, just like Carter.

It doesn't matter how good they will be, there is one hellava mess that needs to be cleaned up and whoever has to do it won't be liked.

[bleedingheart]

7. Governor Rendell here in PA is in the same situation but I think

he can pull it off and get another term.

Poor Rendell ran for governor in a state that was facing a lot of fiscal disasters and took the challenge on...I have more respect for people who address the challenge than those who wait for someone else to clean up the mess...which is a typical republican trick.

[jpgray]

8. Better now than to have the buildup of four more years. :-) (nt)

[DrBB]

9. You echo my own thought

I don't know about one-termer, but it's going to be brutal.

Consider this: I continue to pray that some kind of anti-Bush landslide is possible, but in my saner moments I know there's very little chance of overturning the GOP dominance in congress, whoever wins the presidential race.

That means Clinton times ten. Hell, times a hundred. Think these vindictive bastards won't want to make life a living hell for a Dem who defeated their Divinely Chosen One? It's going to be one investigation after another, all backed up by the ReichMedia, with "independent" observers like the NYTimes feeling obligated to levy sad admonitions in a somber tone, etc etc etc.

The only hope I see for this country is a massive repudiation of the neocons and Bush radicalism at the polls in November. But it's like hoping to win the lottery at this point.

We have to win the presidency or this country is doomed to PRI-style one-party rule and crony capitalism from now to as far as you can see. But even if we do win it, if it's another squeaker like the last one and Congress and the courts remain in the hands of the GOP, it's going to be like clinging to a cliffside. Better than falling, but how long can you forestall the inevitable....

[patricia92243]

14. Hay! Bur people DO win the lottery - so can Democrats!

[0007]

20. Reich Media!

"The only hope I see for this country is a massive repudiation of the neocons and Bush radicalism at the polls in November. But it's like hoping to win the lottery at this point."

What can one indeed say when the road does look rocky for most all Americans?

[Astarho]

11. I have no idea what's going to happen this year

let alone the next four. It will be difficult, but who knows what may happen.

[MODemocrat]

12. I don't know why anyone would want to be president

only to be blamed for all Bush's failures, and there are so many.

[Must_B_Free]

13. Is this why Gore opted not to run?

I think he said he would be back, just not in 2004.

[supercrash]

15. I disagree...

Strong leadership and fiscal responsibility can bring about change rather quickly

Look what Clinton did in his term...Coming out of record deficits

[Jackpine Radical]

17. Sure, but

he had a Democratic Congress until the Gingrich revolution

[stopbush]

18. IF a Dem wins the WH in '04, we need to target the Senate in '06

One strategy that we could employ would be to run well-known Dem House members against any R Senators that are up for re-election in their States.

The R gap in the House is just too huge to overcome in the near term, especially with the SCOTUS upholding the slimy redistricting the Rs have been doing of late (Texas).

[Jackpine Radical]

19. I think you're right--

the only real chance is to retake the Senate. Nevertheless, that will leave a very close Senate (probly 52-48 at best) and a very Repug-infested House. Them's tough waters to swim in.

[stopbush]

27. Two things a Dem prez can do

1) Use the bully pulpit and go straight to the American people on everything

2) As much as possible, rule by fiat via executive order

[Cocoa]

21. I disagree completely

You are underestimating the excellence of our candidates.

I think either Kerry or Gephardt would be the first truly excellent President in my lifetime, and some of the others have that potential too.

[Jackpine Radical]

23. It's not a question of the excellence of the candidates--

it's a combination of the direness of the times and the grip of the RW on both the machinery of state and the media. What can anyone, no matter how excellent, do with a reactionary Congress and a hounding, horribly biased press on his heels from the moment he took office?

Also, As DrBB says, the inquiries and investigations will begin immediately, with or without substance. Just like Whitewater.

[Th1onein]

22. Get the Republicans out of Congress!

I feel like Democrats have just woken up. But now that we have, we need to stay awake and get the Republicans out of Congress.

[bigwillq]

24. Yes, Yes, Yes

The DEM who wins will have to serve two terms. There policies won't take effect until the latter of their second term. Hey, we need to support whichever DEM gets in and fight for a second term as long as their progressing. But getting a DEM majority in congress is also key.