I'm willing to give Pelosi the benefit of the doubt

[Fresh_Start]

in terms of her being a skilled politician.

But no matter how skilled she is, the dems are working in the Congress with thin (or non-existent) margins.
Even if the dems win the White House in 2008, unless the voting margin increases not much will be able to get done because unlike the GOP the dems don't vote en bloc.

Her symbolic votes provide ammunition for dems to overturn GOP seats.
Forcing the GOP to back the President even after the country has awoken from its stupor and realized what a disaster he is, will pay off in the next election.

If you imagined anything other than this type of situation when the House and Senate were barely won, you weren't being realistic to begin with.

Did you imagine that the GOP'ers in the Congress would suddenly have a change of heart?

[ClassWarrior]

1. Excellent insight. Thanks.

NGU.

[Bitwit1234]

2. Did any of us stop to think

since Pelosi is closer to the house (and senate) that she might know that we couldn't even get an impeachment off the ground. That maybe she is trying to get enough on board to do it.

[LittleClarkie]

7. People in Congress don't strike me as being into taking actions

they know they can't win.

They're not into noble but futile gestures.

You don't want to make that leap and the end up with LESS than you had before in terms of what you're able to accomplish.

For some reason people thought that if we squeaked the Dems in there that they'd work some sort of miracles. We need to give them more of a majority. But people also need to remember that even with a majority Tip O'Neil wasn't able to go crazy with the agenda.

[emulatorloo]

3. Also useful to remember the MODERATE Repubs got swept out in 06 - Chaffee, Leach etc

Leaving the batshit crazies who are still covering for Bush and voting against real change. The ones that got booted out were the ones that were likely to vote w Dems now and again. The ones that are left? Fanatical Bush-nuts

It is really a matter of math, and a lot of DU'ers don't seem to get it -- The margin in the Senate is 1 vote, and that includes LIE-BERMAN.

You are right -- Dems need to keep pushing legislation and make the Repugs put thier insane support of Bush on the record. Hopefully a few will wake up at some point and start voting the right way.

[Fresh_Start]

4. Absolutely, they have to vote on every dream

piece of legislation the public is looking for.

Make the GOP defend itself in the next election after voting against troop rest, college tuition, healthcare, education, oversight, envirnomental protection, and union interests.

[Hippo_Tron]

5. I'm not gung ho on impeachment, but I'm not so sure about her political skills

There are multiple things that she could have done besides give everything he wanted in that supplemental appropriations bill. Like put in totally un-related items that he wouldn't otherwise like (minimum wage, environmental standards, etc.) that he would otherwise never sign. And instead of funding the war for four months, fund it for one month at a time so that he will have to accept more of these things.

IMO, when we have a Democrat in the White House, I think she'll do a good job of managing the House and getting the President's agenda passed. But as the leader of our party, I am not impressed with her thus far.

[Fresh_Start]

6. you dont know about her political skills?

tell me, how many other women speaker of the houses have there been in the US?

[Hippo_Tron]

10. Ascending to power and using it properly are two entirely different things

Nobody can deny that Pelosi has done the first very well. But as far as doing battle with the executive branch, I'm not impressed. Again, I think she'll do a good job herding cats when we have a Democratic President.

[LittleClarkie]

8. She ain't perfect to be sure

She has a bit of Bush in her in the form of cronyism and rewarding loyalty. I also suspect she's quite stubborn.

But she is also a good woman whom I've heard give good statements regarding issues like Gitmo in the past. She's said things I was thinking, which I appreciated. And she was willing to buck tradition to give Murtha a chance at Majority Leader. I like her, and don't think she deserves the devil horns some would put on her.

[Jack Bone]

9. But when there's an groundswell of public support

from their constituency.....failing to file articles of impeachment would be a great folly.

public opinion polls already show enough support to impeach V.P. Cheney...and Bush's #'s don't look too good either.

http://americanresearchgroup.com/

When these #'s begin to change more in favor of impeachment, Democrats must embrace the idea..

[davidwparker]

11. I'm willing to give her until 23 July. Then, I just want to know where to

send money to Cindy. Right now, I've stopped giving to the Dems until impeachment is on the table. After the 23rd, I know where to send my contributions.