Is it just me, or is a Dem House in 2006 being treated as a given?

[KyuzoGator]

I'm hearing it over and over in the MSM. Bill Kristol predicted it on Colbert's show. It's seeming to me that regaining control of the House is something that people are just coming to accept, given the latest poll numbers.

Is impeachment really so impossible?

[marmar]

1. It's definitely not a given....

and should not be taken for granted. There needs to be huge voter turnout, especially with all the "irregularities" that seem to be a normal part of the voting process these days.

[Warpy]

11. A poll out two weeks ago showed very clearly

that John Q Public thought his incumbent congressman was fine, but YOUR son of a bitch had to go!

Until we change that thinking, don't expect too many changes in congress.

[vireo]

19. That is a truism but

it is trending Dems' direction:

The public's strong appetite for change in Washington is seen both in the majority of voters who say they would like to see most members of Congress defeated in November (53%), and in the sizable minority who wants to see their representative turned out in the midterms (28%). Both measures reflect anti-incumbent sentiment not seen since late in the historic 1994 campaign, just before Republicans gained control of Congress. In recent elections, far fewer voters evinced a desire for change; in October 2002, just 38% said they did not want to see most members reelected and 19% said that about their own representative.
http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/007435.php

[BOSSHOG]

2. I don't like to hear that talk

but I agree its out there. Maybe the right wing talking heads are trying to send a scary message to their insane base. There is too much hard work to be done to ensure it happens. It does look very good but we all know that republicans are incredibly inept at governing but incredibly great at winning elections.

[Tiggeroshii]

3. Do you mean 2006?

The next election which decides that matter is only about 7 months away.

[KyuzoGator]

6. Indeed, typo. nt

[Brigid]

4. I think it would not be wise . . .

to treat takeover of the House and/or Senate as a given. We will have to work hard to make sure it happens. Then we have a lot of work to do to clean up Bush's mess. Impeachment? Very tempting, but we won't have time for that. Besides, wouldn't it be more fun to make his life a living hell during his lame-duck phase? :evilgrin:

[myrna minx]

5. We cannot take anything as a given.

We need to GOTV hard this year. We cannot afford to have any of our voters think that "aww...they're going to win anyway. I don't need to vote." :scared: We need a huge voting turnout this year.

[ripple]

7. On Washington Journal this morning,

The guy from Hotline said that democratic leaders are already planning the transition of leadership positions in the house- committee chairs and such. I like their optimism, but I also worry that they're putting the cart before the donkey.

[Rocknrule]

8. I don't believe in ever tempting fate

Never forget 2004

[bunkerbuster1]

9. Kristol's pre-spinning

yeah, my mouth dropped a bit when I heard it, but

a) some of this is to generate fear among the base

b) the Goopers can, once again, overplay their victory if they do manage to keep control of the House ("See? America really DOES trust us to lead!")

c) and of course it works if they lose, too.

Anyway, impeachment is certainly possible if we re-take the House, the question will be whether it'll be worth doing. The Senate almost certainly won't convict, and so in the end it'll probably wound up being spun as nothing but payback for 1998.

Not that that's not a reason to impeach, but just facing likely outcomes.

[NewJeffCT]

21. agreed on all 3 points

the big difference on impeachment is that Clinton's popularity was what, maybe at 60% popularity when he was being impeached. If Bush goes through & managed to get impeached by the House with all the crap coming out during televised hearing, Bush may well be in the 20s....

[onehandle]

10. Impeachment is impossible with this Congress.

We have to have the House to investigate and start impeachment.

The GOP wants us to think a Dem House is given. It's not, but I like our chances.

Work on it.

[AndyTiedye]

17. It is hard to be optimistic when they steal it every time

[MADem]

12. No, not a given. People hate OTHER PEOPLE's reps, not their own

The incumbency factor cannot be discounted.

It's the SENATE that looks the strongest, but it isn't a given either. We all need to work our asses off for the Democratic candidates, and those in the 'red' states really need to suck it up and put their shoulders to the wheel.

We can do it, but we have to come at it like serious underdogs.

[Dr Fate]

13. The strategists who lost the last 3 elections think it is...

...which accounts for all this (cough-cough) dry powder floating around (cough cough- waiving powdery mist away from face)

[Burning Water]

14. It does seem to

be treated as a given. This is a mistake. Without great effort on the part of Dems, and some method, of course, of eliminating the Diebold factor, the Repubs will win again.

False confidence will bring the Democratic Party down in 2006. And 2008. Wes clark is our very best shot.

[Nickster]

15. It's called lowering the bar. So anything short of a massive sweep makes

us look like we didn't really gain all that much. "Well sure they took control of the House, but they only have x number of seat majority, so it really doesn't mean that much, blah blah blah"

[WI_DEM]

16. No for one thing redistricting has made it harder to do

I still think it is 50-50.

[Skidmore]

18. Yes, and it worries me, particularly because on

Washington Journal this morning, I heard Roll Call or some other correspondent reporting that Dem legislators are already preparing for regaining power. I hope they remember they have an election to get through first and don't let their guards down too soon.

[KyuzoGator]

20. Kick nt

[BuyingThyme]

22. Not by me.

[KyuzoGator]

23. By the media, I mean.

And yes, taking the campaigns for granted is a fear of mine as well.