My prediction for election 2008 (it's not good)

[Stevendsmith]

While a growing number of Americans are fed up with Bush, a critical mass are too stupid to actually connect Bush to the Republican party. In other words, they’ll gladly vote for a “better” Republican for president (e.g., Saint McCain or Saint Rudy). Of course, the Democrats will provide a hearty assist in the achievement of this nightmare.

Think that sounds far-fetched.

Think again.

[saltpoint]

1. My scenario is that Mike Gravel will sweep the nation.

Already he's a great emotional favorite.

[wake.up.america]

3. The Democratic Party needs to connect the dots with a dark marker...

Is the majority of Americans that stupid???!!!

[saltpoint]

5. That's right. Is they?

Is our children learning?

Do most of our imports really come from overseas?

God, how we are going to love it when Dubya finally fades away. What a disappointment, what a disaster.

[Postman]

19. Yes. They're idiots.

eom

[Jim Sagle]

8. A worthless piece of nazi filth like Mike Gravel would ensure a

Republican victory.

[saltpoint]

15. Ah come on, Jim. No need to sugar-coat it for us. We can take it.

_ _ _

I.

Was.

Kidding.

[Jim Sagle]

24. NOW you tell me. I hyperventilated for NOTHING, you &)*&(+_!

Psst - just between you and me, I think there are some Gravel fans on DU.

[saltpoint]

27. I don't actually have a very evolved notion of Gravel. I know he's

out there, and I know he's announced a committee to go for the presidency, etc., -- all the ordinary things like that.

But to date his candidacy doesn't appear to have enthralled me much.

I'm keeping it cordial for now, but let's just say I'm more drawn to other candidates!

____

Hope you're doin' good these warm days of summer.

[greenbriar]

21. who?????????

???????

[ComerPerro]

2. There will be no actual voting

[KansDem]

29. That's OK, because voting was a real drag anyway...

Have to make a special stop going to from work;
Have to wait in line;
Have to fool around with an unfamiliar technology;
Have to make decisions;
Have to think...

Just a real drag all around.

[qazplm]

4. its a numbers game

get out more voters, you win.

They do a better job at this than we do, by a lot, enough to clear our advantage in overall numbers (more Dems than Pubs in total).

Until we start getting the young, the poor, and minorities to believe in the process, and until we get people to bite the bullet and vote for a not totally "pure" Dem over an always worse Pub, we are going to be fighting an uphill battle.

I personally dont think we are going to figure it out by 2008, and are going to be disappointed in 2006 as well. I fear it may be 2010 or 2012 before we see either House of Congress or the Presidency in Democratic hands.

[Stevendsmith]

6. I agree. And, yes, 2006 probably won't be good for us. Sorry, but....

I just haven't seen any evidence to predict otherwise.

[Patchuli]

12. I do not agree with that at all,

Dems did a much better job getting out overall registration for 2004, but it's not going to matter with repub owned voting machines. I am really excited about RFK, Jr.'s lawsuit re: voting. I don't think folks are going to be content with another stolen election.

I think you guys are pretty gloomy. Give the American public a bit more credit than that. I think the public's wising up (slow I know) but I think repub candidates are leaving a dirty taste in their mouths at this point for damn good reason.

I prefer seeing the glass half full.

[Tinksrival]

7. Right now I think your right

I hope that changes but right now the terror war drum beats loudly and the Liberal Democrat pacifist wusses meme is still beating just as loud. It makes a hypnotic beat for lemmings, and it's music for the media.

[BillZBubb]

9. I agree with your gloomy assessment for a number of reasons.

1. The corporate media is already polishing halo's for the Repug hopefuls.
2. The corporate media is already attacking any Democratic hopefuls.
3. DIEBOLD. Our side isn't having much luck in solving this problem.
4. The sheeple. Face it, nearly half this country is dumb as dirt.
5. No easy to understand Democratic plans. We have too many free agents so we don't ever get a unified, easy to comprehend message out.
6. No killer instinct from the Democrats. We don't know how to go for the jugular the way the Repugs do. That makes us look weak by comparison, so when people ask "Who will fight to protect ME?" the Repugs look like the fighters, not us. We run gentlemen against street fighters. That never works.

[KoKo]

13. "We run gentlemen against street fighters...." So true....so true.....n/t

[mccoyn]

14. About 5 and 6.

The democratic party represents a greater diversity of ideas than the republican party. I think this is where the two party system hurts the liberal side a lot more. If we had instant runoff voting we may have more liberal parties, but they would be clear in their goals and have a better chance against the conservative parties. Having two liberal parties each with 33% of the vote is a lot better than one democratic party with 40% of the vote.

[GreenArrow]

10. who says there is even going to be an election?

:shrug:

[napi21]

11. It's WAY TOO EARLY to speculate on 08!

Think about it. What all has happened in just the last 6 months that none of us would have ever anticipated?

I think we all expected to see failure in Afghanistan and Iraq, but I know I sure never expected:

DeLay to actually get caught
Cunningham to be in jail
Reed to loose the primary in Ga.
THREE spying scandals to surface
Lay to die
Potential wars in N. Korea, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, in addition to Iraq and Afghan, and at the same time.

There are so many more, I can't even list them all!

The old story that a week in politics is equal to YEARS is proven AGAIN!

[DanCa]

16. The Supreme Court is the wedge issue for me in 08

Who would you rather have pick the next supreme court justice, Senator Clinton, or say Senator Frist.

[Warren DeMontague]

17. I think if you honestly believe Rudy Guiliani has a chance in hell at the

GOP nomination, you need to go back to Political Analysis grade school.

It won't happen. Never. Ever.

EVER.

Now, see if you can tell me why.

[DanCa]

18. You know how they wont targer catholic rinos for excummincation

Like they did with Senator Kerry? Note while I don't wish to see anyone excummincated I would like to see some continuity with these people.

[Warren DeMontague]

20. Yeah, they won't. But it doesn't mean he's got a chance at the nom.

The Religious Right has that party sewn up, down, sideways, and inside out. No one is getting close to that job who hasn't jumped through ALL their little hoops. You can watch the fascinating process with Sen. McCain in action right now, although he's always been way farther to the right than his "maverick" spin boosters want to let on.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

22. their religion is republicanism first, wingnut-'christ'ianity second

they'll fall into line and vote for rudy if sean hannity and rushlimpdick tell them to.

and rudy is maybe the only person who could be even more of a warmonger than chimpy

[Warren DeMontague]

23. The day the GOP nominates someone pro-choice for preznit

will be the day I eat my hat.

No, literally. I'll eat it.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

31. he'll be bague publicly-but cut deals w/ the wingnuts beind the scenes

to get their support, he'll probably promise a supreme court justice or two. but publicly, he'll keep his position as vague as he can-in order to court the wingnuts, without looking like he's flipped

[Warren DeMontague]

33. I disagree. They need strict, outspoken conformity on this issue.

They will not nominate anyone that they aren't SURE is "pro-life."

But my hat is ready to be eaten if I'm proven wrong.

[WI_DEM]

25. Rudy or McCain would be tough

and I know others on DU think they wouldn't, but their strengths are that in a general election they can do very well with Independents and even some Democrats, while most Republicans will end up voting for them and those who can't stomach them won't vote Democratic but will either vote third party or sit it out. On top of that the media will constantly be singing their praises. That is why Democrats need to nominate somebody who appeals with Independents as well as with Democrats who can compete. Edwards, Clark, maybe Warner.

[ourbluenation]

26. I'm telling all y'all....GORE/CLARK 08.

I post on some really benign boards as temp checks of the red meat and middle of the roaders...they are lovin the Gore. and Clark pulling with all the NATO experience is what we need RIGHT FRIGGING NOW.

[katty]

28. They'll push Rudy and his 911 "experience"-that's the platform

[HardRocker05]

30. You are correct. nt

[Jack Rabbit]

32. This is no worse than a possibility for 2006

I'm not ready to call this a prediction, thankfully.

The Democrats make no stand on Bush's foreign policy failure and soft peddle issues of civil liberties and war crimes. Many voters get the idea that the Democrats aren't concerned about the scandals of the Bush regime and stay home on election. The turn outs are record lows. The Republicans retain control of both houses of Congress with approximately the same numbers as at present. Diebold machines are not a factor in the Republican victory as few races are close.