In a few days, the GOP will assume control of the House. What will to be the Democrats' strategy?

[Stinky The Clown]

The GOP House will be lousy with lousy legislation. The Senate will see the minority demagogue the Democrats to give greater weight to the lousy legislation the House produces. This will put pressure on the weak spined weasels in the Senate to cross party lines in support. We've all seen this game before.

It seems to me that, speaking in the most broad of terms, two possibilities present themselves.

The Democrats can simply oppose everything the repubicans call for. We still control one house and the executive branch. Let the fools in the House act like the Fools in the house and be seen as . . . . well . . . . the fools that they are. Vote party line every time. Twist arms for crossing.

Or

The Democrats can cower and shake, as is the nature of many of them, when faced with a frontal assault by the GOP.





I have little left in the way of hope that we will see anything even close to a united Democratic front. I think the GOP will win more than they lose. And that sucks.

[salin]

1. first they have to get all of the Vick grousing out of their system...

oh, that's not congressional dems - thats DU GD.

[katnapped]

2. Give in to most everything they want

Sad but the likely outcome

[Statistical]

3. Step 1) Pre-emptively cave.

Step 2) Eliminate all "left wing" options in an attempt to move to the center.
Step 3) Roll over in the Senate (despite still having a majority).

[emulatorloo]

5. All the senate dems are wanting to revise the fillubuster rules on day one

And Reid did a good job in the lame duck.

I'd say keep the crazier stuff from the house off the Senate calendar. take the somewhat sane stuff and amend it. (get rid of the crazy stuff

[Statistical]

7. Agreed in a sane world. The Senate is where they hold the line.

The house can pass a bill bringing back debtor prisons but it doesn't matter unless Senate approves the same bill.

So write the house off as a lost cause and maintain control via the Senate.

Seems like an easy concept.... but I don't have a lot of faith.

Of course even if something "bad" squeaks by in the Senate Obama can kill it with a Veto. Virtually impossible Republicans & Blue Dogs could override a veto. So in theory Republicans "should" be rather limited in the scope of what they can do.

However Democrats have a history of using any hint of Republican power to roll over.

[DJ13]

4. I hear this is the next Democratic campaign slogan

[leftstreet]

19. lol

[DavidDvorkin]

6. Humbly and respectfully requesting the use of Vaseline.

[Cleita]

8. Well, I'm trying to look at the positive.

First, we did rid ourselves of some DINOs in the process and I find that to be okay. Secondly, I think the Tea Party caucus is going to fuck up the corporate RepubliCON agenda and be very divisive to the legislation that McConnell and Boehner have been assigned by their corporate overlords. The only way this won't happen and that they walk in lock step is if they are threatened or bribed to the point of compliance. If nothing else, watching the Kabuki unfold should be entertaining.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

9. There's some good news: we got rid of a good number of Blue Dogs.

I'm wanting to see some fights in the House. I have much more confidence in Nancy Pelosi than I do in Harry Reid.

The Senate Democrats really need to focus on reforming the filibuster. There can't be drastic changes that would harm the Dems when, God forbid, they are in the minority. But, it certainly can't be this blocking of every single piece of legislation or executive nomination.

At the very least, return to the old way of doing the filibuster and make those fuckers stand there and execute the filibuster.

I believe that the main reason why the Repukes filibustered so much is because there are no consequences tied to the execution of the filibuster as it now stands. And obviously there is no political accountability. Hell, the Republicans were rewarded with more representation, while DU and progressives blame everything on Obama.

But I digress. If the House fights back, even against the president when he is wrong; and the Senate changes the rules, perhaps it won't be as bad as everyone is predicting.

Let's wait and see what happens.

[LynneSin]

10. Let's just hope it's not "Roll over and play dead" because that hasn't worked well for us

:grr:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

11. Brush up on the usual excuses for caving in and promises to do better later.

[tridim]

12. My gawd you people are pessimistic.

Sickeningly so.

The house Dems do have spines, since you apparently didn't notice. Do you remember the last two years, or have you already forgotten how effective the Dem house was?

PAY ATTENTION and stop trying to bring us down.

[Warren Stupidity]

17. Off planet 2001-2006?

Sleeping from 2007-2011?

The progressive caucus exists, but rarely if ever does anything other than give in at the end. See the recent Obama-Bush Tax Glut Giveaway.

[Stinky The Clown]

23. If you thought about the situation in the House, you would realize it all comes down to votes.

They have more than we do. Crazy shit WILL get passed.

I actually think that our strongest body (House, Senate, Executive) IS the House Democrats made up as they are now. But they can be as strong as the want to be. Without a majority, they can pass nothing.

So stop trying to make this something it isn't. Think before you speak.



And do you *really* think I have enough power to "bring us down?" If I had that kind of power, I'd be exercising it. Not to bring us down, but to bring us around.

And who are "you people?" You do realize, that in many circles, "you people" is a serious insult, do you not? I think you do. You're generally a pretty intelligent person.

[tridim]

25. "You people" is the people who responded in this thread before me.

Not an insult.

[negativenihil]

13. "please sir, may i have another?" n/t

[Warren Stupidity]

14. They already have their fight song worked out!

Move to the right!
Move to the right!
Lie down, roll over,
Right Right Right!

[Javaman]

15. First, they have to get a strategy!

I feel they will continue with more of their "rub my belly, please" tact.

[spanone]

16. we'll see. perhaps it could encourage the democrats to live up to their promises??? perhaps

[damntexdem]

18. You stole the words from my brain: cower and shake.

But don't forget to add "and cave."

[Doctor_J]

20. Lurch to the right in a futile attempt to get Big Money & Big Media to like them

it will work as well as it has for the last 20 years.

[bowens43]

21. no change from the last two years...

unconditional surrender.

[somone]

22. Be sensible and do something about the deficit

as instructed

[BR_Parkway]

24. Blue Dogs will continue to Brown Nose. Most of the rest will simply

give up in advance.

[Bandit]

26. I would bet we end up with a lot of dry powder....

And a fucked up America...

[stillwaiting]

27. Democrats accomodated the Republicans when they were in the minority.

I see no reason for them to change stripes now that the Repubs are in the majority in one branch of Congress.

I expect the next two years to be extra vile legislation wise.

This, despite the fact, "we" have the Senate and the Executive.

Hope I'm wrong, but you know...

[Raine]

28. Same as it's been for the last two years ... give them everything

that they want. x(