The Failed Presidency.

I'll tell ya, Hobit, I'd like to see DeLay out the door first and publicly defeated. But close behind are many members of Congress of both parties -- of BOTH parties! -- who have been very remiss in their obligations to constituents, who go along to get along, who justify their votes by implying they know more than we do. I don't think they do. Part of this is the arrogance of leadership; a contributing factor has been the laziness of the electorate.

A split government, as Italgate mentions, as been more or less the norm for the past fifty years in this country. Mostly it has been a Democratic congress and A Republican president.

My understanding of the situation is that oposition of ececutive and legislative branches is the most healthy way for a system to work. When a party has too much power, like now, there is a tendency for the national interests to take second place to partisan interests.
Hmmm...I smell pork....

It must be a BBQ in Crawford - $2,000 a plate, get 5 minutes with one of the twins behind the bush

I have little use for George Bush, but I think that kind of reference to his daughters in uncalled for, just as it was for Bill Clinton's daughter.

Yeah, I agree with Acquiunk; disparaging his daughters is uncalled for.

That's exactly the mindset on the part of The Left that guarantees The Republicans overwhelming superiority in the coming election. Ya piss off The Center, and ya lose big. The Left has set its course.

Or we nab you for rampant exaggeration, Timber! Or is Ashcroft on your side?

Given all the political mud that has be thrown around in the last 10 years, I doubt that disrespectful comments about the president's daughters will have much political impact one way or another. I simply think it is in poor taste and lowers the level of political discourse. Which is pretty low to begin with, thanks mostly to Republicans.

Bingo, Aqui!

Not specifically talkin about disparaging the daughters, here ... I'm concerned that the nastiness directed by the Left, particularly its most strident fringes, toward The Current Administration is driving The Center from any wish at all to even consider The Left might have some viable alternatives to offer. Bush-Bashing is what's gonna lose the election for The Dems.

timber, What do you consider "bush-bashing?" Deserved, not deserved, or silence?

I have no complaint at all with substasntive criticism, and I'll grant that much of that is merited. There is a difference between carping and criticism, however ... and between ad hominem attack and refutation of argument. I sense The Left is doing a lot of carping and name-calling. "Bush is Bad" and "Rove/Rummy/Ashcroft/Wolfowitz etc. are evil incarnate" don't get any points from the main audience, no matter how well it may play to the peanut gallery. The problem the Democrats face is that they have no program of alternatives, they have no leadership, they have no focus other than "The Current Administration has to go". With what do they propose to replace The Current Administration, and in what ways and by what means would that replacement better the current situation? Who do they have to champion their cause? What, apart from Anti-Bush, is their cause?Where's the beef? There's plenty of ketchup and bun, but no meat in their sandwich. They've got time yet to get it together, but I don't see them working towards that at all.

timber, I generally agree with your assessment; that the democrats lack any sense of purpose and leadership. However, I think carping is part and parcel of the political arena, and that's not going to change from one party or the other, and that's not about to stop because there's no beef. As for the four horsemen, most of the adjectives used are pretty accurate; they are all short-sighted and dangerous to our people and economy. Why else do they realize things have gone from bad to worse so late in the game? They're supposed to be the 'experts,' and protect us from these mistakes in leadership.

Timber -- I think you are projecting something onto the left which you are blind to on the right. Don't forget: the Democrats were put through an appalling and unjustifiable "impeachment" proceeding. The invective from the right about Clinton, about liberals -- well, it was pretty bad, indefensible. What I see in your post, above, is a self defense, not so much a defense of the administration. Please post something in which you defend -- with all your might -- the Bush administration policies which the "left" has been complaining about. You may discover that we agree on many issues and that you are using your own disappointment as a rationale for calling us angry.

The "meat" is justice and clean government, security (real security, not "Homeland Security")and health care, fair wages and a balanced budget, prosperity and equity. If you read beyond the headlines, look beyond Fox, I think you'll get beyond anger.

Well, for one thing, Tartarin, The Bush Economic Policy is working just fine. Jobs Growth, the only lagging indicator, is always the last thing to show recovery. By Forth Quarter '03, that too will be showing sustained growth. Current manufacturing capacity, even given productivity increases, is approaching the point which will call for substantial investment in physical plant and labor force to sustain the already clearly established upward economic trends ... trends which are global, not just domestic. The strongest indicators of continued and accellerating growth are the recent substantial, consistent increases in Machine Tool Orders (Machine Tools are the things that make the machines that make things that people buy ... and those new machines are gonna need operators), and historically low Inventory Levels across a broad spectrum of marketing segments. As Autum wears on, the machines will be cranking out lots of stuff to restock those empty shelves and warehouses in advance of the Winter Selling Season (which accounts for over a third of the consumer economy). The Tax Cuts are working. I expect the labor picture to improve dramatically, following what is the current bottom of its trough.

This is the Bush platform, what he ran on exactly. Just change left to right, Democrat to Republican and reverse the names. I'm not saying the Dems will follow the scenerio, but it is all the air that Bush protrayed. It is also the way he has run the government to date. There is nothing put out there in advance, it's a throw together to defend mistakes. There has been a public call for leadership and responsibility, but ignored, since Mar/Apr, certainly May timeframe for costs - we just got a request in Iraq for $60 billion above and beyond the $3-4 billion a month operating costs. And this is expected to go above $100 billion with a total of in excess of $500 billion total.

It is hypocritical to say what one party can do, the other can't. Arnold Schwarzenegger is trying to pull a "Bush" in California - now there is no substance!

Gotta go with re Ah-nowld, there, Bill. There's a sad joke waiting for a cruel punchline. Hell, it'll serve him ... and California, right if he does win.

Timber, you claim (correctly) that the trend is global. How do you reconcile that with saying that Bush's plans have worked?

IMO, the coming (yes, nay sayers beware) upturn has as little to do with Bush as the downturn did except in that sitting presidents get the blame (and credit) in the most loosely contructed post hoc ergo propter hoc connections that can be made.

Bill, you point out somethign very relevant. Running against the incumbent is almost always done by running as opposition.

Timber has faulted the Dems for not having a coherent platform (they don't) except for the opposition to the current swwing to the right.

But to be fair you must include that this is part of politics. It's always easier to point out what is being done wrong than come up with solutions that will sound good in sound bytes.

Running as opposition is a sane political tactic. But I agree in that Dems need a coherent platform. They are being too reactionary and need to show some testicular fortitude.