Will a Democratic House in 2006 make a difference

[brindis_desala]

if we're stuck with the corporate media? More and more real journalists are either quitting or being fired. Rather had already gone from man to mouse when the Repugs snared him in their trap.
One consequence of the 24 hour news cycle is that disinformation gets disseminated like a virus giving the few real investigative reporters no time to "dig up the dirt" before it's on to the next false flag. Given the right wing's ability to distort and discredit how exactly will the Democrats be able to counter the corportocracy?

[davidinalameda]

1. real Democrats or the ones in office right now

if we get more DINOs, it won't do a damn thing

[Radical Activist]

2. Impeachment hearings, special investigations

They can finally look into the Bush administration and publicly dig up the dirt that will show what a monster he is.

[Eagle_Eye]

3. The House writes the budget, having Democrat control can

only help

[goodhue]

4. you bet

eom

[gratuitous]

5. Henry Waxman with a committee chairmanship and subpoena power?

You bet your sweet bippy it would make a difference!

[truebrit71]

8. Damn straight...can you spell IMPEACHMENT?

I knew that you could.....

[ClassWarrior]

20. The sentence in your subject just made me catch my breath...

Waxman with subpoena power. It would be a beautiful thing...

NGU.

[brindis_desala]

26. sorry, I've lived through the Church Committee and Iran /Contra

I'm not getting excited, those "differences" proved ephemeral, the old gang is all back in place. Obviously a Democratic Congress would be a very positive improvement but any difference would probably be marginal giving the current clout of the corporate establishment.

[ClassWarrior]

28. So because you're old I should give up hope??

:silly: Sorry. Homey don't play that.

Hope springs eternal.

Never Give Up.

[brindis_desala]

30. it's not about hoping, it's about knowing what needs fixing.

[ClassWarrior]

31. Henry Waxman needs fixing?

:silly::silly::silly:

NGU.

[brindis_desala]

32. he could use a sexier wardrobe

[ClassWarrior]

33. Well now you're getting personal!!

<LOL>

NGU.

[oasis]

24. Waxman will be relentless in seeking justice tor Bush's criminal behavior.

[AmericanDream]

6. Absolutely

A minorty party that doesn't control the white house is of virtually no use. The dems have been fine on their fight on SS, but they don't hold any torch to the power of repubs in gov't right now. And, for a democratic president in '08 to actually get something done, its important that the majority in congress also be the democratic party. Otherwise, even if a dem gets the white house, the congress will serve as the obstructionist. Hence, the congressional elections are not only important for '06, but also for '08 and the years to follow. Regardless of whether you are impressed by the democrats in congress or not, they are still going to be more willing to vote on progressive issues than republicans. A democratic congress is better than a repub one, under all circumstances. And, congressional elections have never been more important.

[brindis_desala]

7. I guess no one here remembers what happened to Jimmy Carter

and he had a supposedly democratic house.

[BlueInRed]

9. Having control to stop bad bills will make a huge difference

and all you need is (1) control of one house of congress and (2) party discipline. YOU BET it makes a difference.

[brindis_desala]

10. show me where democrats have EVER shown party discipline

to match republicans

[BlueInRed]

11. No kidding

[ClassWarrior]

18. I guess having Satan behind you does wonders for discipline.

NGU.

[Rambis]

12. Even if we started today!

We couldn't undo all the schite Bush has done so far. Tax breaks, pollution, soon the supreme court,prescription drug benefits, my god we have to undo every single thing he has done. The trouble is he has fucked this country up so badly it will never be repairable. It used to be that people disagreed but there was common ground somewhere in the middle. The new strategy to spend us into having to cut SS, public Education, Medicare, Medicaid isn't ideological differences anymore it is creating crisis to push the agenda because he thinks he is right. Holly mother of God!

[brindis_desala]

13. Even for incremental changes the challenge is going to be

enormous, but we have to start somewhere....

[kcass1954]

14. Absolutely!

Maybe not at first, but it will break the stronghold that * has had.

[WI_DEM]

15. I honestly think we'll win back the senate before we win back the house

but I hope we will pick up a few seats in '06.

[Lone Pawn]

16. Certainly, although we have a much better chance

of winning the presidency before we win either the house or senate.

[ClassWarrior]

17. Why would you think that any victory wouldn't make a difference??

:crazy:

NGU.

[Vinca]

19. It would make a huge difference unless they're a bunch of

Bush hiney kissers. And it wouldn't hurt to add and replace a few Dems in the Senate, either.

[brindis_desala]

23. The question is deliberately provocative

because although it might be achievable with election reform after the last four years of degradation and the fact that the media tends to help punish progressives I suspect people's expectations may be greater than what the reality will bear. Of course it would make a difference, the question is would it be a significant difference. It's going to be long hard road back to balance and sanity.

[ClassWarrior]

25. Anything would make a significant difference.

It may not be big, or sudden, or instantaneous - as many people seem to inexplicably expect - but it would be significant.

NGU.

[tom_paine]

21. Sure it would make a difference if such a thing were possible

However, an unrigged election is a virtual impossibility, Corproate TV Pravda is more grotesquely beholden to the Imperial Family than ever, and large portios of the Democratic Leadership still seem to thinkthey are in Old America, which is like making decision based on the idea you still lived in the Weimar Republic in Germany 1934.

Oh, I am still going to be out there working on campaigns in 2006, I think, in case I am wrong.

But I am not wrong. I can smell the Totalitarianism on Imperial Amerika's breath and I don;t give a shit how much "Freedom Perfume" they splash on.

(of course, left unmentioning is how VIRTUALLY ALL Tuyrants and Dictators talk like Emperor Tiberius Bush*, the Soviets were almost as fatuous and almost identical in their assertion that their Slavish Nation was "Free and Democratic")

[CatholicEdHead]

35. Forgot about redistricting

it is done by computer now, so the districts are heavily slanted towards the GOP. This dimishes greater Democratic voter turnout.

The GOP sacraficed a few Democratic safe seats so they could get more in a 2:1 margin or so.

[w4rma]

22. It'll create a stalemate. And a stalemate is better than what is going on

now.

[Awsi Dooger]

27. We won't see a Democratic House anytime soon

The partisan makeup of the districts make it extremely unlikely, minus an anti-GOP avalanche similar to our disaster in '94.

When I began studying political landscapes seriously in the '90s, the first thing that jumped out at me were the number of congressional districts that were being represented by the opposite party than their presidential voting tendency. We were the beneficiary more often than not. In a polarized era it didn't make sense that would continue, and sure enough many of the seats I isolated have naturally abandoned us for the GOP.

Just picture that electoral map they always show post-election, swamped by red in the interior with blue outlines on the coast. Many of those districts are not overwhelmingly red, but if they have that base instinct combined with partisan redistricting we come out on the short end. I think it will be much easier to recapture the Senate, which is obviously statewide and much more candidate driven. Once 9/11 and terrorism fades as a voting priority for white females, it's very conceivable we can pick up 4-6 seats in one cycle.

[brindis_desala]

29. The Democrats have just been handed two gifts by the Repugs.

Social security and the Bankruptcy bill. I strongly suspect that the Democratic base is undermobilized in certain districts and Dems could make hay with the independents if they find a coherent message. That said it all depends on who's counting the votes...

[ElsewheresDaughter]

34. the house can call for INVESTIGATIONS!!!!