What really can be done about the Republicans?

[ArchTeryx]

I've read many, many comments here about how the Katrina catastrophie will be the end of the Bush Administration. How finally, this will be the straw that breaks the camel's back. Much crowing of ever-sinking poll numbers. Much talk of impeachment, of resignations, of finally putting an end to our national nightmare.

While I would love to believe this, love it above all else, how does this have any grounding in reality?

Fact is, right now, we are about 9 months into four years of the Bush administration. And I don't believe anything is going to change that. He won't be impeached. And the idea of a single one of his administration actually RESIGNING is pure fantasy. They had their 'accountability moment', in their eyes, and short of an outright coup, they're going to be around for at least three and a half more years, Our national nightmare is only slightly more then half over. Bush's poll numbers could be 5% approval, but he'll still be President until 2009. Guaranteed.

And the Estate Tax hearings on Tuesday, as well as the Roberts hearings, are indications that as of now, NOTHING whatsoever has changed in Washington. Poll numbers be damned. While it's necessary catharasis to blow off steam and post endless exhortations, the death of the Bush administration is greatly exaggerated. No amount of criticism or polling numbers are going to change that fact on the ground.

I think 2006 is a very long shot, too. We are well poised to take back Congress in 2008, but short of multiple miracles, 2006 will still find the Congress in Republican hands, albeit with substantially reduced majorities.

So when the exhortations stop, what can we really do to change anything?

1. Give to whatever charity you wish to give to to help the Katrina victims. It won't do a thing to topple Bush, but it'll help alleviate suffering, and that's fine by me.

2. Work our asses off in 2006. If we actually pull of the miracle of taking back even one House of Congress, then the downfall of the Bush administration may have a chance of becoming reality. At the LEAST, we dump Frist or DeLay or both down a rathole, and the Republican agenda stops dead in its tracks.

3. Do everything we can to shine as bright a spotlight on the Republican agenda as we can. The more the public knows the more nervous congresscritters get. It's not the same as having a house of Congress in Democratic hands, but it does make it more uphill for the Republicans to pass their abominable agenda.

So now that I've thrown cold water on everyone, tell me please: what else can we do? What, exactly, am I missing in the idea that Katrina will bring down Bush?

[mhr]

1. Three Things - Message, Organization, and Money

Without all the above, there is no beating corporate criminals that own and control news distribution.

[Child_Of_Isis]

2. How can we take back any of the houses when

the voting system is corrupt?

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Talk one on one

to people who are independents or Republicans. My husband just did that when a guy called that he used to work with. Said fellow is a known Republican, but one who hadn't drunk a lot of Kool Aid. Hubby gave him facts, ending up with "is this what you want to happen if the terrorists strike again?" Hung up saying he'd gotten the fellow to agree with him!

[bananas]

4. time mag reporter just said impeach bush and impeach murdoch

elizabeth mendez berry
listening on wpr.org

[IndianaGreen]

5. We get a pledge from every 2008 Democratic Presidential candidate

that they will never issue a pardon for any official in the Bush Administration, including Bush and Cheney. We also get them to agree to prosecute any official in the Bush Administration for crimes committed, including war crimes and crimes against peace.

Now, if we had a socialist government in America, I would be among those that would lobby the legislature to pass a law declaring the Republican Party a terrorist organization and its adherents enemies of the people.