Sure, a lot of "if's" but 2012 could be a great year for Dems...

[HardWorkingDem]

In my years of following politics, this period is one of the most bizarre periods I've ever seen and it is starting me to wonder if 2012 could be a great year for Dems.

If the Rethugs do not get someone exciting at the top of the Rethug Pres ticket it seems plausible the Dems will do very well nationwide in 2012.

I have never seen such a spectacle.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Absolutely.

Or absolutely not.


:think:

[sufrommich]

2. I don't thing the GOP is even trying to find a plausible

opponent at this time. Looks like they're going to throw Mitt out there for the hell of it.

[leftstreet]

3. Jobs, gas, groceries. Without dramatic improvement Dems can lose the senate

A Democrat in the whitehouse, a GOP house and senate

Sounds familiar

[HardWorkingDem]

5. But what do you think...

the impact will be if there is not a strong, desirable candidate at the top of the ticket in a presidential year? I sort of see the Dems being more energized in 2012 with Obama, than the Rethugs with they way things are now.

Has there been a time when a party has lost the top spot and won the Senate or House?

[leftstreet]

6. No strong opposition = fewer voters

Usually

And fewer voters generally hurts the Democrats

[Dawson Leery]

8. 1948.

The economy was recovering from a deep recession (due to the conversion of a wartime economy to a peacetime economy). Truman won a full term and the Democrats retook both chambers of congress.

[HardWorkingDem]

10. Sorry, I meant the other way around...

Has there been a time when one party won the Presidency while losing the Senate or House?

[livetohike]

4. The GOP are losing the Independents, so I agree it could be

a big year. There is no one out there (announced or maybe announced) that will beat President Obama in the General Election. I think that is the delay in candidates getting into the race. It's a lot of work when you know the end result will be defeat.

The GOP really screwed up with the Ryan Budget Plan. Good!

[vi5]

7. It won't be, and here's why...

Because the Democrats are still not aggressively pro-active and on the offense on anything. As long as Democrats continue to rely solely on a defensive game, and to wait around for Republicans to implode or screw up (which thankfully they do) rather than actively coming up with a strategy and longer term vision for the country than "the other guys would be worse", then all that will be done is limiting the bleeding rather than fixing the main problem.

[DJ13]

9. It probably will be a great year, but so was 2008

And by mid 2009 it was obvious our enthusiasm in 2008 was betrayed by those we elected.

Will it be any different in 2013?

[Jakes Progress]

11. Might be a good year for people with a D by their name, but

I don't think it shapes up to be a good year for real Democrats.