The Positivity of Absolute Value

WASHINGTON – The 2006 midterms are finally over (almost). Let the 2008 games begin.

A handful of congressional races aren't quite over yet, but the jockeying for the 2008 presidential contest - going on for months, if not years - has burst fully into the open.

Thankfully they admittedly acknowledge that it is far too early to make any solid predictions.

I don't know. . .
Is it finally McCain's turn, or will he be thwarted by the hugely popular Rudy Giuliani of his own party?

On the democratic side, the reason that it is difficult to predict anything just yet is because we need to see what the Dems are going to do, or not do, over the next couple of years while they have power.

Ultimately they need to make very good decisions initially in placing their leadership, which they are seemingly unwilling to do, and more importantly try and push every bit of legislation through the houses that they can muster some agreement on.

I said from the outset that if the Democrats regained power after their decade long hiatus, that as long as Bush was in office we would see his veto pen a lot more often than we have in the past. I still think that's true despite the President's sudden willingness to cooperate with a party who not a week ago he was blasting to high heaven.

I also thought that since the Democratic party was so disorganized, and lacked any cohesive unity, that this would probably be a good thing. Honestly, we don't need to see radically left wing legislation passed, just as much as we do need to see the radically conservative legislation stop.

However, if the Dems can be successful in attempting to pass boatloads of legislation through, they will convince the American people that they are trying to lead the country in a new direction; and whether that direction is the right one or not is irrelevant. Once the electorate sees that the only thing hindering a new direction is the leader of the Republican party, they will be much more apt to elect a Democrat to office in 2008, of which there is no shortage if candidates.

The other thing the Democrats need to accomplish is to at least present the illusion that they are focused on the issues that voters thought important while they were booting the GOP out of both chambers (Iraq, Corruption etc.). As is mentioned above, appointing John Murtha to the House Majority Leader is an incredibly rocky start, and the fact that Nancy Pelosi is so adamant about his nomination is already bringing a burnt smell of old corruption to what should be a fresh face in Washington.

Though it is notable to point out here that the Republicans have apparently not learned their lesson, even though the November elections resembled more a public flogging than a congressional race.

You know, your pundits tell you this and your pundits tell you that, but what I am interested in seeing in the 2008 presidential election is just how fed up with the entire process voters can become. Ultimately, if we can get out even 65% of the vote, I think that would be a victory for America. When the day is done it really doesn't matter who wins or loses, because the voice belongs to the people, whether the people know it or not. And even if the candidate who wins isn't the candidate of your choice, if you are loud enough, you can make that person be the candidate of your choice.

"We The People" still control this country.
Let us show them that, like we did this past congressional election.