Start the impeachment process

[mattp]

Agreed. There should be investigation, accountability, and reform. We need to keep the Dems from pulling the same type of crap as the GOP.

 

Somebody on NPR was speculating this morning that with such a slim margin, they're probably going to be tempted to make the same partisan plays and attempt similar corruption of the process. I'm afraid I agree with KK here, that we will probably see lots of rhetoric but little change.

 

One can hope, though. I know it is idealistic, but perhaps somebody could look a little longer term and think about rebuilding the Nation or at least the Democratic Party in a better image.

[ClimbingPanther]

And hopefully, in 2008...they don't just change it back.

 

EXACTLY

 

Why is it so easy to change important rules like that anyway?

[tvashtarkatena]

One can be idealistic and realistic. In rebuttal to KKubed's brand of across-the-board cynicism, they are not mutually exclusive. I would argue that it's a necessary condition for progress.

[archenemy]

Agreed. There should be investigation, accountability, and reform. We need to keep the Dems from pulling the same type of crap as the GOP.

 

Somebody on NPR was speculating this morning that with such a slim margin, they're probably going to be tempted to make the same partisan plays and attempt similar corruption of the process. I'm afraid I agree with KK here, that we will probably see lots of rhetoric but little change.

 

One can hope, though. I know it is idealistic, but perhaps somebody could look a little longer term and think about rebuilding the Nation or at least the Democratic Party in a better image.

I hope folks will remember that the margin was, indeed, slim when they start talking about how "polarized" the nation is becoming.

[tvashtarkatena]

I hope folks will remember that the margin was, indeed, slim when they start talking about how "polarized" the nation is becoming.

 

I think the nation might be less polarized than it has been in the past six years. There is finally a broad agreement on Iraq (that it was a bad idea, at least). A growing consensus on global warming. A broad dissatisfaction with political corruption. Widespread worries about globalization. Dissatisfaction with health care.

 

There also seem to be more many independent voters now than before.

 

We now have an opportunity. Now all we have to do is not blow it.

[foraker]

But they won! They have a mandate from the masses! They have much political capital to spend! Oh, wait..that was last time. Never mind.

[Crux]

I heard a Nancy Pelosi interview where she said the first thing they would do is to change the House rules so that the reconcilliation committee (? the one that works with the bill after it has passed the House so that it agrees with the Senate version) will be composed of members from both parties instead of being limited to the majority party's members.

 

I hope she follows through on that. It would make it much harder to sneak objectionable stuff into legislation, like the recent decommissioning of the special investigator's office to look into Iraq contracts.

 

And hopefully, in 2008 (when Dem's control the Prezidency and both houses of congress), they don't just change it back.

I understand that historically the reconciliation committe has always been comprised of representatives from both sides of the aisle -- that is, until the current regime of self-described Republicans took over. Call them what you want, but in the past even when one party held the presidency and both chambers in Congress, decision making and oversight was respected and conducted in Congress as a shared responsibility.

 

To underscore the depravity of the current state while giving credit to the higher integrity historically present in the institution, one might point out that the current Republican-dominated Congress is vastly unprecedented in both the extent of its criminal activities and in its near-total exclusion of the minority party. After decades and centuries, for this to have occurred, something changed, both within the Republican party and within Congress. As the country is now in the wake of this election, Congress may find itself restored. The Republican party, on the other hand -- is obviously still infested.

[tvashtarkatena]

the current Republican-dominated Congress is vastly unprecedented in both the extent of its criminal activities and in its near-total exclusion of the minority party. After decades and centuries, for this to have occurred, something changed, both within the Republican party and within Congress. As the country is now in the wake of this election, Congress may find itself restored. The Republican party, on the other hand -- is obviously still infested.

 

Party of Satan?

[archenemy]

I am not claiming that one.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Agreed. There should be investigation, accountability, and reform. We need to keep the Dems from pulling the same type of crap as the GOP.

 

Somebody on NPR was speculating this morning that with such a slim margin, they're probably going to be tempted to make the same partisan plays and attempt similar corruption of the process. I'm afraid I agree with KK here, that we will probably see lots of rhetoric but little change.

 

One can hope, though. I know it is idealistic, but perhaps somebody could look a little longer term and think about rebuilding the Nation or at least the Democratic Party in a better image.

 

Actually I thought the Dems would only have 215-220 seats. They may have as many as 235. Not such a slim margin (compare to the 1994 congress).

 

If the Dems are smart they will push an agenda - like the class of 1994 (well 1995) did. Hard. If they bog us down in impeachment proceedings and investigations, it will backfire. Many people (myself included) are sick of this ridiculous cycle of investigation/politics of personal destruction (to quote a phrase). It all started with the Iran Contra hearings and the Jim Wright ethics investigation counter-punch. It's continued on endlessly and has gotten us nowhere.

[Mr_Phil]

And the Democrats would have a little credibility if they clean up their act first.

 

A moron weighs in with yet another unsupported sound bite.

 

Attack the messenger, not the message.

 

[cj001f]

And the Democrats would have a little credibility if they clean up their act first.

 

A moron weighs in with yet another unsupported sound bite.

 

Attack the messenger, not the message.

 

 

sweet justice for the ad hominem turd burgler getting indignant

[ivan]

"I like the puppet on the left," "I think the puppet on the right is more to my liking," "Hey, wait! There's one guy holding up both puppets!"

 

-Bill Hicks

[KaskadskyjKozak]

"I like the puppet on the left," "I think the puppet on the right is more to my liking," "Hey, wait! There's one guy holding up both puppets!"

 

-Bill Hicks

 

"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

 

[mattp]

It occurs to me that an impartial non-partisan (or better yet bi-partisan) fact finding of events leading up to the botched offensive in Iraq would be a good thing.

 

Already been done. A bi-partisan commission headed by Silberman.

 

You're kidding, right?

[tvashtarkatena]

Attack the messenger, not the message.

 

I can't find the message, but I can easily smell the messenger.

[tvashtarkatena]

"Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."

 

 

A moron weighs in with yet another unsupported sound bite.

[rbw1966]

It occurs to me that an impartial non-partisan (or better yet bi-partisan) fact finding of events leading up to the botched offensive in Iraq would be a good thing.

 

Already been done. A bi-partisan commission headed by Silberman.

 

You're kidding, right?

 

Nope

[mattp]

Well I guess they pulled the wool over your eyes, then.

[rbw1966]

I guess Fairweather is not the only person you grace with your narcissistic condescension. You'll note I did not say I agreed with the findings/conclusions of the commission. I merely pointed out that they already had one.

[ivan]

A moron weighs in with yet another unsupported sound bite.

heretic!!! burn her!!!

[mattp]

Sorry you feel so slighted, RBW. Is it "narcissistic condescension" to suggest that I don't think there was much real fact-finding undertaken? Your post appeared to indicate that task had already been completed.

[glassgowkiss]

Agreed. There should be investigation, accountability, and reform. We need to keep the Dems from pulling the same type of crap as the GOP.

 

Somebody on NPR was speculating this morning that with such a slim margin, they're probably going to be tempted to make the same partisan plays and attempt similar corruption of the process. I'm afraid I agree with KK here, that we will probably see lots of rhetoric but little change.

 

One can hope, though. I know it is idealistic, but perhaps somebody could look a little longer term and think about rebuilding the Nation or at least the Democratic Party in a better image.

 

Actually I thought the Dems would only have 215-220 seats. They may have as many as 235. Not such a slim margin (compare to the 1994 congress).

 

If the Dems are smart they will push an agenda - like the class of 1994 (well 1995) did. Hard. If they bog us down in impeachment proceedings and investigations, it will backfire. Many people (myself included) are sick of this ridiculous cycle of investigation/politics of personal destruction (to quote a phrase). It all started with the Iran Contra hearings and the Jim Wright ethics investigation counter-punch. It's continued on endlessly and has gotten us nowhere.

that's a coplete horseshit. the only agenda i saw after 1994 was how to kick clinton out of the office and how to stuff the pockets of the corporations that brought these assholes to power. fuck being nice: like the old phrase said: you do the crime, you do the time. for one i would like to see what 9 trillion $$$ was used on by "smaller" bushes govenment? and i also would like to see why did they drag this county into the war? so where are the WMD and where the fuck is bin laddyn? now his administration wants to spend another 6 billion od dollars on 700 miles of fence with mexico- as a security. i don't think mexicans flew jets into world trade center. if i was in mexican government i the first thing i would inplement would be a visa requirement for us citizens and fingerprinting on the border. collect 100 USD for a visa and have them wait 2 weeks for a decission- beacause this is what us does to other coutries.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

that's a coplete horseshit. the only agenda i saw after 1994 was how to kick clinton out of the office...

 

Contract with America. Welfare Reform. And so on.

[Peter_Puget]