Any thoughts?

Very well written, while I don't necessarily agree with you point by point, it more or less expresses what I've been thinking. Republicans completely dropped the ball, and it's time for Democrats to give it a try. There are two things that I am really afraid will happen here. The worst is that Democrats don't get themselves out of the "minority mindset" that they've been in the past few years. For a while now, they've been doing little more than fighting the majority party. Well guess what Democrats, you have your majority now, please do something with it. It would be really easy to sit back and criticize the president for the next two years, but that is not why you've been elected. The voters want some real reform, and whoever can give them that will have a clear lock for years to come.

The second thing I fear is very related to the first. I am worried that they will spend the next two years pointing fingers about the past. Yes, I know that things didn't go as well as they should have, but we can worry about who did what once we have taken care of the mess. We need action now. If finger pointing is really necessary, there is no reason not to let it wait until we are on firmer footing.


Oh, and by the way Congress, fix the voting system. Right now, it is just disgraceful how much control the voting machine companies have over our democratic process. The code that runs the machines must become open source across the board. Yes, it exposes us to some risk, but you can damned well bet that every inch of that code will be carefully scrutinized by the public prior to elections. If there are any holes, they will almost certainly be found. At the very least, we know for sure what is going on in the counting systems. No one should be in control of the election process except the people themselves.

A ban on electronic voting machines would be nice.

There is open testimony concerning voting machines that have been hacked, as you're probably aware.

Good to hear from another like-minded individual.

What script will the Democrats follow?

There is open testimony concerning voting machines that have been hacked, as you're probably aware.

watch how fast those stories disappear.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5173816754727816515&q=testimony+hacked+voting+machines&hl=en

There's the source, Doc. .

watch how fast those stories disappear. - Doc.

I hope they don't, not until it's somehow made apparent e-voting is accurate and secure.

I hope they don't, not until it's somehow made apparent e-voting is accurate and secure.

The machines being hackable is irrelevant.  The Democrats won.  Since the democrats won, the media is going to deep six any talk of fraud.

And yes, I am very cynical.  Age has a tendency to do that to you.

If, come next November, the following items are not addressed in some manner by you, I will renounce my United States citizenship and move out of the country. I'm currently filling out the paperwork to immigrate and it should be just a few months before I find out my chances of being accepted.

Can I hold you to this?

Don't get me wrong, I actually like you and don't want you to leave. But so often many don't follow through on that statement.

I think your setting to high of goals here. Most of new Dems elected this term would be considered moderates. The Democrat party may have won, but will they be able to keep enough people in line to pass anything but token bills?

There are still enough Republicans to hamstring any major changes, and yet keep their own mouth shut and watch the Dems fight within themselves.

Even the Dem leadership has toned down their message over the last few hours.

I think the Democrats will have their hands full trying to deflect blame when some of the very good economic numbers start to go south (and they will, though not necessarily from anything the Democrats do for the short term. It's just part of the inevitable cycle of economics).

With the unemployment rate so low, gas prices down for now, stock market high, etc., eventually the economy will soften and, being in control of Congress, naturally the blame will fall to the Democrats. Ironically, if the Republicans had retained control, they would have gotten the blame.

Not to mention, the Democrats will probably coast for the most part for the next two years for fear of appearing too radical and spoiling their chances in 2008. The name of the game will be Moderates.

My guess is that we probably won't see an attempted impeachment of Bush. All that talk was most likely intended to enliven the base anyway.

Can I hold you to this? - Lee1776

Absolutely. It's not that I would feel like, "Oh, gee-shucks, they called my bluff," it would be more like, "I'm getting out before the shit gets too deep."

I already feel compelled to leave. I have for a few years now because our representatives have continued to whittle away at laws making America that unique Democratic experiment that worked.

I'm sticking around for another year in the hope that Democrats will, at least, provide me some evidence that they too believe many of our newer laws don't belong in traditional America.

If Democrats give consideration to and plan for something touching on any of what I've mentioned, it may be enough to provide me some faith in America being restored to it's former glory.

Don't get me wrong, I actually like you and don't want you to leave. But so often many don't follow through on that statement. - Lee1776

Thanks! I'd only be leaving the states, though, not JU.

I think your setting to high of goals here. - Lee1776

No. I'm setting the bar very low.

So when I leave the country, you can say - "Shit, Def. gave an easy challenge - all you had to do was try."

All I'm asking for is that the Democrats talk about a plan to address 'X' issue from the above list in a manner I can somewhat agree with, backed by some action that may seemingly transpire.

My fear is that they won't even do that - which would provide the proof that they aren't changing direction, they're simply slopping a new layer of paint over the old.

When you sell an old junk house, you paint it up, but you don't fix the infrastructure. If you buy an old junk house and you simply paint it up and say - to hell with the infrastructure, I'm not fixing it, you put yourself and your family at risk when you try living in it.

Will the Democrats paint up America? Or will they fix it's badly damaged infrastructure? Or will they damage it further?

You say, Deference, really, even though the bar is ridiculously low, please provide me a working example of what the Democrats would need to do to help recharge your faith in America?

Okay, REAL ID ACT. In a little over a year, the law will take effect. Democrats are going to have to provide me enough assurance by talking about their intentions to stop the act for me to stick around just a little over my 1 YEAR CHALLENGE and risk being subjected to that act. Democrats, if you don't care enough to stop that act, your values are not the same as mine, and I don't think a little over a year to get your act together is too much to ask.

Provide a plan for a balanced budget? Hopefully a bit less controversial, maybe something everyone should be able to stand behind.

Democrats, talk about your conference with Republicans and how the two parties will cut down on pork. Announce a phase-in to a balanced budget beginning with the push toward an Amendment. This is easy as hell! Provide me some assurance, give me some intent I can hold you to.

The Democrats aren't facing a tough challenge when it comes to action regarding the issues list. Democrats are facing a tough challenge in simply looking at and considering it.




Pictoratus, I think you've got a reasoned prediction of what may occur with the Dems. . I pretty much agree with your assessment of it, and I understand that means I should be reserving my plane ticket now.