Do we have a chance in '06?

[Sannum]

discuss

[iconoclastNYC]

1. Yes!

My mission in 2005 is to get all my non-politicaly active but anti-bush friends to understand why the midterm election is crucial to our party and the country.

Then for 2006 I plan to volunteer and get at least 3 or 4 friends of mine to volunteer regularly also.

Everyone of us has the power to bring more people to our side and fundamentaly alter the way politics is played in this country.

If everyone brought 2 or 3 people into active civic paticipation the effects would be tremendous.

[Erika]

2. It depends on Diebold voting machines eom

[mirandapriestly]

5. I agree about the voting machines

I think these elections are fixed and if we have the same machinery owned by republicans, we're doomed.

[autorank]

6. Erika speaks Truth to Power

Any doubters, check this out: http://www.appliedresearch.us/sf/epdiscrep.htm

[More Than A Feeling]

3. Damn straight we do

I foresee a Democrats delivering an oh-so-satisfying ass whomping. We have a shot at Santorum, Burns and Chaffee in the senate, and the Republican House caucus has sent out a memo warning that the GOP could lose seats in the mid twenties.

Social Security and Tom Delay will be giant anchors around their necks. Then you add in our excellent new leadership (plus kudos to Chuck Schumer for his excellent work on behalf of taking back the senate.) Then you add in the one party fatigue, and Dems are in for a real treat in my opinion.

[iconoclastNYC]

4. I think you are right

How can we hammer the media into giving this the focus it will deserve....most likely the media will spin it as an anomoloy and insignificant, unlike the Bush's 51% MANDATE.

[More Than A Feeling]

12. The media will say anything if they hear it often enough

and it is backed by dollars and ratings.

[iconoclastNYC]

17. I dont think so

I think if it hurts dems is +1 if it hurts republicans its -3, if it involves sex its +2

[Media_Lies_Daily]

7. Not as long as the NeoCons control the results of the elections.

[pie]

9. If the election were held today we would have no chance of winning

Those machines will beat us every time until we
do away with them.

[brettdale]

8. Of course not diehold and rigging

I wonder how many elections its going to take, before the general public starts to say, "hey are these things rigged?"

[drdtroit]

10. Did we switch to paper ballots??? n/t

[Syrinx]

11. if the election was fair...

Democrats would win in a landslide. But that's not what I predict.

[in_cog_ni_to]

13. ONLY if evoting machines are dumped. Pen and paper ONLY.

However, that doesn't seem to be a very high priority for our politicians, so I would have to say NO. We have no chance of winning anything and the repukes will steal even more House and Senate seats and we will forever be voting on their evoting machines.

The ONLY way to get rid of the machines is to find the fraud and prosecute the regime.

[coloradodem2005]

14. I really hope so.

We should be able to win by such a high amount that diebold won't change the results.

[rockymountaindem]

15. I don't think so (and not because of voting machines).

Diebold machines et. al. are not used in the majority of the country. They could possibly be used to tip Presidential elections where every state is critical, but because they are not used nationwide they would have less impact on Congressional races.

The reasons I don't think we have a chance are:

1) Gerrymandering
2) All the same problems from 2004

I really don't think we'll see Dem. Congresses for a long time. I'm waiting for my generation to become more politically active. I think that's our only hope. Hopefully that'll happen when we have more at stake once we get out of college and get real lives of our own. That should be happening in the next two decades, I hope :)

[petgoat]

18. Response to rocky

<Diebold machines et. al. are not used in the majority of the country.>

It's not just the unverifiable voting terminals that are questionable,
rock. The central tabulators are very hackable too.

Here's where Bev Harris shows Howard Dean how to hack a Diebold
tabulator in 90 seconds:

http://groups.msn.com/votefraudusa/3.msnw

[cry baby]

24. Right you are...

and Welcome to DU!:hi:

[fujiyama]

16. I'm not very optimistic

Too many vulnerable seats to defend, plus several retirements in vulnerable states.

I do see some possibilities of making gains in both houses - especially if we tie the ENTIRE GOP to DeLay. That's the key. Expose the arrogance, the out of control power trip, the corruption of the party in power...

Though it sure wouldn't hurt to make sure the votes were legit as well. Verified voting is imperitive to have any trust in the system.

[caledesi]

19. Only with a coup. That's what you do to dictators. nt

[BlueIris]

20. If we make it past Tuesday, I'll be cautiously optimistic.

Sorry, y'all, I'm still freaked.

[Stirk]

21. If the Democrats don't make *big* gains, in 2006-

the system is clearly rigged. With Bush's numbers deep in the toilet, multiple scandals of every sort facing many of their biggest names, the crap economy, the gas prices, and a million other things, there is just no way they can avoid losing seats in a legitimate election.

Having said all that, I expect they'll gain a few seats in 2006. I'm convinced that the system is rigged.

[mandyky]

22. I am not sure if we can regain control but we can win seats in both

the House and the Senate. Shays, DeLay, and others are vulnerable. Chaffee, Burns (MT), and Santorum will have to work for it. Morrison did amazingly well against DeLay this last election and he's running again.

I am hoping we run someone here in KY against McConnell (if he's up for reelection in 06). Mongiardo came so close against Bunning.

[BearClaws]

23. Even Conservatives must be sick of this Idiot

yes,I think the change is a comming!

[sugapablo]

25. Who's We?

Who's "we"?

After all, I'm a registered Green, and I don't think "we" have much of a chance at all. :)

[erpowers]

26. Yes

Not only do we have a chance in 06, we have great chances in 06. There are many places, including California, were we can win if the party just works hard.

[mopaul]

27. not at THIS rate we don't

not unless major changes occur