Do we want to win 2008?

[simcha_6]

Stupid question: Would winning in 2008 destroy the Democrats? Budget analysts say that the Bush budget has a lot of hidden costs which will balloon out in 2009 or so, adding to the deficit, bloating the debt. That would mean that, upon coming into office, the next president will have to either deal with this mess, and then face a reelection campaign where he's done nothing but clean-up, or fob the American people into an "it's okay, it doesn't matter" mindset. I actually don't think that'll work in a few years. People are starting to notice the debt and deficit.

Maybe it'd be best to pass the next one, and let the neo-cons walk into their own trap. We'd block any big project of theirs and take on the mantle of fiscal conservatism, instead of being a crisis management president who gets blasted by opposition for "allowing our fiscal crisis to spiral out of control." They'd so do that.

Obviously, I don't want any more neocons ever again, but we should think of this now. How are we going to escape getting blamed in four years when we have the WH and monstrous debts?

[NYCGirl]

1. Clinton did a good job of making a surplus out of a disastrous

Republican budget mess. So, yes, it is possible.

[Goldmund]

2. I dunno... Even if you assume that all that is true,

what do you care about more -- the reputation of the Democratic Party, or the well-being of your compatriots?

[simcha_6]

5. I worry about the long term

What good is it if we win in 2008 and then get left in the cold well into the 22nd century (Go outside, turn around three times, spit.)

[yourout]

3. Similar to what Carter stepped into.

Doomed from the start because of previous administrations
boo boos.

[Karmadillo]

4. Losing doesn't seem to be getting us where we want to be,

so we might as well give winning a try. If we actually ran as an opposition party, we'd have a mandate (a real one, not a Bush one) to take the actions necessary to end the nation's death spiral.

[forgethell]

6. "so we might as well give winning a try"

Something I've been saying for some time now. Unfortunately, too many Democratic people seem to think that because the election was "stolen", they don't need to make any changes in positions to appeal to more "centrists", "moderates", or "independents".

Who was that idiot last time who told conservatives that they shouldn't vote for * because that would be rewarding his theft of the 2000 election? I'd bet he didn't get 2 votes per state out of that appeal.

[WI_DEM]

7. well Clinton dealt with it