Democrats gird for battle with Republican dominance

[Pirate Smile]

WASHINGTON (AFP) - As Republicans kick up their heels at inaugural balls marking four more years in the White House, Democrats vowed not to be bowled over, despite a marked erosion in their political clout.

Nancy Pelosi, minority leader in the House of Representatives, said in a message that she, like most Democrats, would avoid the soirees and balls paying tribute to re-elected Republican President George W. Bush (news - web sites).

Personally, I don't feel much like celebrating. So I'm going to mark the occasion by pledging to do everything in my power to fight the extremist Republican's destructive agenda," she said.

"While George W. Bush and his radical congressional allies are partying ... you and I need to work even harder. We Democrats are united in our belief that president Bush is leading our country in the wrong direction," Pelosi wrote.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/usbushdemocrats

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. ...

[BadGimp]

2. Sphincter Factor: 9.75

Get ready folks this is gonna hurt..

WASS

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. This is refreshing. Pelosi has not particularly impressed me...

but I'm glad that at least some in the party leadership are talking about actual *opposition*. What I'm hearing generally, especially from the senate is a lot of accommodationist mush.

[SHRED]

4. Some "girding" alright!

Oh forget it.

[deadparrot]

5. Talk is cheap...let's wait and see what they DO.

I'm a liberal through and through, and I have a hard time coming to terms with what seems like a Republican-lite Democratic party. I have a hard time turning away from the Dems. But they can talk all they want; we've got to wait until they're actually in Congress to see if they mean it.

[Voltaire99]

6. Well said, Deadparrot.

I don't want to be unnecessarily negative, but...

Oh, OK.

Much of Bushism is the Dems' own fault--they midwived those policies into being. Stood by, watched, mewled, and mostly voted for them. Useless puddingheads.

Not a very encouraging prospectus for Four More Years. Let's see if these wimps have had vertebrae transplants.

[SoCalDem]

7. "Gird"...what a joke.

When the repubes "girded" for democratic dominance, they started buying stuff to get their message out.. They bought radio stations, tv stations,. newspapers..They poured money into little "nothingZ" races all over the country to get "their people" onto school boards, city councils, etc. They PLANNED...and it worked..

From Watergate, when they were in a shambles, to Reagan for 8 yrs and Bush1 for 4 more.. Even duriing the first Clinton administration, the repubes had him so hobbled, he could hardly move, and then they managed to take the house.. The rest is history..

If the dem leadership behaves like they always have, they will concentrate on stockpiling huge sums of money, and will be stingy with local and state race seekers..They will sabotage their own party members to get the candidate "they want", and we will do NOTHING about the really important things..

Of course we are now in a position of NO POWER, so no matter HOW LOUDLY we holler about the terrible voting systems, nothing willl change. The repubes like the system just the way it is, and they plan to just do more of the same...

[flaminbats]

8. Clinton's five-year budget passed without a single Republican vote..

Repukes don't deserve any credit for these surpluses, none were critical of obstructionism when Clinton was President. A few..like Chaffee and Jeffords were willing to work with the President on healthcare. But even that died because of a filibuster..thanks to 40 Republican Senators and a turncoat from Alabama.

In recent days, however, "There seems to be, I think, some unnecessarily strident comments being made in anticipation" of Bush's second term and a new session of Congress, Leahy said. "You know, most of us, especially those of us who have been here a long time, would like to see the kind of cooperation there used to be, when both parties worked together."

Strange that no Republicans had this attitude when Clinton took office, or in his second term during the impeachment crusade. The more Democrats push for bipartisanship, the more I'm convinced this party is only a forum for suckers. Both parties should be willing to work together, but time to make Republicans beg for it! :nopity:

[Stockholm]

9. There is an upside to the inauguration!

That was the last time you have to watch him take the oath...