How important is it that Democrats take back the House ?

[kentuck]

Considering that all laws and impeachment proceeding begin in the House, how much would this benefit our Party and our nation? So long as Repubs control House and Senate, they are rubberstamps for their "Leader". They must be changed. They must.

[IdaBriggs]

1. In answer to your question: "President Nancy Pelosi" nt

[kentuck]

4. There will be no impeachment so long as we have a Repub House...

But just the threat of a possible impeachment would be so helpful to our country. That can only happen with a Democratic House. Not much is going to change until we win back the House, unfortunately.

[HootieMcBoob]

2. It's most important

As long as this band of criminal republicans control the house they can literally get away with murder.

[McCamy Taylor]

3. Very

[JNelson6563]

5. On DU or in reality?

On DU all that matters is the race for the WH in 08.

In reality everything else matters hugely.

Julie

[kentuck]

6. The White House is nowhere near as important as the House...

in my opinion. What can the President do, other than veto right-wing legislation? Which is important but not as important as passing laws that help and protect people.

[AlGore-08.com]

10. There's also a little thing called Executive Orders

Which the Exec Branch uses to get things done when they can't get the legislative branch to play ball. For example, Truman issued an executive order to desegregate the Army and Federal employment (and then the Dixiecrats like Strom Thurmond bolted to the GOP).

Additionally, there's the issue of what a Dem House can do by itself. A Dem House could write some friendly legislation, but it would have to pass the Senate, and if the Senate isn't controlled by the Dems (or if it's got a lot of weak Dems), then the House bills will get watered down before they hit the President's desk. And you have to have a super majority to override a Presidential veto - - something that's not going to happen if you only have the House.

As far as impeachment goes, a Dem House can start impeachment IF (and this is a big if) there's PROOF that Smirk committed an impeachable offense. IF there is proof, then a Dem House has to ferret it out in less than 2 years... and let's say, for the sake of argument, that the proof is there, and it can be gotten from the Bush admin... you still need the Senate to vote on the articles of impeachment. Unless you have both Houses, you can't impeach a President.

And - - assuming that Smirk has done something impeachable, that it can be proven, and that he actually is impeached - - impeaching Smirk will not ensure that there will be a Dem President in 2008, or a Dem Congress. The focus on Smirk and Smirk alone - - rather than the entire GOP's involvement in this mess - - is going to "save" them. They'll run McCain, or some other "Washington Outsider" who will ride the national wave of disgust against Smirk into office - - and odds are heavy that they will get away with it. Because our "leaders" response to all this has been to sit back and give them enough rope to hang themselves. But that looks weak. Very weak. And most of the Dems considering running for President voted for many of the most harmful pieces of Smirk's legislation. There's gonna be a big wakeup call soon, unfortunately.

[kentuck]

12. But executive orders can be overridden by next president....

just like overrode all of Clinton's executive orders. Not the same with laws assed by Congress. But it makes the Party in power feel good temporarily.

[AlGore-08.com]

13. Laws passed by Congress can be changed by the next Congress

Or overturned by the courts.

The beauty of the system is that you can't control the agenda by controlling one branch alone. You have to control all three branches to have complete control over the agenda.

I just think it's too simplistic to argue that winning any one branch is so important that winning the others is a waste of time and energy. The Republicans always plan four elections into the future, and they scout for talent to build up to run in future elections.

I think we can all walk and chew gum at the same time too. We can work on winning the 2006 races: state and local as well as Federal, while working for our preferred primary candidate in 2008, and looking ahead to races beyond those. If we can't plan that far in advance, we should all just quit now.

[Sooner75]

18. love it

I love to see DUers who see the tremendous importance of recapturing the houses of Congress.

In a post I did a few weeks ago, I drew attention to a Washington Post article that pointed out that the abuses of Abu Gharib and Gitmo COULD HAVE been investigated by Congress, but THIS (and the previous one) Congress was not and is not interested because it'll clearly lead to exposure of this Republican administration. Congressional Republicans are busy, busy, busy generating political coverage for Dubya.

If the Democrats recapture Congress, THEY will decide what gets investigated, where the money gets spent. Stuff like that. Try to keep that in mind, y'all.

[gratuitous]

7. How important? Consider just one little thing

Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) with the power to issue congressional subpoenas.

[Norquist Nemesis]

9. And John Conyers, too! n/t

[kentuck]

8. Once the Repubs in Congress feel the pressure....

George W Bush will feel the pressure. Because they are the only ones that can put pressure on Bush. Surely not the Democrats. And why would they be compelled to put any pressure on Bush? Only if they felt threatened in their re-election bid. That's the only way I see to put pressure on this little dictator, unfortunately. Put pressure on the Repubs in the House and that will extend to George W Bush. If you wish to get his attention, that is the best way, in my opinion.

[VADem11]

11. Very

We would have control of some legislation at least and we could launch investigations against this corrupt administration. Impeachment would just be a bonus.

[JohnnyBoots]

14. It is vital, it will be

our last chance for a long time to stick our foot in the door jam as the GOP tries to slam it shut to contiuniue to build their Bush family fronted Neocon Monarchy. It is most important to our country, our party, and our future generations.

[warrens]

15. I urge everyone to pick a vulnerable rethug

In your state or elsewhere, and donate money and volunteer for their opponent. Here in Illinois, we have a group that is targeting three GOP seats and defending one Dem seat that the national GOP has named its No. 1 objective in 2006 (Melissa Bean).

We only need to take about 20 seats, and as Hackett proved in Ohio, even the safe seats might not be safe this time around.

[Norquist Nemesis]

16. About Melissa Bean

The reason she's most vulnerable is that she hasn't really been in support of Democrats. Is there a viable Democrat that can run against her? From what I understand, she's pissed off alot of her base and the GOP is going to use that to take advantage.

[rasputin1952]

17. All tax Bills come from the House under the Constitution, that is a start

But the real power is in how bills are presented/tabled through the House.

Bottom line is, brakes will be applied to the bush cabal, and it will set the stage for the '08 election. We should be pushing hard for both the House and the Senate, and not forget that Governorships are important as well.

'06 is the fight we should be waging at this time...leaving '08 in it's proper perspective for the time being....:)

[kentuck]

24. Amen !

Is everyone listening?

[GoBruins]

19. Incredibly important

It would be so nice to have the Democrats in charge of Congress. I'm not sure how realistic it is and whether we have a stronger chance in the Senate but it wouldn't hurt to try to elect Democrats for the House. I'm really looking forward to volunteering for various campaigns for the 2006 elections!

[Catchawave]

20. Do you mean...drum roll....

if the Dems take back the House and Senate in 2006, we have Impeachment !!!!!!!!

Oh, I hope so :) :patriot:

[MintOreoCookie]

21. I think we stand a chance

of gaining control of the senate. So the senate tries an impeachment case and the house makes the decision of whether impeachment is warranted.

I just don't see us winning control of the house, but I do hope that Nick Lampson beats Tom DeLay. I want to see Tom DeLay out of the house!

[Catchawave]

22. I think we stand a chance !

Welcome to DU MintOreaoCookie !!!!!! Love your positive thinking:yourock:

[MintOreoCookie]

23. Thank you

I appreciate the welcome.

I think we can win Pennsylvania (and I'd love to see Santorum lose his seat). I think Rhode Island may be possible. Jeffords is not running again, but Vermont is a true blue state.

[paineinthearse]

25. Exactly

That is why tonight, in reply to a "who do you prefer in 2008" post, I replied 2006, 2006, 2006......

[flaminbats]

26. this Congress is a security risk..

Republicans got their act together after Clinton was elected. After Bush became President, Democrats lost the Senate and made no serious effort to win the House in 2002. Republicans started GOPAC in the 90's, effectively scored points by attacking Clinton, and received loads of free publicity by killing "Clinton's vile takeover of our healthcare system."

Unfortunately Democrats try to cozy up to Bush in every possible way, support his taxcuts, and praise "his leadership" on 9/11!!!

Republicans in 1994 said Americans needed to "clean House", they needed "better oversite of Clinton's illegal fundraising", and most importantly voters needed to teach those "arrogent" Democrats in power a lesson. Maybe we can learn something from the past.

[bottomofthehill]

27. Reality based House of Representatives

Currently there is a cash and carry Congress as seen in the Transportation Appropriations Bill and the Energy bill that the Accidental President just signed. It is getting pathetic, and maybe to the point that voters will see that not just Congress as a whole is corrupt but their Member of Congress is part of the problem and not part of the solution.

We need a reality based Congress, one that recognizes that you can not raise spending and cut taxes for the wealthy and still claim that you are for fiscal responsibility or a balanced budget.

We need a reality based Congress that understands that you can not pass a bill called clean skies and increase the level of pollution in the air we breathe.

We need a reality based Congress that sees that there is a huge difference between saying no child left behind and ensuring that no child is left behind.

We need a reality based Congress in which the Ethics Committee actually enforces the code of ethics in the House, no truce, just the truth.

We need a reality based Congress and the Republican leadership for the past 10 years has proven that there is no reality in this Congress.