GOP: Katrina Response Could Hurt in 2006 Elections

[JABBS]

There is growing concern among Republicans that questions surrounding the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, among other issues, could hurt the party in next year's mid-term election.

When Republican House members participated in a telephone conference call Sept. 1, the air was blue with complaints about the Bush Administration's handling of Katrina. According to CNN, there was much hand-wringing about Republican prospects in the 2006 elections.

"Incumbents in both parties are dancing perilously close to the edge right now: Gas prices are out of control, we are bogged down in Iraq and now politicians seem to be doing more talking than acting," veteran pundit and political advisor David Gergen told the <em>Washington Post</em>, for a story in today's issue. "We may be heading toward an election in which the attitude is to throw the bums out, and if that happens, Republicans will pay the bigger prices because they are in control."

A number of issues -- the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, mounting frustration over the Iraq War, the recent London and Egypt bombings tied to Al Qaeda, and an enormous increase in gas prices -- have lowered President Bush's approval rating to below 40 percent. Congress' approval rating is even lower.

Still, the Democrats face an uphill climb if they want to take back control of either the House or Senate. That would require Democrats to hold onto any contested seats held by Democrats (or being vacated by Democrats), while making significant inroads into Republican-held (or to-be-vacated) seats.

By this count, just 25 Republican-held House seats will be in play next year. Eleven Republicans are retiring -- many to run for other political offices -- and another 14 Republicans won by small margins in 2004. The current House is composed of 231 Republicans, 202 Democrats, 1 Independent and 1 vacancy.

In the Senate, 33 seats are up -- including 15 held by Republicans. Republicans currently hold a 55-44-1 advantage in the Senate.

***

This article first appeared at Journalists Against Bush's B.S.

[lebkuchen]

1. If Katrina doesn't, what would?

It will be difficult for the RWers to not find fault with Bush on his third disaster (Iraq being the second)...hard to sugar-coat this one.

[Erika]

2. What has GOP rule done in the last five years?

Each year shows a poverty rise
Each year shows a rise in the ininsured
Iraq is a quagmire
We left our poor to "weather the storm" for 4 to 5 days.

Go ahead and vote GOP. I won't.

[SeattleGirl]

3. The DESERVE to be hurt!

The incredible, obscene bumbling of this administration has resulted in far more deaths than there might have been if they had stepped in on time, and in a well-managed way. And the Rethugs who are up for re-election deserve to lose their seats for their unquestionning support of the Commander in Thief. (And more than a few Dems probably deserve to be replaced too!)

[Dogmudgeon]

4. Actually, Katrina's not the problem

The problem is that the GOP has become a bunch of self-satisfied, smug, rich kids playing at being grown-up, and this time it's going to bite them in the collective ass.

Rick Santorum made several remarks over the past two weeks that will come back to haunt him. The mood here in Pennsylvania has already started to sour, and his astounding pettiness in dealing with the survivors has not failed to register with his "base" of religious right-wingers, some of whom still have a little charity in their hearts.

In addition, gas prices are high, the cost of heat should be fairly high this winter, and people are not going to like being taxed by the Free Enterprise System so beloved by the conservatives of the Republican Party. The Iraq war just keeps on keepin' on. Osama bin Laden has yet to be found. The United States is being increasingly isolated by the rest of the world who rightly fear Bush's impulsiveness and drama-queen emotionalizing.

So, yes, it's entirely possible that the GOP will take a beating next November. We just have to keep the information out there for another 14 months.

--p!

[aquart]

5. They don't connect any of this to THEIR policies?

They are amazing.

[RallyInDC]

6. remember the voting machines.

http://www.votersunite.org

got to clean out the problems first....

[bvar22]

7. I agree, and I am doing EVERYTHING to INCREASE the pain!

The Republican Ownership Society

The FACE of Compassionate Conservatism



Republican GREED has now KILLED more Americans than Al Qaeda!

The Democratic Party is a BIG TENT, but there is NO ROOM for those who advance the agenda of THE RICH (Corporate Owners) at the EXPENSE of LABOR and the POOR.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. that pigie is precious

[Skittles]

9. GONNA BE HARD TO PULL THAT WE PROTECT AMERICAN SCHTICK

VERY HARD INDEED...............and what the f*** do they have left?

[dorktv]

10. I wish I could run this year but I just do not have the money!

damn it! I would be out there tearing Hayworth a new one every day. ARGH!

[truthisfreedom]

11. R.I.P. GOP. you buckled the moment the Anthrax showed up. now we're free

and we don't need you or the bushco mafia anymore. yes, it was designed to strike fear in the hearts of Dems, but you were scared too, and that's why you did whatever cheney and rove demanded. but you chose safety over your country, and that makes you all TRAITORS.

dry up and die. by the way, you're fucking boring, especially all of that pedophile shit. you should be ashamed of yourselves.

[win_in_06]

12. How effective will Dem candidates be at pinning the rose on

republicans without being accused of politicizing?