so lets be really optimistic

[BayCityProgressive]

and say Kerry wins and we win a narrow majority in the senate and house. We will have about an equal number of liberal and centrist Democrats. What kind fo legislation could we expect and would Kerry be able to weave policies that all the Dems would go along with? With such a tiny majority we would need total unity.

[TexasSissy]

1. There's a Dem. platform, so most/all Dems. would

agree on some or all of any bills concerning those. Kerry (w/the help of Ted Kennedy and others) would be able to persuade many Democrats to pass certain bills.

It would work much like the Bush/Congress thing has worked these past four years.

When hundreds of human beings get together, there is never going to be TOTAL unity in everything. But there will be a Democratic Party consensus for certain bills and issues.

I don't think we'll get control of the entire Congress, though. Oh, wouldn't it be great if that'd happen? Maybe in another four years.

[UrbScotty]

2. Mark my words

2008 - Dem President (Kerry's second term?????????), Dem House, Dem Senate by then.

Perhaps earlier.

[tritsofme]

3. Dems have a harder time demanding loyalty

from their members in Congress, because we have such a big tent in our party.

Remember throughout Carter's term we had majorities in both houses, but got little accomplished, similar to Clinton's situation prior to 1994.

Republicans demand loyalty from within their ranks and punish the dissenters, as we saw with the Medicare vote.

However, Kerry being an experienced senator himself may have better luck if he so lucky to be in that situation.

[no name no slogan]

4. But Kerry's a Senator-- has congressional experience

Former House Speaker Tip O'Neill talked about this situation in his book "Man of the House". Tip was Speaker from 1976-1986, and dealt with both Carter and Reagan. One of his big gripes with the Carter people is that they were clueless about how to deal with Congress.

Carter brought his team up from Georgia, and none of them had ever spent any time working with the US Congress. His team also had the attitude that they'd handle Congress just like they'd handle the Georgia state house. Carter's team ran roughshod over the Dem leadership in Congress, which is NOT something you want to do.

I think Clinton had a somewhat similar problem, and didn't do a very good job of keeping congressional Democrats informed on what he was doing.

This is usually the biggest obstacle to a new President who doesn't have experience with Congress. I don't think Kerry would have these types of problems, due to his years of service in the Senate.

:)