Not to throw cold water on this important election, but we need to face reality sooner than later. I agree that controlling the agenda, subpoena power, and the ability to stop another right-wing zealot from gaining a deciding seat on the Supreme Court, are important, so time and again I vote for the least objectionable candidate. In my district, Busby(D) was campaigning on repealing the "death tax." This is what the Democratic Party has come to be.
My biases are clear, the two parties are more alike than we care to admit in these giddy post-election times. Read this post from Muckraker.com
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/... Will Democrats put these kinds of tainted people in positions of power. Murtha's record on earmarks is horrible. We loved him when he told the truth about Iraq, but should we reward his corrupt behavior?
Rep. Alan Mollohan,Rep (WV). Alcee Hastings (FL),Rep. Steny Hoyer (MD)are all up for leadership positions, they all carry corruption baggage that makes them part of the problem.
The list goes on and on, the problems are endemic. My guess is we are poised to enable this behavior with the crop of leadership.
The only positive thing I can see is that we stopped the tide towards fascism-- for now.