The Republicans have produced a disastrous record in Washington while in control of all branches of government.
It is being reluctantly documented in the press, more frequently in the polls and now even in the conservative community. The list includes: tremendous overspending leading to huge budget increases/deficits,the Iraq war, Katrina, Abramoff, our foreign policy and poor standing in the world, the ports deal and ports security, the Medicare Drug Program, and the huge current accounts deficit. In ways large and small the record is a very poor one.
Individually and collectively these have been leadership and PR disasters for the other side that we have exploited only to a limited degree. Despite our ineffectiveness to date, the polls also indicate great dissatisfaction with the direction the country is going. We can't celebrate for the polls also indicate great weakness in how our party is viewed. The outcome in 2006 is still uncertain.
What should our party do to achieve a majority in the House and hopefully in the Senate?
Our most promising direction is to make 2006 a Referendum on the total management of our government by the Republican Party. We need to clearly, simply and continually remind the country what has happened when we have entrusted both the legislative and executive branches to their party. There were no checks and balances and without a two party system our government does not work properly.
Although we are struggling to make to 2006 a clear choice, we should simply focus on making it a referendum. We can be on the offensive the entire time using the ammunition created by the Republicans themselves: the legislation they generated and their management of the executive branch. This gives us the time to organize, focus our programs/platform and choose a standard bearer that will offer a clear choice in 2008.
I feel we are not ready yet to offer the choice that will win in the 2006 cycle. We need to reframe what our task is. This should nationalize the elections by showing how a Republican government created a series of disasters for our country here and abroad. This will make 2006 a referendum on them. We will then have a great opportunity to make the gains we need until we a ready. Offering an alternate platform is not a wise move at this time.