While the mid-term elections of 2010 may be over a year away, it's never too early to begin forming a message that will help the Democratic Party maintain or expand its majorities in Congress. Indeed, history tells us that the party holding the White House tends to see its power in Congress wane during mid-term elections. There is a perfectly understandable reason for this; Americans prefer 2-party rule over 1-party rule, especially after 6 disastrous years of 1 party rule. The American people like to know that there is accountability. However, with people overwhelmingly wanting a change in direction, such accountability could easily be turned against Republican opponents. Therefore, perhaps the best message to use against the Republicans going into 2010 is "obstruction".
It may sound too simple, but a good message is always simple. Think "change", "hope", "judgment", and "failed policies". Easy to digest. Bush and the Republicans used "safe" as much as possible, and still do. Messages that work are messages that are easy to understand, remember, and apply. Using "obstruction" as a message against Republicans going into 2010 turns the natural-advantage of the opposition-party against them. It allows Democrats to paint the Republicans as having no new ideas of their own, and being more interested in stopping the Democratic agenda rather than solving the many problems facing our nation. Remember that as we get closer to 2010, the Republicans will inevitably portray themselves as some kind of safeguard against Democratic-overreach; it's a predictable and effective strategy which will surely be routed by portraying their actions as nothing more than contrary.
To do this, we need examples of such behavior. This can be easy to do in select races, especially with the Republican Party lacking any real leadership beyond Boehner and McConnell. Those two are easy targets, especially McConnell who has the charisma of John Kerry on vicodin plus an extra twenty years. As the minority leaders in Congress, obstruction is the only real thing they can do. Then we have the head of the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee doing everything he can to make himself such an example of an obstructionist.
Republican Senator Cornyn of Texas has blocked Eric Holder's confirmation hearing for a week, even though Holder has more than enough Republican support to break his way through a filibuster. Cornyn claims this is because he wants to know if Holder will prosecute those who carried out orders to torture. This is an act of pure politics, as even Senator Lindsey Graham(R-SC) agrees with Senator Leahy(D-VT) that Holder can't rule out such a possibility before becoming Attorney General of the United States of America.
Senator Cornyn had also, as many of you may have heard, blocked Hillary Rodham Clinton's confirmation hearing for a day. A day. He ended up voting to confirm her appointment anyways, with Senator Vitter(R-LA, up for reelection in 2010, first reelection-bid since prostitution-confession, may get primaried) and Senator Demint(R-SC, also known as "Limbaugh's favorite Senator") being the only two to vote against her confirmation.
Indeed, as we move forward, and as President Barack Obama pushes his agenda through, there will inevitably be push-back from the Republican party. This will heat up even more once we hit 2010 and get closer to the mid-term elections. Their natural advantage, being the opposition party, should be used against them. They should be made into obstructionists; more interested in stopping President Barack Obama's agenda than solving the problems facing our nation. The American people will take results over politics any day. The American people will take "change" over "obstruction" in times like the one we find ourselves in. Such messaging should begin long before 2010.
Ultimately, the Democrats up for reelection or challenging Republican incumbents in 2010 will need to present solid reasons for why they should remain in the majority. No political strategy is complete with only an offense. For that, we need results from the Democratic members of Congress and President Barack Obama. However, it doesn't hurt to keep the pressure on the opposition.