Political Predictions for 2006
The Democrats
The Democratic Party will split into two warring camps wrestling for control as we creep towards 2008: the “fighting democrat” led by General Wesley Clark and the “moderate democrat” led by Senator Hillary Clinton. Hopefully it will resolve itself by 2008 with a Clinton/Clark or Clark/Clinton ticket. The sad part about all of this is that the split will probably be one of style rather than substance.
The Republicans
The Republican Party will fall into numerous competing factions, each gunning for 2008 as Bush’s lame duck status sets in a year early due to harsh poll numbers. Most of this will go unreported in the mainstream press due to the party’s impressive control of the media. Look for it buried on page 26 of the paper after that funny story about how the monkey saved the baby and that game of suduku you didn’t finish.
You
Bush will say something so ridiculous and non-sensical that you’ll laugh hysterically until a little tear forms in the corner of your eye as you realize there’s still three more years of this left to suffer through.
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About your prediction for the Dems…
I think you’re absolutely right that Wes Clark will represent the “fighting Democrat.” Not just in the sense of the Band of Brothers & Sisters effort, if that’s how you meant it, but as someone who’s willing and able to take the fight to the Repubs and stand up for what Democrats believe in. You can call that “style” if you want, but that sort of courage and combativeness is probably the only chance we have to defeat their machine and media.
But I also think there are differences in substance between Clark and the Clinton/DLC candidates (Bayh and Warner, for example). Clark is an unapologetic liberal. His views on almost every issue put him to the left of them all except maybe Russ Feingold. Clark has the advantage of not having to prove to anybody that he will be strong on national defense. It’s his “style” that makes his progressive principles palatable to the very voters Clinton would woo by moving to the middle. Ironic, isn’t it, that she could move to the right of just about any Repub you can name and most of those people would still think of her as a radical liberal.
Those would like to learn more about General Clark and what he’s doing NOW to challange the Republicans, and to help Democrats take back Congress in 2006, would do well to visit his PAC at http://www.securingamerica.com
I am unquestionably a fan of Wesley Clark. I actually attended a number of early Draft Clark meetings in New York at the time. I felt his income tax reform stance in the last election was one of the most constructively progress ideas I had heard in ages. If he runs again, I certainly believe I’ll be supporting him.
I was going to make a pretty similar post to Jai, so instead I’ll link to an article that expands on the subject: http://www.statesman.com/opinion/content/editorial/stories/01/21ivins_edit.html
Because of campaign finance reform Al Gore will run with Hillary as veep so they can re-use their old Clinton/Gore campaign signs. Same goes for Cheney and Jeb Bush.
No really, the Dems will undoubtabley put up someone pathetic, like John Kerry again. The ‘Pubs will undoubtabley pick someone totally evil, like Bill Frist.
Frist is without morals and a complete tool so I’m sure the neocons are already planning to crash some jet planes into his buildings- if you know what I mean- but really if they went with Rudy Giuliani they’d have it won yesterday.
Dems, oh the Dems. I swear I wish I had an alternate reality to test this theory out on but I think if they ran Martin Sheen they’d win. He’s a moderate Dem, he’s Hispanic, and most people already think he’s president! What qualifies a president more than pretending to be a president on television? That is the modern essence of the office of president.
I also think they’d have a chance with Murtha, except he’s ancient, but Mark or Evan better remember to use him for all he’s worth.