Early Line On Fall Vote: Unpredictable [Chris Shays: “Republicans will pay a penalty."]

The Hartford Courant ^ | January 2, 2006 | By DAVID LIGHTMAN

[johnny7]

Volatile Issues - Iraq, Bush's Standing, Economy - Could Steer Election

WASHINGTON -- Keep an eye on gasoline prices, President Bush's popularity and progress in Iraq. Each could jolt this fall's congressional contests in what looks like one of the most unpredictable nonpresidential elections in a long time.

In recent mid-terms, incumbents usually coasted - 98 percent of House members were re-elected in 1998, and 96 percent won in 2002. This year, though, Democrats see the rare chance to make the election a nationwide referendum on Bush, the Republican-led Congress and the war, and they have been relentless in pushing that agenda. "The Republican Congress has spent all of its time and energy catering to special interests, not seeing to the priorities of the American people," said Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. "The 2006 elections will be about the American people choosing change over the status quo and choosing a new direction over the same old special interest-driven agenda that has gotten us to where we are today."

[johnny7]

There is this WOT and Iraq that will dog Democrats in the voting booth

To a point... but Kerry got 49M votes WITHOUT a clearly defined policy on the WOT or Iraq's part in it. The MSM will continue to confuse the poorly-informed voter enough to keep the Dems a viable party.

[vaudine]

Yep! The late-not so great MSM predicted in 1994 that the most Republicans could pick up in the house would be 2 to 6 seats. This was the night before the election. The Repubs picked up 54 seats, causing Peter Jennings to scold the citizens that we couldn't afford to have the country run by a bunch of angry two year olds pitching a tantrum--how well those words apply to today's DNC.

vaudine

[bronxboy]

The Democrats will not pick up seats (only a few based on local issues) because of their behaviour concerning national security. They have publicly said they would withdraw troops (lose yet another war), impeach President Bush, get rid of the patriot act, raise taxes and treat terrorism as a law enforcement problems (as Clinton did thus laying the groundwork for 9-11). I don't like what the Republicans do sometimes, but I despise the Democrats and would not consider voting for one.

[McGavin999]

I don't like that the phrase "domestic spying" is allowed to go unchallenged. We need to start calling it "terrorist spying."

Every time you hear someone talking about "spying" just ask them: What part of "If Al Qaeda is calling, we want to know why" don't you understand?

[Just mythoughts]

Just ask the liberals about "ABLE DANGER" if you want to counter their unfounded accusation of domestic spying...

[TheGeezer]

"Democrats want to nationalize the races. Republicans want to localize them," Rothenberg said.

I read the article to this point and knew it was blather. national security and national income taxes are issues the Republicans own, and the ones effecting outcomes more than anything else post-9/11. The economy is up there, too, and it will do well most of the year, I think.

Who do youhave to know to become a worthless political analyst these days?

[hosepipe]

Democrat Voter Fraud is being planned and orchestrated as we speak.. on a much wider scale.. How do I know?.. Why NOT.?. Republicans universally seem to care less..

Its getting more frequent every election and in your face..
The FBI sleeps.. Sedition has become an item on the democrat party platform..
The FBI snores....

[Owen]

Lots of talk here about it happening or not happening. I don't like this. In 2004 we energized to defeat Kerry.

We must do the same, now, for GOP candidates nationwide or we will sit and watch House impeachment hearings on TV, dominating TV time each day in 2007. If you want that, let the Democrats take the House. If you don't, find out what you can do to help GOP candidates in non-safe districts nationwide.

Remember the Texas Strike Force . . . how it mobilized Texans to travel to other areas of the country where there were states in danger of going Dem. We must do something of this sort if we don't want to have those impeachment hearings.

[johnny7]

The economy is up there, too, and it will do well most of the year, I think.

The economy is going gang-busters... except in MA, CT, ME, VT, RI... all bastions of the socialist-left. All the business impediments they've placed on the private-sector have come home to roost.

[TimeLord]

Actually, the Mass. economy is doing fairly well, thanx to almost 2 decades of GOP governorship. Romney, despite the fact that he is a R.I.N.O. on social issue like baby-killing, is a fiscal conservative, & he's been cutting things like the capital-gains tax. We haven't had a Dem governor since the colossally idiotic and incompetent socialist, Dukakis.

[johnny7]

The MA economy is stagnant at best.