Yeah, we're doomed in Nebraska.  With this powerhouse going against us Bush probably won't get more than 65% of the vote there.

Are you disparaging Bereuter's credentials on the issues? Or his political pull in Nebraska?

I don't think Zell with make much of a difference, but did Bereuter endorse Kerry?  I didn't think he did.  He just has a difference of opinion with Bush on one issue.  If people from the same party aren't allowed to disagree occassionally, then our system of democracy is pathetic.

If Bereuter actually came out for Kerry, I think comparisons with Zell would be appropriate.  But Bereuter is quite conservative, so I can't imagine that will happen.

The Iraq War is only one issue, but along with tax cuts it's the issue that has defined the Bush presidency.

If Bereuter endorsed Kerry that would be weird. It would be like he was bribed or senile. At least that's the way Zell seems.

Has Zell ever explained how the Dems should be different than the GOP? Or does the country need two Republican parties in Zell's opinion?

If the Dems had nominated Robert Kennedy in 1968, would the GOP have gone with Nixon, who had lost to JFK. Ted Mosle, a Navy friend, had a scenario that the GOP would have nominated Reagan.

Kennedy vs. Reagan in 1968.

Would the Dems had nominated Bobby?

Would the GOP have yanked Dick?

Would the GOP have run Reagan?

Who would have won?

Pataki/Owens seems almost Dukakis-esque. I like it.

But I think you underestimate the extent an irrational, mean-spirited fear has come to define the GOP.

I have been predicting for awhile Bush would lose big and drag down the Congressional Republicans with him.

But what will Kerry, Daschle and Pelosi do?

I predict they will make some headway at trimming spending and increasing taxes to reduce the deficit. This may not be enough to avoid a partial economic meltdown.

Kerry has shown few signs that he can make the tough calls on foreign policy. I see Iraq getting worse. I see Israel causing more hate and discontent in the Muslim world. I see al Qaeda growing in its influence. I see the US military being over-extended. This will hurt moral. It will lead to human rights abuses. And it will tax the federal budget.

I am worried that no-sh**t fascism (under a more American sounding and more benign sounding name) will emerge as the GOP ideology to challenge Kerry and an inept Democratic Party in 2008.

What's your prediction for a Kerry victory?

I've got no beef with people moving to run for office. The voters get to decide.

But let's be fair about this. The state leg, where the rules are made, usually enacts stiff residency requirements to run. If we allow candidates to shop for audiences for Congress, it should be allowed for the state leg and local races.

If Bush doesn't pardon them I'd love to see Jeb Bush and Katherine Harris investigated to disenfranchising Floridians.

How 'bout Tom DeLay and the House Republican leadership investigated for attempting to bribe Nick Smith?

And how many people have contributed to covering-up the crime of outing Valerie Plame?

Unprecedented is quite good and under-recognized.

I caught mucho criticism for saying the Great Plains would be voting to dump Bush. After Bereuter's statement I feel vindicated.

Hey, Bush supporters, explain why Bereuter won't hurt Bush in Nebraska if you think Zell Miller will help Bush in Georgia.

BTW, Bereuter has more guts than all those fickle Dems that voted for the Iraq War and refuse to say it was a mistake, like John Kerry.

Who are all the Bush cronies that could benefit from presidential pardons?

If the Prez couldn't pardon their crimes would it make it less likely they could close ranks on their misconduct?

Tough to say. But it looks like a reverse of 1994 might be possible.

No, no.  Wait until 2006.

Dems will win seats in 2004 and lose them in 2006. This is the pattern that always happens. You have to go back to 1932/34 to find the exception.

I assume you don't consider the country in another Great Depression, right?

I am far from rich! But my payroll deductions are a lot lower! I make 28k a year, btw. I am working blue collar and have gotten more money back under Bush then I did with Clinton.

How much money was your tax cut? How much has your share  of the national debt increased?

If Bush is just putting a tax cut on the national credit card does  this bother you?

I worked in the election industry till 1998 as a pollster/media consultant - I have strong political leanings...  I hate both parties equally and hold both candidates in equivalent contempt...

What's your beef with GOP? Dems?

Do you have separate grievances against Kerry and Bush?

We've discussed this already on another board. Going to a direct popular vote would be an absolute disaster, because in that case the large cities would pick the president. Look at how much Gore won just from big metropolitan areas alone. We may as well not even have a voting system if it went to direct popular vote. I know I'd quit voting.

While I concede the EC isn't going anywhere...

Are you saying that direct election would be less legitimate? Why?

Hooray for the 22% that gets it and doesn't just believe and follow the European press like sheep

How do you know when the media is covering an issue objectively?

Are you concerned that over half the Americans that rely on TV news were found to have one misperception about the Iraq War. (Iraq-al Qaeda link, Iraq had WMD, int'l community supported the Iraq War)

See http://pipa.org/OnlineReports/Iraq/Media_10_02_03_Report.pdf

Who gives a damn.  Last time I looked the Brits, French, Germans, and other "enlightened" Europeans weren't registered to vote in U S elections.

Should the President consider how non-Americans feel when making policy?

Do foreigners have any real power? Should we consider the possibility there will be an anti-American backlash?

Should we treat foreigners with respect because it's the right thing to do?

Well, if the Dems don't like Nader running they could co-opt his issues, stop antagonizing him, nominate someone acceptable--what was wrong with Howard Dean?--or implement election reform.

Seeing as how the Dems aren't willing to reach out to Nader or his supporters, Dems shouldn't be surprised when Nader supporters don't toe the line.

Bush sucks, but he wouldn't suck near as bad if Democrats didn't enable him to suck in a number of ways.

I've been wondering why the libs hate George W. so much. Way more than Reagan, or even Nixon. It's a mystery to many Republicans. I think I have found the answer. The reason is because deep down in thier shriveled black hearts, they know that however the economy goes, whatever he does in Iraq, that Bush will go down as one of the greats. History will look upon him favorably, even if he doesn't get re-elected. They are bitter about not getting anything done with Clinton. That they had thier chance, and thier wonderboy was just average. When people think about Clinton 20 years from now, they will remember Monica Lewinsky. When people remember Bush, regardless of this upcoming elections results, they will remember his leadership after 9/11. They know that they cant destroy that legacy, and they hate him for it. They hate that he has one up on them. Your thoughts?

How does running up a huge deficit qualify for greatness? "Like Reagan but more"?

Bush is going to be the first president since Hoover to preside over negative job growth. He got his way on his tax cut proposals. We implemented the Bush economic prescription and it didn't work. How's this qualify for greatness.

We invade Iraq based on erroneous information. Either Bush a) lied to get his war, b) got duped by the neocons he appointed, c) got duped by an Iraqi con artist (Ahmed Chalabi), or d) all of the above. How's this qualify for greatness.

As for responding to the 9/11 attacks, what's so great? Passing the FBI wishlist of civil liberties rollbacks? Stonewalling the 9/11 commission? Neutralizing al Qaeda as a threat to the United States. Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Ashcroft, et al have put us on the track to become Isreal. We strike at our opponents, but live in fear and sacrifice civil liberties with no end in site. How is this great?

The real question is how Republican activists have become enamored with their ideology they are unable to see the world for how it really is. This will be how this era is remembered: obviously irrational politics disconnected from the real world.

I think you're right if Bush wins.. if he loses I see Dems for a bit.  If he loses the next Dem can take credit for the boom Bush will leave him - just like Clinton did with the Bush senior/Reagan boom of the 1990's.

You really don't believe the Bush deficits are going to be a problem, do you?

everybody preperd for the house, BUT On on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December one elector - does not matter which party - votes for the other guy. 270-268

what is America reaction

If the changed vote is to the candidate that would have won in the House (Republican presumably) it won't be viewed as a big deal. In fact the elector may be a sort of hero for saving the House from voting.

However, if it's a vote change that changes the outcome and it cuts against the GOP we will never hear the end of it. Republicans don't take losing well.

Bringing morality back to the oval office, cutting taxes, and fighting terrorism. Clinton whereas  brought shame to the oval office, hiked taxes (the largest tax hike in US history), and did very very little about terrorism. Most people dont want to change horses during wartime either.

If Bush lied to get us into a war we didn't need to fight and cost a bunch of money, would that qualify as being immoral?

What's the virtue of cutting taxes if it's just putting the bill on the credit card? Didn't the GOP used to complain about Dems doing this?

Are there more people taking up arms against the United States today than there were when Bush took office? How many "terrorists" do you reckon have been captured, killed or quit for personal reasons? How many new "terrorists" have joined organizations or taken up arms against the USA freelance?

Why do you think Clinton getting blown in the White House will have any bearing on the 2004 election? Are you really that uptight about sex? Do you feel like you can't ask your wife for what you want sexually?

You can criticize Clinton taxing and spending, but it worked better. Deficits were down; economic growth and jobs were up. By what measure is Bush tax/spending policy a success?

Clinton foreign policy stunk. I didn't vote for him in 96 and didn't vote for Gore in 2000. I'm leaning toward not voting for Kerry either. But if you're gonna beat-up on Clinton on terrorism, what do you think Bush is trying to hide by limiting his and Condie Rice's testimony to the 9/11 commission?

If the policies aren't working--and Bush's policies aren't addressing the big threats--why not change leadership?

Here we go :

Any chance of California ever going Republican again?

I'll bite. Why do you think Bush is popular? Why will people vote for him?

Barak Obama?  What sort of ethnic background?  I'm guessing Arab, possibly Muslim?

He is a Muslim afro american

My recollection is that Obama's father was African and his mother a US citizen of Euro descent from Kansas. He grew-up at least some of the time in Hawaii.

I don't know that he's not Muslim but he's certainly not Nation of Islam Muslim.

The GOP is roughly comprised of two groups: Fiscal conservatives and/or social conservatives.

Bush's lack of a backbone on fiscal and moral issues could shatter the GOP as it's factions no longer get any use out of the party.

Yah, now you know how it feels to be Left of center in American politics;-)

There's a lot more to being liberal or conservative than just spending.  Even if he is 'liberal' to those of us who are truly right-wing, he's a lot better than the alternative.

What's more important than fiscal discipline?

And if the Republicans can't control spending when they control the whole gov't, do they lose credibility on the fiscal discipline issue?