Charlie Brown Revisted

In my last blog, frustrated and disillusioned, I mentioned the old Peanuts routine of Lucy pulling the ball back just as Charlie Brown tried to kick it. I compared this to the way the Demos are handling the Repubs in the Senate. What I'd like to see in that scenario is Charlie Brown telling Lucy, " you do that again and I'll kick your ass". That's what I would want Charlie to say and that is what I want the Republicans to say. When the "cave in kids" had the mike after the so called compromise, someone made the statement that they had to think about them being in the minority. Well if they keep acting as they are, its not just a possibility but a good bet. It's almost like a death wish. The good old days were where the Republican minority was a given and they could stay forever in the lush land of Senatorial Oz by just saying, "gee, we can't do anything, but we kept them from getting all that they wanted".

Let us apply a little logic here. Things never stay the same - they always change. Let's look at the country based on the last few elections. There hasn't been a run away election since the second Reagan presidential election. That was twenty years ago. Since then we've seen the nation polarize into fairly even divisions. Let's assume that this isn't going to change soon. There is a lot of evidence that this is the case. Further assume that the Republicans had the guts to change the Senate rules to make a majority rules. What would likely happen? Probably nothing much. Since we've adopted the terms lets talk about "red states" and "blue states". Let's further extend this line of thought to the Presidents appointments. There are some safe seat Republican senators that can bolt the party. But there are some "red state" Democrats which put their re-election on the line by being branded as obstructionist and anti-Bush without a good reason. The Republicans have just as much chance of passing their legislation in this scenario as they could with the super majority requirement presently in place. Secondly if they can't make their case in this situation, maybe the legislation hasn't the merit to pass anyway.

I used to love a poem called "It's All In A State of Mind". One line went,"full many a race is lost ere ever a step is run, full many a coward fails before his task is begun. Think big and your deeds will grow. Think small and you'll fall behind. If you think you are beaten you are. It's all in a state of mind." Put it on your wall Republicans - you need it.