Reply #19: The Republicans didn't govern from the middle... [View All]

[SpankMe]

...why should we? From the day Newt's Congress gained control until the Republicans lost it in 2006 they pursued a hard-over conservative agenda. Even when Bush got 500k fewer votes than Gore in '00 and won by only 3.5M out of 120M cast in '04, the other party claimed a "mandate" and went for broke.

Now, with overwhelming winnings like this - where we probably CAN claim a mandate - we're supposed to hold back so we don't offend those delicate Republican sensibilities? Maybe later when we're within a year of the next election. But now, we ought to go forth in "shock-and-awe" style and take care of some major issues important to the base, like gays in the military and family planning funding for international organizations. Also, education reform and adjustments in the tax code that favor the middle class.

We need to get the "liberal agenda" pushed through in-full early so it's a faded memory at a later time when we need to win the next election and appeal to independents.