What will happen in the next two years?

[Courtesy Flush]

Celebrating is fun, but what real changes are you anticipating? I'm thinking this new leadership may not be enough to get us out of Iraq -- at least not quickly.

So what we're celebrating must be upcoming legislation. What do you see on the horizon? I'm hoping we can finally put the gay rights issue to bed (no pun intended), and maybe encourage stem cell research. I hope we can start to make governmental decisions based on science, and not religion. And, of course, we can dust off that old Constitution and start using it again.

But what specifics are you hoping will come of this new shift?

[nuxvomica]

1. I think a veto-proof stem-cell research bill is likely

Also, allowing everyone to buy into Medicare and allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices. This is a no-brainer. The boost it will give to the economy will make your head spin but it will be hard on the pharmaceutical companies so we may see less research on new baldness and ED cures.

[Courtesy Flush]

2. AArrggghh! No ED cures?!!!

Seriously. There are so many issues that need to be addressed. How can we keep ignoring the oil problem? If we were energy independent we wouldn't have fucked with the Middle East all these years. Not to mention what it's all done to the environment. We really need alternatives.

I know that the Dems are facing major roadblocks to legislation, but it's good to know these issues will at least be on the table again.

[Squeech]

3. Investigations!

Our majority in the House, marvellous though it is, is not enough to override a veto.

Our majority in the Senate is paper thin, and depends on the not very dependable candidate of the Connecticut for Lieberman party.

Therefore we can't depend on any of our legislation making it through-- Bush may well start using his veto power, and we don't have the numbers to override.

If I were Speaker Pelosi, I'd spend the bulk of the next couple years investigating everything. Get the principals of the Coalition Provisional Authority under oath and find out where the missing $9 billion went. Get the NSA under oath and ask them who they're really wiretapping. Get IRS people in and find out why they're sending letters to churches preaching anti-war sermons but not churches telling their congregants who to vote for.

Every day there should be a new front page story on the general theme of "Republican hands in cookie jar." The exit polls showed that the number one thing motivating voters to go to the polls this year was corruption; let's give the people what they want.

[Courtesy Flush]

4. That's sad

Yes, people need to be held accountable, but I hate to see us not moving forward with important issues.

[Squeech]

5. Of course

the remaining republicans, including the White House and 49 senators, are gonna be perfectly fine with letting us pass a minimum wage increase, a Medicare Part D donut hole repair, a renewable energy bill, and all the other stuff we desperately need-- and take the credit for it. Not likely.

Both for tactical reasons (keep them on the ropes) and substantive ones (they can't be trusted) we have to be ready to fight 24/7, and if this election showed nothing else, it showed that corruption is the winning issue.

[rocktivity]

6. The '08 presidential campaign starts NOW.

We put together a bulletproof ticket (leaning towards Clark-Obama myself). We take the media down a peg. We advocate election finance reform, un-privatizing the voting machines, rolling back the tax cuts to Clinton-era levels, investigating Florida '00 and 9/11, and shut down K Street.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Deja Q]

7. Gridlock.

I have lots of hopes. But the usual expectations. I'll be happy when the evidence shows itself.

Right now it's the first date/honeymoon/good-fuck period. We'll see if the relationship works out. :shrug: