This is true, and it’s why we have such a rotten Congress at the moment. We need to vote them all out, and then institute term limits not only for them, but for their bureaucrats as well. Nobody should spend more than 10-12 years in government. After that time, they have to go out and find an occupation that actually produces something. If that’s beyond their capabilities, then it’s back to school (or behind the counter at McDonald’s) for them.

Again, assume I mean Congress except when I clearly am discussing presidential politics.

Election slogans don’t have much to do with logic. Dems think “change” will work so they shout it. It smoothly ties in with Obama’s tactics, electing him would be a change. It also ties to the attempt to label McCain as no change at all, the equivalent of a third term for Bush.

Having a good nickname is said to be priceless in politics. I would say having a good slogan brings in many enthusiastic but less analytic voters - people who simply don’t follow issues closely.

The Dem leaders today are shrewd politicians. The Dems tossed out in 1994 had grown lazy and careless - after all their party had dominated since 1932. People also forget that 1994 didn’t just happen, the GOP had been inching toward power for over a decade before 1994.

Many voters tend to think of the President as the lead actor and Congress as second lead. As long as Bush is in office he will be blamed for any woe and the GOP will be blamed with him. And we know how the media handles matters.

Can “drill, drill, drill” can trump “change, change, change” as MarkD believes? We must all guess. But oil carries the burden of CO2 AGW, the media keeps saying it won’t help anyway, and some people believe the big oil company conspiracy allegation. Those are tough handicaps.

In contrast “change” totes no baggage, says nothing, and seems pleasant.

If they had any dignity or honor, they’d all quit. Miserable failure was the right description, it was just applied to the wrong guy. Maybe they can just pass a law setting the price of gas at $1 a gallon, or impeach Bush. They are really into futile and meaningless gestures.

For the past year, the approval ratings for Congress have consistently trailed the president’s by five to 10 points. Only now is anyone paying attention.

Well said and, unfortunately, too true. The saddest–and scariest–thing is that the change Obama and his ilk champion is change that could get us killed…and will continue to kill millions of innocent babies.

I know the mention of abortion seems extraneous to this post, but I am deeply concerned at how Obama is trying to tack to the center yet his voting record belies a man who is a fierce radical, one who is even more radical than NARAL! Giving a speech at a Planned Parenthood conference, Obama was asked what the first thing he would do once in office. His answer: “I would sign the Freedom of Choice Act first thing.” FOCA would overturn EVERY ADVANCE in the pro-life movement at the state level since Roe! That’s 35 years of labor towards cultivating a culture of life in America. Doesn’t that scare you?

The Dems are, as you say, shouting “Change! Change! Change!” That is just a bit odd, since they’ve been in charge for 2 years now. I guess they think they are the change they’ve been waiting for.

No need to ask why their numbers continue to plummet. You may want to contact them and express your opinion.

http://energy.senate.gov/public/

http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.shtml

I agree and that frightens me more than anything that could happen come election time. What happens when four, or eight, years have passed and congress and the pres still have sub-%30 approval?

I’ll write only about the Congress. McCain/Obama is another matter.

I think the Democrats will effectively shout “change, change, change” while the GOP continues to present no message at all.

My contempt for the GOP leaders is total. They offer no reason to vote for a Republican. They are lost, confused, and best put down. Their unforced self-mutilation since 1994 is painful to watch.

The Democrats are at least organized. Ruthlessly so. They will oppose anything likely to improve any matter before election day. The media will again favor them and that will be enough.

Oddly enough I think the best guy in Congress is the old friend of lost boys, Barney Frank. He is very intelligent, works hard, and is rather moderate. No doubt he feels alone in the Capitol.

Where Congress is concerned, I agree wholeheartedly with that sentiment. But it seems to me that the logical response is not to vote for Democrats; it’s to vote for challengers. If you want change, get rid of the incumbents, regardless of their party.

There could be a total landslide for either party even if not one person thought Congress was doing a good job.

Some votes go to the party thought likely to improve matters. Some to punish those blamed for the mess.

I think there will be a Democrat landslide as worried voters buy into the mantra that change, any change, is better than the status quo. That isn’t true of course, or you could just cut off an ear and feel better.