emocrats are consistently outscoring Republicans in opinion polls. The mail reflects a growing feeling, nationwide, that potential voters are not happy with those who represent us and make the decisions from Capitol Hill to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. We see booming federal deficits. Recent scandals have caused considerable damage. The war grinds on. The president's address to Congress and his travels thereafter across the country to promote his proposals, shows a White House that is attempting to control the agenda. But as a headline in the Financial Times put it, "Republican's hopes of recapturing the political initiative fall flat." The speech was an opportunity for the White House to present a fresh vision laying the groundwork for the party's 2006 midterm election campaigns. I didn't hear that, did you?
That's not to say that the Republicans have failed to score some recent victories. Samuel Alito was sworn in to the US Supreme Court. The House gave approval to a five year package of spending cuts, the first cuts to mandatory spending programs since 1997. And the Senate passed a five year, $70 billion package of tax cuts. Is that what we need?
The public doesn't believe so. During the week gone by the Wall Street Journal found that 47% to 38% of Americans prefer a Congress controlled by Democrats.
It could happen.
I'm just awaiting a Democratic party agenda.