As I look where the Republican Party is today, with a good chance to keep control of both houses of Congress, I'm wondering whether it might be a better idea to let them keep it.

Now, I'm no fan of the Hitler Party, but it seems to me that their underhanded behavior may work against us if we Democrats regain control of any branch of government. We may win a tactical victory this election, but commit a strategic mistake.

First, the lying Republicans are masters of the childish trick of blaming others, particularly us, for their mistakes. The "Billy did it" approach works in the rectangular states even now, when Republicans control the Presidency, both Houses of Congress, and the Supreme Court. The gullible Red Staters actually believe that because we don't agree with Conservatives, its our fault that their policies failed. But at present, we Democrats can counter the Republican lies by pointing out that we have absolutely NO CONTROL over what legislation gets enacted. They don't consult us, they don't listen to us, and they do what they want despite our resistance. Our argument doesn't usually get traction with Red Staters, but at least we have a rebuttal.

If Democrats regain control of the House or Senate, we'll participate in the decisions being made. Usually, that'll involve saying "No" to Republicans' inverse-Robin Hood policies, but it will also entail rebuilding the social fabric that was shredded over the last 6 years. The Administration will still be able to veto our actions, as well as continue to wreak international havoc for the next two years. They can still do a lot of damage.

But if we participate, the Republican "Billy did it" strategy will stick. We won't be able to say we had nothing to do with the coming disasters. We'll have to stand up and accept responsibility for our part of the mess Conservatives will drag us into. That's what Democrats do. We're stand-up folks.

But the wool will get pulled further over the eyes of those gullible Red Staters. Over the next two years, the Republicans will blame us for everything that goes wrong in the World, and Middle America will eat it up.

And in 2008, Republicans will come roaring back to take back Congress and send another NeoCon to the White House.

The second reason we might not want to win this round is that too many of those gullible Red Staters still don't get it. Nearly half think Bush is doing a good job (remember, I'm talking Red states) and nearly all think their Republican Congressman is doing a heck of a job.

The Republican Party hasn't bollix'ed things up enough for those folks. They've been duped into thinking that the war is a good thing; that torturing dissidents is a good thing; that dismantling the Bill of Rights is a good thing. Mostly, its because none of it affects them directly. They might have a son or daughter in Iraq, but to them its more like a high-stakes High School Football game than an invasion and occupation of a foreign country. Like throwbacks to the 18th Century, they see Military Service as glorious and glamorous, not the hard, dangerous slog it really is.

IMHO, the Republicans need to screw things up a LOT more to convince these folks that the ship is headed in the wrong direction. Some will never be convinced. But if the Republican Party keeps control of both Houses of Congress, we can expect conscription within a year; one, maybe two, MORE wars in the next two years; booming economic growth on the Coasts (we Blue staters seem to be able do well even when we're not in power) while the Middle of the country stagnates; at least one more major bureaucratic SNAFU like FEMA's response to Katrina; and a near torrent of Republican Foley-isms.

That won't convince everyone in the Red States, but it should convince enough to ensure a full-sweep Democratic victory in 2012 that'll last until 2100.

Havnair, another strategistic approach is to win Congress by pledgeing to
reform how goverment works and how we will raise the level of competence, and responsiveness of all goverment programs and goverment,
grant-supported programs to the individual citizens (and guests), families and
communities, and also guarantee individual freedom and equality.This can be the Democratic Party Way--it'll grow on people.

You're right, of course - that's how it should work. But, the difficulties Congressional Democrats will encounter are fierce resistance from the Republican smear machine and the Republican Presidential veto. We can promise all sorts of things, but what we can accomplish is something else again.

What Red Staters will see is an incompetent Administration making repetitive, disastrous mistakes and a Democratic Congress calling the President on it.

What Red Staters will hear and BELIEVE, however, is that the mistakes were forced on a hapless President by Congressional Democrats with their "Tax and Spend", "Socialist", "Cut and Run", "Elitist", "Policies of Weakness". That better fits their world view so they'll buy the lie.

I think a better way is to allow their world view to change by letting the Republicans continue to try to destroy the country. Sure, a few of us Democrats may end up "disappearing" into torture chambers in Syria. Even that won't change the minds of most Rush Limbaugh Conservatives. But eventually, the Business conservatives will start to question the Administration's tactics when government tyranny starts to affect Laizzez faire economics and their bottom lines. When they start closing factories in the U.S. because of the unstable political situation, the Red State conservatives will finally rise up and cast out their Neo cousins. Violence is part of the NRA Conservative heritage. We Liberals will never resist in the same way.

Once the Republicans are UTTERLY discredited, the only alternatives will be Moderate or Progressive Democrats.