I think we do it by letting Bush flail in Iraq, while passing bills designed to give money to veterans, their families and to the troops. Give 'em all a raise - let Bush veto that one.

And while studiously otherwise ignoring Iraq (Bush is CinC, after all), pass bills designed to help the average american. Tax cuts for the poor and middle class. Tax deductions for small businesses. Raise the minimum wage. Balance the budget. Talk about real reform for health care. Do all the things fiscal conservatives *should * be doing, while also doing the things that Progressives do. Use Progressive interchangably with Liberal - and make sure Progressives take credit for a country that is better off.

Oh, and to pay for it? Fines and penalties for war profiteers, and raise taxes for the rich, while simplifying the tax system. Not a flat tax, but also not today's system.

Tor,

How dare you make sense!!! It'll never work!

Well, it won't all work, because some democrats are as beholden to their corporate masters as the republicans, and I don't think health care will be fixed or even changed in the next two years, but some of it will.

Bush has focused like a laser on Irag, Iran and N. Korea. What we really need to do is instead of fighting them over there so we don't have to fight them over here (the let's-assume-they-are-too-lazy-to-bomb-nyc-again if-we-give-them-targets-in-Iraq strategy), we should really secure our borders and fully fund law enforcement. But that can wait until after '08, when we have the ability to truly improve the situation.

Do enough simple, straightforward things for americans, like raising the middle wage and tax cuts for small businesses in the same bill, and force Bush to veto them, or pass them and get credit for the Dems for it. (The Reid-Clinton Bill - $1.50 for the minimum wage, small businesses get a tax credit tied to the increased labor cost) There is so much low hanging fruit around it shouldn't be difficult to fix some of the worst excesses of the 109th while getting enough cred to carry Hillary/Obama into the White House.

Somebody (Kevin Drum?) suggested raising Congressional salaries to like $1M, while simultaneously cutting off ALL corporate lobbying and campaign giving, and publicly funding elections 100%. That would cut out a lot of that "corporate masters" crap. I think that's a little excessive, $500K out to be fine, but still, a $500M raise in Congressional pay is a lot less than the billions we give away to corporations every year as a result of shitty, one-sided policy.

Again, makes too much sense, it'll never happen.

Something will happen with campaign and lobbying reform - more low hanging fruit. Dems shouldn't go for drastic changes, but significant improvements shouldn't be tough (look where we are now). And after exit polls have shown that corruption is what drove the switch in majority? Tough for GWB to veto the Obama-Schumer bill cracking down on lobbying related corruption. Tough for the remaining Republicans to not override that veto, if it comes, without sinking their chances in '08.

Hey Tor, how come you're not going to the F&M thing at the Capitol tonight? Do you even get invited to such things?

Didn't even know about it. I'm picking up the kids today, so maybe I'll show up with them... You still going?

Hmm... it looks more involved than just standing around eating carrots and broccoli. I should see about getting signed up for it - I get NYC stuff still from F&M...