[evilgenius]

Are the Republicans trying to throw the mid-term election?

Do they want out of Iraq but can't be seen to have been the ones to pull the trigger on leaving? Leaving Iraq is the only way that they can get the region to explode thus justifying more intense military and political (forget democracy) intervention. The Democrats will pull out and then they can be blamed for the catastrophe.

[Doly]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('evilgenius', '
')Do they want out of Iraq but can't be seen to have been the ones to pull the trigger on leaving? Leaving Iraq is the only way that they can get the region to explode thus justifying more intense military and political (forget democracy) intervention. The Democrats will pull out and then they can be blamed for the catastrophe.

[FoxV]

well if they're going to throw an election this would be a good one to do it because they don't have too much of a chance anyways.

However there is always the "October surprise" which the Republicans said they have coming (sorry can't find the article anymore, but it was on the Financialsense website).

on wait, here it is

[rwwff]

The 2nd midterm is always the weakest for the majority party; its also safe to lose since its numerically impossible for the Democrats to achieve anything that would be remotely veto proof. President has already gotten all but SS reform through, and it'd be a positive thing for the Reupblican base to be reminded why they don't like the Dems. Just a few months of bills going for tax hikes, withdrawals, gun control, DoD cuts, gay marriage, military draft, and / or minimum wage; and the Rep base will be fully revved up for '08; and none of that stuff will have even made it into law. (cept, maybe minimum wage.).

This would set the stage well for a reformed McCain to run, promising to fix and finish Iraq, cut spending, etc, etc. In that environment, Senator McCain would sweep the floor with Senator Clinton.

**nb - I'm not a McCain supporter (yet).

[Colorado-Valley]

Did Senator McCain get sent to reform school?

[rwwff]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Colorado-Valley', 'D')id Senator McCain get sent to reform school?

[MountainHiker]

I've wondered that about the 2008 election, but not this one.

By 2008 the economy will be in tatters with few remaining tricks in the bag for phony propping up, like the current rally in the DOW. Something's not right about it considering the other nasty economic news these days. Plus, a lot more Boomers will have retired, more medicaid, medicare, less easy oil, etc... Bush and his cronies will have sucked this country dry by then and whoever gets the presidency in 2008 is cruising for a bruising.

However, you may have an idea worth considering. They might see the no-win situation they've created and they're looking to hand off the hot potato to someone else to let them get creamed in the aftermath. I'd put nothing past this current batch of Rethugs or Dems.

[evilgenius]

I love your rethugs term.