OK, Let's Push

Here's the trick. Although we may be fed up with Democrats as much as Republicans, I believe we can still at least hold the former accountable. The Republican Party has become entirely unaccountable even to its constituents (the majority without the big money, that is).

The Democrats are close to taking the Senate, it is reported today. Let's do all we can to ensure they do, despite the many reservations. And THEN let's hold their feet over the fire.

Democrats are within striking distance of taking control of the U.S. Senate on Election Day, a series of new polls for McClatchy Newspapers and MSNBC showed Monday.

Democratic Senate candidates are tied, have a slight edge or an outright lead in every one of 10 pivotal battleground states. No Democrat trails in those races; no Republican leads. Democrats must gain six seats to capture control of the 100-member Senate...

Democrats are faring well and Republicans are on the defensive for several reasons: dissatisfaction with President Bush, disapproval of the war in Iraq, anti-incumbent sentiment, and some anxiety about the economy.

Aggravating those factors is the fact that several Republican strategies don't appear to be working well at this point:

Voters who don't like Bush are taking it out on the Republican candidates, regardless of whether Republicans run from or with the president.

Voters in all but one state rank Iraq as their top concern, above terrorism, despite Bush's campaign to link the unpopular war to the more broadly supported effort against terrorism.

A majority of voters think Iraq is going badly. Those who think that support Democrats by solid margins.

The fact that Democrats haven't spelled out clear alternatives on Iraq - a main complaint from Republicans - doesn't seem to matter.