More...The basic facts: California experimented with an early primary by moving from their traditional June date up to March. Californians voted in March for three election cycles (including the last presidential election), and then the gnomes in Sacramento decided to change it back to June. They unanimously (Republicans and Democrats) voted to do so last year, with virtually no public debate and very little media attention. They are now facing the consequences of this decision: California will be completely irrelevant in the 2008 presidential primary. So they're tinkering with it again. The new idea is to keep the primary for statewide offices in June (which leaves a shorter campaign season for Sacramento politicians, the original reason why it was moved back to June), and have a separate presidential primary in early February every four years. Since this means two primaries, it would cost millions of extra taxpayer dollars.

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America can have a great future, both at home and abroad, if we make the right choices now. I want to hear from fellow Americans that they are able to travel the world once again with their heads held high. I want the rest of the world to look up to America and her ideals once again, instead of holding us in contempt for George Bush's hypocrisy. When the President of the United States speaks of "freedom" and "liberty," I want the rest of the world to believe we know the true definition of these words. I want to protect the hardworking American middle class from having to bear the lion's share of funding our government. I want to give the middle class a chance to grow, and be the envy of the world once again. I firmly believe in these ideals, and invite you to vote for me if you share them.

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My Picks
I'm going out on an optimistic limb here, and predicting Democrats will only lose one risky state (SD), pick up all three easy pickups, and win four of the Republican risky states (MN, NM, TN, VA).

Here's where it will stand, the day after the election in 2008:

Democratic: DE, IL, MA, MI, MT, RI, AR, IA, LA, NJ, WV, CO, NH, OR, MN, NM, TN, VA

Republican: AL, GA, ID, KS, KY, ME, MS, NE, SC, TX, AK, NC, OK, WY, SD

Total Republican loss / Democratic gain: 6 seats.

Senate convenes January 2009 with: 55 Democrats, 2 Independents (Democratic-leaning), and 43 Republicans.

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(6) There are quite a few Democratic leaders who need to make a public act of contrition to Howard Dean. He was right. His "50 state" strategy worked. He has been utterly and totally vindicated. Democrats picked up seats in the red-state bastions of Kansas, Montana, Colorado, Virginia, North Carolina, and Indiana. The "battleground states only" strategy should have a stake driven through its heart for good. Dean was right. Admit it and get over it. Then work towards building upon the foundation Dean has laid, in preparation for 2008.

(7) Put down the crack pipe and back away from "impeachment." This is not going to make me friends on the hard left, but everyone should just calm down and review their basic American Civics lessons.

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Senate

Close races:

Democrats win:
Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Washington.

Republicans win:
Arizona, Nevada, Tennessee.

Total:

Democrats -- 51

Republicans -- 49

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My 2006 Jack O'Lanterns. Spooky, eh?

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When immigrants are used as scapegoats to win elections, however, they remember it. When they vote -- even years later -- they are inclined to vote against the party that used such tactics.

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Finally, there's my favorite choice for a Democratic candidate: Al Franken. Anyone who has seen Robin Williams' new movie Man of the Year is already considering the question: could a comedian win the Presidency? Well... maybe, maybe not. But Franken has set his sights a little lower, publicly discussing how he's positioning himself for a Senate run from Minnesota in 2008. I truly think he could win, and I would love to see Senator Franken in action. C-SPAN meets Comedy Central!

Because he's good enough, he's smart enough, and doggone it, people like him.

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Democrats would strongly promise that immediately after the election they will send a delegation to the White House (from their newly-won congressional majorities) to sit down and create an exit strategy for Iraq; one that "saves face" for America -- and for Bush. Promise that all meetings will be absolutely closed-door, with no leaks. Furthermore, promise that all credit for the plan will be equally shared between Bush and Democrats (this is key). Promise that before the end of 100 days, a plan for moving forward will emerge. By doing this, Democrats would be seen by the electorate as actually being stronger on national defense than Republicans -- just by admitting that something needs to be done.

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I don't admire Reagan for much, but I have to admit he perfected the "brush-off" answer. He often did it with humor, he did it sometimes by being insufferably glib or patronizing -- but the result was the same, no matter how he pulled it off: whatever question he was responding to would never be asked again. One of many examples was when his advanced age was seen as an issue in the 1984 campaign, and he quipped during a debate: "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience." It got a big laugh. And he got re-elected as the oldest President ever. This is a valuable political trait which earned Reagan the "Teflon" title, and it's a shame the Democrats can't seem to master it.

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