Pretty much

I expect 2006 to be a pretty big election, no doubt. Middle of a shaky second term, I would say it's pretty much the Democrats' election to lose. Not that we aren't taking a run at it.

Nevertheless, unless the administration pulls something pretty big out of the hat, I'm going to go ahead and stake my amateur pundit reputation* on this administration's own failures being almost enough to sink the party. This survey made me particularly hopeful: note not only a Presidential approval rating of under 40% but also 48% in favor of a Democratic controlled congress. Of course, 48% of the country still probably translates to a Republican majority, depending on states polled and population: but it's way too early to write off the beginnings of a comeback in '06.

More and more people are beginning to raise the plaint that some ideas need to come out of the Democratic Party: Slate sees some signs of life. Of course, if everything Slate published was true, John Kerry would be president today; an xbox 360 in every pot and lollipops for everyone. But I digress. Off to North Carolina now for me: perhaps some pictures from Asheville are in order.

*for this week, anyway.