Can the Democrats lose again?

An interesting article in the Washington Times on how the Republicans are gaining ground for control of Congress, Click Here

An interesting article by the Boston Globe on how the 9/11 anniversary has helped the President and the Republican Party before the Mid Term Elections, Click Here

The Mid Term Elections in the United States

The signs are that the Republicans are making a fight of it in the Congressional elections, an interesting article in the New York Daily News, suggests that Republicans will hold the Senate. Political Analysts over the water seem to agree that the Democrats don’t have enough wind to their back to win the Senate this time around. On the race for the House of Representatives, it depends on which polls you prefer, RealClearPolitics has an Average of Democrats leading by 9.5 compared to Republicans, including the below Fox Poll. On the other hand the Fox Channel has a Poll of Likely Voters, which has the Democrats only leading by 3 points. As we are a few weeks away from the election, Views is reminded of a often used quote, ‘ A week is a long time in Politics ’ and what can change the political landscape, ‘ Events, Events, Events ’.

The Path to 9/11 / The Mini Series

The mini series was interesting, not sure it was the smartest move by the Clinton Crowd to demand that ABC take it off. The film itself was well acted, well written and made you feel like you where been taken in to how the USA government reacted to the threat of Terrorism. In a article for RealClearPolitics Victor Davis Hanson writes the following about the mini series, ‘ I found The Path to 9/11, with its disclaimers, far closer to the "truth" about the saga of bin Laden than what turned up in Bill Clinton's "factual" autobiography. ’

A counter view can be found in the Washington Post by an article by Ruth Marcus, Marcus writes the following, ‘ The docudrama is an inherently flawed form, one that invites embroidery. The irony of "The Path to 9/11" is that this dramatic license was so unnecessary, given the richly detailed narrative in a document available to the docudrama's ’

In the View of Views after reading the 9/11 report and seeing this mini series, the blame for the lack of leadership in dealing with the threat from UBL has to be placed at the feet of all policy makers both Democrat and Republican. As a student of International Politics and International History, terrorism was seen as a major threat, but invading Afghanistan and Iraq based on that threat was not something Views had thought about as a serious possibility. The events of 9/11 changed the thought process of many, one can not blame Clinton or Bush for 9/11, but one can hold them for account for lack of leadership in thinking outside the box, Ronald Reagan in 1976 stated about the USSR, that there could only be one winner and one loser, and that loser would be the USSR. The Presidents that came after lacked that leadership quality. That is why Discovery Channel watchers voted the greatest American, Ronald Reagan.

9/11

9/11 A DAY OF REMEMBRANCE

Pardon Mr Libby Campaign

Further articles which show why Mr Libby should be PARDONED by President Bush:

CBS, Click Armitage On CIA Leak: 'I Screwed Up', CBS Exclusive: Interview With Man Who 'Outed' CIA Agent Valerie Plame - CBS News

Libby Defense Trust, Click Libby Legal Defense Trust : The Trust has been joined by the great actor Ron Silver ( West Wing Fame )

NewsBusters, Click Matthews: Plame Story Too Complicated to Cover Now NewsBusters.org , from a quick look at this web page, quite interesting on how the liberal Main Stream Media perceives the case of Mr and Mrs Wilson now that Mr Armitage has come forward. As Armitage was seen as a critic of Neo Conservartives and the their policy on Iraq, the CIA case has been to use the old British Comedy Term, Drop the Dead Donkey

Tony Blair 1 – Gordon Brown 0

The Prime Minister got away with it again, it looked like the Tipping Point had been reached, then Gordon Brown pulled back, he did not want to be seen as pushing Tony Blair out of 10 Downing Street for the last time. Gordon Brown showed why Tony Blair is Prime Minister and why he is the Chancellor. If you put the shoes on the other foot, I have my doubts if Tony Blair would wait for Gordon Brown to leave 10 Downing Street. I can’t see the Prince of Spin or Europe waiting a year to help his friend became PM. It has to be asked is the Labour Party more interested in form, as in gentleman conduct or winning elections. Lets go back to 1990, when Thatcher was stabbed in the back by her own Cabinet, John Major went form there to win the 1992 election. The Conservatives are more ruthless, that why they where in power for most of the 20th Century.

As Views is from Wales, one has to take in to account the Welsh Assembly, Scottish Parliament elections and the local Council elections in England. Is the Labour really about to allow itself to lose control of Scotland to a combination of the SNP and the Liberal Democrats and in Wales to the very odd combination of the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and the Party of Wales. It seems the idea is if the elections go badly then Tony Blair will take the blame and resign and the Gordon Brown takes over. It seems the Party has forgotten that the point of political Parties is to win elections not to be seen as having good form, a week in politics is a long time, if the Party had a new leader before Christmas not in May then Gordon Brown could stamp HIS authority on the Party, even perhaps one or two tax cuts for middle England. If the Labour allows this to go till May of 2007, then in some respects it has forgotten the lessons of New Labour, when old polices or politicians are in the way it is time to give them the old retirement watch. It has to be asked is Tony Blair more interested in the Labour Party or his legacy, not necessary the same thing, as he stated in his statement, he is not fan of the TUC and it is mutual. Since the news broke about the cash for Peerages mess, the Labour Party has found rich individual people who want to give the Party money very slim on the ground. Thus the TUC has become the Party’s main supplier of money again. If Gordon Brown wants a quick succession and the TUC want some power again, they need to get Tony Blair out of 10 Downing Street by Christmas or February at the latest.

But is must be admitted that Tony Blair is still the best, Gordon Brown has a lot to make up before we say Prime Minister Gordon Brown…

Tony Blair Crossroads

Today is the day, will Tony Blair make a comment that will keep Brown’s baying wolfs from his No 10 Door or is his departure written in the political stars. The day is the return of politics as we who have an interest in politics understand the game, since Tony Blair has come to power, the rules of politics seem to have been frozen, for years it was like Teflon Tony, the Conservatives could never get him, so what would bring Tony Blair down. Would the Prime Minister follow the path of Harold Wilson who surprised the nation with his leaving and did it in a manner of his choosing. Or would he be like Lady Thatcher, not seeing it was time and being forced out by her cabinet and Members of Parliament.

The problems started in 2004 when the Prime Minister stated he would not run for a fourth term, it was only a matter of time before there would be calls for his early retirement. Thus we have this almost Thatcher moment, when he does go, it wont be when wanted to go, by the news leaks and reports it could be after the New Year, but then it has to be asked why he does not go before the Queen’s Speech in November which will introduce the new agenda for Parliament. It will be the agenda of Gordon Brown, so what is the point of causing more friction, the news reports state that Tony Blair will follow the example of Margaret Thatcher and John Major and stay in Parliament, one has to ask why, he never showed much interest in the House of Commons, lets us recall his Chief Whip sent him home before a vote which they lost by one Vote.

Views has not written off Tony Blair yet, today will be interesting, finally British Politics is fun again!!