The Pendragon's Hall

There used to be an adage that winners followed...the best defense is a good offense. The Republican Party, on the defensive for the last two years, has apparently decided to hunker down and weather the storm as best it can. They campaign for their incumbents but are making no effort nationwide to target vulnerable Democratic lawmakers. Thanks to a little real world intervention, the Pendragon predicts that they will remain in charge following Election Day but their majority will be either the same or a little reduced. Were they to spend the money and put in the campaign time, were Bush to take a whirlwind tour of some battleground states and be outspoken again, liberals would scream but the American people would love it. Consider sports: we all hate someone who trash talks at the line of scrimmage unless he is on our team. Hugo Chavez came and ran his mouth. The American people wouldn't mind a little back talk from the targeted lawmakers. Rich Santorum yesterday referred to Chavez as "deranged" and he may just have saved his senate seat. Democrats are whimpering, "Did you have to be so nasty, dear Mr. Chavez?" But nobody is listening. The Republicans need to get aggressive and stop apologizing for everything. The day after the November elections when the Democrats are planning to remove Chavez's voicebox, President Bush should announce that we are building up troops in Iraq, perhaps right on the Iranian border. Let's lure them in. It worked in Mexico: we put troops in the disputed areas and they fired first. Make Iran the aggressor and then bomb the crap out of them. On the domestic front, Bush should introduce legislation on tax cuts, Social Security reform,a tougher stance on illegal immigration, a pro-marriage amendment to the Constitution and a revamped Patriot Act, along with any remaining judicial nominees, all in a couple days. Just swamp them with programs and tell the people exactly what it is. Congress can then be on record as voting for or against measures the American people know are good. They'll yell a bit, but let them. This is what it's like being the majority party. And just to add a little insult to injury, Bush should publicly announce he is backing Dick Cheney as his replacement in 2008. Cheney, in turn, should agree to run and when he is nominated, choose John Ashcroft as his Vice-President.

The Pendragon sincerely doubts any of this will happen but if it did, the Republicans would ensure their majority for the coming decade at least.