The Democrats' Opportunity: Are They Ready?

Passive resistance could even help the Democrats win November's election. With the once fearsome Republican blitzkrieg bogged down in catastrophe in Iraq, incompetence in New Orleans, and corruption scandals in Washington, the Democrats may simply be the default option for voters disgusted with Bush, Tom DeLay, and Bill Frist. We will, of course, take any victory we can get. And a takeover of the House or Senate, or both, would presumably help prevent a lame-duck Bush administration from inflicting more damage on the nation and the world.

But if the Democrats are to truly lead the country in another direction, they will need more vision and imagination than they have thus far demonstrated.