November 4, 2005 - We don’t have a parliamentary system.  We don’t have a mechanism to have a no confidence vote and bring down an administration.  The founding fathers opted for the stability of public officers and legislators elected for fixed terms of office.  While Congress doesn’t have the authority to change the face of government with a vote of no confidence the American voter does have the opportunity to express it lack of confidence in the administration by altering the make up of Congress in the mid term elections.  In the interim all the American voter has to voice discontent are the public opinion polls.

With just a year to go before we trek again to the polls the Republican leadership has got to be mightily concerned.  The leader of the Republican party has sunk to an all time low in the citizens’ collective esteem.  Six out of ten Americans disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the Presidency according to the Washington Post – ABC poll published today.  Almost the same number (58%) say that the President is lacking in personal integrity.  The CIA leak scandal is taking its toll.  A majority feel that the Libby indictment is indicative of deeper and more extensive ethical lapses in the Administration.  Sixty percent of Americans say that Karl Rove should resign now – whether or not he is guilty of a crime.  President Bush promised to return respect for ethics to the Presidency.  Two thirds of Americans give him a failing grade on that subject.

Two thirds of Americans think that the nation is seriously off course. Half say that they have little on no confidence in the Administration.  Only a little over a third of us say the economy is excellent or good.  Sixty Percent disapprove of the Presidents handling of the economy.  The same number rates him unfavorable on health care and only a quarter of us give him favorable marks for his handling of energy prices.  Two thirds say that Bush just doesn’t understand people’s problems.

Three quarters say that the level of casualties in Iraq is unacceptable and 60% say it was a mistake to have invaded in the first place.  55% say that we are not making significant progress in Iraq and the same number say that the Administration lied to us to make its case for war.  A slightly higher percentage says that Iraq is not worth the cost.  Only 48 percent approve of his overall handling of the war on terrorism.

The numbers should give the Democrats food for thought.  The opportunity is there if the party will just seize it.  Democrats can’t just sit back and rely on Republican missteps though Tom Delay certainly isn’t helping the GOP by declaring himself to be a charity.  The Democrats in the House and the Senate have to enunciate their own positive agenda for America.  They have to emulate Newt Gingrich in 1994 and present their own Contract for progress in America.  They can’t rely on the GOP to lose the election – the Democrats have to win it if November 2006 is to be a vote of no confidence.