The Contract With America in 1994 was a political A-bomb for the democrats (with a little help from billy jeff). WHY don't they bring some new ideas back? The Pubs have been coasting since 1996.. and I am dissapointed. All the promising up and comers are leaving.
I'll never understand it...the Pubs are basically lousy politicians, we have poor leadership with an attitude of "lets just get along." I have been somewhat surprised at the political ability of President Bush...he dings me off with some of his "conservative" policy stands, but for whatever reason, he seems to have the demos pretty much on the defensive.
I think the demos suffer from the same thing you mentioned about the pubs...the energetic ones get a belly full of the crap that goes on in Washington and bail out, leaving the likes of Dasshole, Gebhardt, and the rest of the sorry bunch. We have the Trent Lotts and Dennis whats-his-name standing around with their thumbs in their bums waiting for someone to tell them which way is up. The whole thing makes me want another glass, (bottle) of wine.