Congrats to the Democrats!

I want to sincerely congratulate the Democrat Party of the U.S. for their big victory yesterday. I read through their "New Direction for America" document. It looks very impressive. And it's well written. It's more than a little sparse on details though.

Every healthy democracy requires at least two strong parties. The jury's still out on whether this is the case in America right now. As for the Republicans, their wounded (and rightfully so) by yesterday's pivotal defeats. Bu they're still a strong party and they have 2 years to get their act together.

As for the Democrats, the biggest opponent they're facing is not the Republicans but ... Reality. Here are some key points from their aforementioned document:

• "Eliminate Osama Bin Laden ... finish the job in Afghanistan"
• "Eliminate terrorist breeding grounds by combating the economic, social, and political conditions that allow extremism to thrive."
• "Secure by 2010 loose nuclear materials that terrorists could use to build nuclear weapons or 'dirty bombs' ".
• "Redouble efforts to stop nuclear weapons development in Iran and North Korea."
• "Insist that Iraqis make the political compromises necessary to unite their country and defeat the Insurgency; promote regional diplomacy; and strongly encourage our allies and other nations to play a constructive role."
• "Achieve energy independence for America by 2020 by eliminating reliance on oil from the Middle East and other unstable regions of the world." Note: Later on in the document it says this will be achieved by 2016.
  
• "We will develop ground-breaking technology and policies that harness the creativity and flexibility of the free market to reverse the dangerous warming trends. Increased use of renewable energy sources, including biofuels, and energy efficiency will help reduce emissions, protecting future generations from the global threat."
• "Place a highly qualified teacher in every math and science K-12 classroom by offering upfront tuition assistance to talented undergraduates and by paying competitive salaries to established teachers working in the fields of math and science; institute a 'call to action' to professional engineers and scientists, including those who have retired, to join the ranks of our nation's teachers."
• "Our goal is to restore accountability, honesty and openness at all levels of government. To do so, we will create and enforce rules that demand the highest ethics from every public servant, sever unethical ties between lawmakers and lobbyists, and establish clear standards that prevent the trading of official business for gifts."
• "Prohibit the receipt of gifts, including gifts of meals, entertainment and travel, from lobbyists. Prohibit travel on corporate jets."
• "End rampant cronyism by requiring that any individual appointed to a position involving public safety possess proven credentials and expertise in areas relevant to the position."
• "Our New Direction is committed to 'Pay As You Go' budgeting - no more deficit spending. We are committed to auditing the books and subjecting every facet of federal spending to tough budget discipline and accountability, forcing the Congress to choose a new direction and the right priorities for all Americans."

In principle, I support all of these initiatives. They all sound absolutely great and fall into the "wouldn't that be wonderful" category. But in the forthcoming battle of Nancy Pelosi & The Dems vs. Reality, which one do you think is going to win out?