Cherokee Sage Woman

Copied from 'The Note' today..
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The Note Futures Calendar

The War at Home
Keep your eyes on what matters for 2006 and 2008, however:

A. The number of U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq on November 1, 2006.

B. The degree to which Republican candidates in 2006 get credit with seniors for the Medicare prescription benefit.

C. Whether there are mass Republican retirements in the House before 2006.

D. Whether Mainers Snowe and Collins continue to (HEART) Judge Alito.

E. Whether Patrick Fitzgerald indicts anyone else (or not).

F. Whether there is a Scooter Libby trial (or not).

G. Whether the White House and congressional Republicans can thread the political needle on spending cuts/deficit reduction versus tax cuts and sacred cows.

H. The extent to which the State of the Union is boffo.

I. The extent to which Democrats come up with new ideas that voters can understand and care about.

J. Whether there is a Democratic position on Iraq by September 25, 2006 (or not).

K. The extent to which the AFL-CIO is still a viable political entity.

L. The likelihood that NRCC topper Tom Reynolds ever pulls an Ed Rollins LINK

and advises House candidates to run away from George Bush (which, in an under-Noted remark, Ken Mehlman endorsed as a strategy last week).

M. What independents will think about President Bush and Republican control of Washington on Election Day, 2006.