Congressional Republicans: P*ssing themselves with fear

In a post a good while back, I predicted that Bush's falling numbers, the range of scandals and mismanaged disasters both at home and abroad, and voter disgust would cost the Republicans in the 2006 Congressional mid-term elections. Now Time (hardly a bastion of radical prognostication) agrees:

"Since 1962, when a President's approval ratings have dipped below 50%, his party has lost an average of 43 seats in the House of Representatives."

The 'Pubs currently hold only a 28-seat majority and the Shrub's approval ratings are below 40%. The Dems will take at least the House (and even or overcome the deficit in the Senate), he'll be the lame-duck I predicted, his last two years will be a comedy of ongoing and failed attempts to scrub his image and avert indictments for key staffers (Rove and Libby will be indicted this week, almost for certain), and the Dems--if they ever manage to grow the slightest bit of ethics, courage, or agenda--will have a good shot at the White House in '08.

Oh, and both Bill Frist (under investigation for insider trading) and Jeb Bush (tarred by incompetence, absolutely asinine political intervention--in the Schiavo case--and incompetence--in the wake of Rita) can kiss their presidential aspirations goodbye.

Not much consolation in knowing that half the rats will flee and the other half will go down with the sinking ship though...because we're still sinking.