Yes, progressives can grow the GDP. But while big oil dominates the Republicans, Republicans can't. An unnatural cap has been perched atop our real economy by our unnecessary reliance on big oil and centralised power distribution. The way to grow the real GDP is to grow the middle class, which means people need to have a chance to take ownership in their central services. There are fortunes upon fortunes to be made in alternative energy sources, storage technology, delivery systems, and end-user products, and the government has the power, through a number of means, to make the US a real international powerhouse in that line. We don't have much time, though. And under what GOP administration has the real GDP grown? Republicans, at least in my lifetime, have always presided over deficits, massive public ripoffs, tax-the-poor scams, union busting, merger mania, a contemptible surrender to multinationals... And now it's the party of the worst administration in the history of this country, the most inept, corrupt, foolish, shortsighted, selfish crew of heedless, shameless criminals I've ever seen. What sober, responsible party are you creating in your imaginations? It's a fantasy! This Republican Party as it stands needs to take a little time out from the class, and think for a bit about the consequences of its misbehavior in the corner for a bit. You shouldn't even be thinking about voting Republican in '08, or until the Party machinery is cleaned up and repaired. If you can't bring yourself to vote Democrat, either don't vote or vote Libertarian or something. This period has to end, and the Republicans need to clean their stables.