Thomas tax-on-gas [1] Friedman's latest column [2]isn't quite as blunt as the text box that teases it ("The Republicans must lose, or our democracy will") but its pretty close.
"New York Times columnists are not allowed to endorse candidates, but I checked the rulebook the other day, and there's no rule against rooting for a general outcome. So here is my fervent wish: For the sake of the country, I really hope the Republicans lose the House and the Senate to the Democrats - by one seat in each chamber.
"It is so important that the Republicans lose, because if the Bush-Cheney-Rumsfeld-Rice team can get away with the grotesque incompetence they have exhibited in Iraq - a war that was not preordained to fail, but was never given a proper chance to succeed - it makes this country look like a banana republic."
[...]
"So here's hoping the Republicans lose the House and the Senate and realize that if they don't start acting responsibly they'll suffer an even worse defeat in '08. And here's hoping the Democrats win by just enough to love being back in power, but by such a slim margin they know that if they don't produce something by '08, they'll get defeated again.
"Without restoring a legislative center that can tackle hard issues and demand sacrifices, we're just going to keep kicking problems down the road - from Iraq to Social Security - until the road reaches a cliff and we plunge over the side."