I think that's very well put, Jerry. Though I would quibble slightly with your characterization of the 2008 election as Democrats had strong success in 2006, so part of 2008 was building on what they had done the election before. But certainly a lot of 2008 was a reaction against how bad things had gotten. And 2010, without a doubt, was anger that things had not gotten better.
My problem with a lot of the people who got elected this time around is that they don't seem to have any real idea of how they would exercise greater fiscal discipline and help control the size of government. If you came to me with a plan that says, "this is the cuts I'll pursue and the related constraints it will place on federal government" I'd seriously listen. Thus far I've just gotten hand waving rhetoric and promises of "fiscal discipline". Anyway, the new folks in Congress have the benefit of an economy that will likely continue to gradually pick up steam. We'll see what they can do to improve that and avoid another round of "off with their heads!" by the electorate. Judah On Wed, Nov 3, 2010 at 6:16 AM, Jerry Barnes <[email protected]> wrote: > > It's funny. This morning, I saw where some talking heads were already > predicting what kind of gains the GOP could make in the next election. > > They still don't understand. This election was not about support for the > GOP agenda. It was about the Democrat agenda, specifically, its refutation. > People didn't just wake up and decide that the GOP is good again. They are > viewing them as the lesser of two evils. > > Very similar to the election in 2008, in which the GOP got bashed. Many of > the middle of the road voters were just tired of the GOP; the high gas > prices, the two prolonged wars, rising economic problems, the lack of > progress on sealing the border, and the constant focus on social issues. > > It will be interesting to see if the GOP actually has learned anything from > history. Will it try to reclaim the fiscal responsibility label that the > tea party movement has co-opted? Will the GOP finally accept the tea party > as a legitimate movement and try to incorporate its smaller government and > fiscal responsibility platform or just continue to play those issues lip > service? Or, will the GOP take the advice of Trent Lott: > > We dont need a lot of Jim DeMint disciples. As soon as they get here, we > need to co-opt them. > > > > Will Christine O'Donnell's quote actual be true or will things degrade into > business as usual? > > "We were victorious because the Delaware political system will never be the > same -- that's a great thing. The Republican Party will never be the same, > and that's a good thing," > > > > How many idiots are out writing the Republican equivalent of "40 More Years: > How the Democrats Will Rule the Next > Generation<http://www.amazon.com/40-More-Years-Democrats-Generation/dp/1416569898>" > by James Carville? If they are, they don't understand the American people. > At all. > > In the end, the GOP should look at this as an opportunity to rebrand itself. > Concentrate on import issues, specifically smaller government, budget > control, security, and immigration, instead of playing politics as usual, > especially in the social issues arena.. If they end sliding back into the > political haranguing that is business as usual in Washington, many of them > will be out on their ass in the next election. > > J > > - > > What we have here in America today is a real-life jump-the-shark drama, > starring a super-narcissistic president so desperate to create his own > vainglorious legacy that he is willing to destroy his own political party > and do enduring damage to his country in pursuit of his purely selfish ends. > - Kyle-Anne Shiver > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:330888 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
