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They elected an articulate, inspirational leader who is interested in helping ALL Americans - not just those in a certain color state or from a certain economic class...
They also voted big-time against Bush and his fellow Republicans... it was a complete repudiation of Bush/Cheney/Rove and all the Republican minions who supported them to the hilt these past 8 years.
I personally think the Republicans face an entire generation (about 25 years) of minority status... and they will have to change radically to have a chance of regaining power...
They did a lot of damage to the support of their own core voters over the past 8 years with their war on the middle class, with their wedge-issue politics, with their motivation thru fear and thru the abomination of a decision to invade Iraq...
They also have very little support among the young - which bodes ill for many years to come...
They also lost the support they had from the Hispanic community in 2000 and 2004.
Does anyone seriously believe they will retain power any time soon?
Does anyone think a 3rd party could emerge to take their place?
They elected an articulate, inspirational leader who is interested in helping ALL Americans - not just those in a certain color state or from a certain economic class...
They also voted big-time against Bush and his fellow Republicans... it was a complete repudiation of Bush/Cheney/Rove and all the Republican minions who supported them to the hilt these past 8 years.
I personally think the Republicans face an entire generation (about 25 years) of minority status... and they will have to change radically to have a chance of regaining power...
They did a lot of damage to the support of their own core voters over the past 8 years with their war on the middle class, with their wedge-issue politics, with their motivation thru fear and thru the abomination of a decision to invade Iraq...
They also have very little support among the young - which bodes ill for many years to come...
They also lost the support they had from the Hispanic community in 2000 and 2004.
Does anyone seriously believe they will retain power any time soon?
Does anyone think a 3rd party could emerge to take their place?
I think this is an interesting question. I think it would be wise for the Republican party to take this time (when they're not in the majority) to re-invent themselves a bit. I think it would be good for everyone. I am not saying they should become more liberal at all...I think they can remain very conservative and just tweak a bit. I think in this election people were so turned off to the Republican party, that even if they saw McCain as a good choice, they just couldn't push that button because of the bigger picture of the Republican party.
I will say though, that I don't think it is good for the country for the Democrats to have complete control of everything -- it's good to have a balance between the parties so that filibustering is still possible (used when necessary).
There was such a blowout during this election that things are pretty unbalanced right now (to the left). This is not good either. Being somewhere right in the middle (to me) is most effective.
The sad fact is that it wasn't just the Democratic party and more liberal people in society that took over and changed things during this election. This change included a lot of Republicans that had had enough. Republicans who were unhappy with Bush a long time ago and are trying to send a message to the Republican party.
This is why I think it is wise for the Republican party to do a little revamping right now. We need this party too in order to balance out the more liberal side of things.
Who knows? The popular vote still seemed to be very close so i think it depends on weather the Democrats are able to make a real positive change, weather or not business improves and jobs are created etc. I am not sure that the Repubs were defeated for their conservative principals or because of their endless spending. With unchecked liberal leadership in both houses of congress we may be headed back to the pre Regan years when Jimmy Carter made such an impact. I am not real sure I believe that enough can be taken from the top ten percent of tax payers to relly make my life better.
I will say though, that I don't think it is good for the country for the Democrats to have complete control of everything -- it's good to have a balance between the parties so that filibustering is still possible (used when necessary).
There was such a blowout during this election that things are pretty unbalanced right now (to the left). This is not good either. Being somewhere right in the middle (to me) is most effective.
It's all about balance.
I agree - in general, 2 party rule is best... It's just that we live in a time of such extreme political polarity in Congress that the minority sometimes acts as an obstruction to nearly everything the party in power wants to do - witness the past 2 years...
I remember when the Democrats ruled congress - prior to 94 - and they were pretty bad. It only took the Republicans about 7 years to get even worse when they regained power in the 94 election...
Now we are in such an economic, infrastructure, energy, foreign policy mess that I really think at least 2 years of Democratic rule is a GOOD thing.... I'll rethink that after I see what they do, and how the Republicans behave during that period, before I vote in 2010.
It depends if the Republican party can pull out someone like Newt Gingrich or not. You are looking at no less then 4 years of Democratic control because of who is up for re-election in 2 years.
Their reputation as fiscal conservatives and small government politicians has been shattered, so they can't run on either plank...
They are going to have to somehow appeal to Hispanics without alienating all their base that are against amnesty for illegal aliens - seems like an impossible goal to me. (And for the record, I am against blanket amnesty for illegal aliens).
I think their only chance is to throw out any remaining Neocons, and to adopt a more bipartisan stand on issues of importance to the American public.
They also have to reach out to the middle-class (whom they have pretty much totally ignored for 8 years) and enact tax policy that treats them more favorably.
Finally, they have to stop their anti-government philosphy and admit that the extent of deregulation that Bush engaged in is bad, and was a major factor in the financial disaster we are currently experiencing and which has not run it's course yet.
I think this is an interesting question. I think it would be wise for the Republican party to take this time (when they're not in the majority) to re-invent themselves a bit. I think it would be good for everyone. I am not saying they should become more liberal at all...I think they can remain very conservative and just tweak a bit. I think in this election people were so turned off to the Republican party, that even if they saw McCain as a good choice, they just couldn't push that button because of the bigger picture of the Republican party.
I will say though, that I don't think it is good for the country for the Democrats to have complete control of everything -- it's good to have a balance between the parties so that filibustering is still possible (used when necessary).
There was such a blowout during this election that things are pretty unbalanced right now (to the left). This is not good either. Being somewhere right in the middle (to me) is most effective.
The sad fact is that it wasn't just the Democratic party and more liberal people in society that took over and changed things during this election. This change included a lot of Republicans that had had enough. Republicans who were unhappy with Bush a long time ago and are trying to send a message to the Republican party.
This is why I think it is wise for the Republican party to do a little revamping right now. We need this party too in order to balance out the more liberal side of things.
Republicans already ARE in the minority (for now). Nov 4 proved that. Democrats won the White House, they already had the House and the Senate.
Now it's up to the Democrats to do something. They need to support their president by buying up stocks and saving the stock market. Democrats need to risk their savings, start up some businesses, put in long hours and hard work, hire people and pay them good decent wages like $60,000 a year with benefits. Democrats need to start doing some volunteerism, not the $40 an hour volunteerism Obama speaks of but real volunteerism. Do something about homelessness and the trashy neighborhoods.
The ball is now in the democrats' court. There is nothing at all blocking them. Get going on building the economy.
Hopefully the party will remain in the minority for an extended time, perhaps 12-16 years. This will allow them to purge years of detrimental ideology and perhaps two or three parties can enter the fray so that we can have a more representative Government.
I think these things come and go in a cycle. We go from liberal to conservative to liberal again. I'm sure we'll have another Republican administration at some time in the future.
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