Why the Republicans Really Lost in 2006

Despite the dramatic title of this post, I must preface the content with the statement that this is, of course, just my own opinion, based on my own observations. Nonetheless, I think my point is valid, or I wouldn’t bother to share it. The real truth of anything that happens in this world is too complex for any one reason to be the sole factor; but when all the causes add together, some just stand out, and you know they somehow had more weight than many of the rest.

Just about anyone you ask will tell you that the Republican’s lost becasue of the war in Iraq. My own opinion differs. First of all, partisans on either side have not shifted their positions. Those who felt the war was justified, WMD’s or not, still feel it is justified. Those who were squarely against it on Day One are squarely against it today. SUre, there are individuals who have changed their minds, but the bulk of either party remains unchanged. It’s the middle that has shifted. It’s those who were unsure from the start, and were swayed one way or the other; it is those who had reservations, but were persuaded. It’s always the swing vote that counts the most, in any election, and this one is no different.

Though the Democrats won control of both House and Senate, which is by no means insignificant, the margin remains narrow. Neither side has enough to push things through on a strictly partisan basis … it’s the swing vote again that will rule Congress. And handicapped though he may be by Democrats in the legislative branch, President Bush is far from powerless. Ronald Regan had to deal with the same thing, and can anyone say he wasn’t influencial, or that he never got anything done?

So it wasn’t an overwhelming win, and it was a shift in the center that accomplished it. But why? What made those who supported Republican policy two years ago, turn their votes the other way this year?

Arrogance. High-handed, unilateral, We-Are-In-Charge-Here Republican actions that seemed oblivious to the true cares, needs and desires of their constituency, the American People. That’s what did the Republican party in this election.

I knew the party was in trouble the day President Bush made his comment about Trent Lott’s porch in Louisiana. What kind of callous, oblivious comment was that? Trent Lott has the finaancial means to rebuild anywhere, at any time, on any whim; yet thousands in New Orleans struggle to exist, and aren’t at all comforted that some rich guy will be OK. They want to be assured that they will be OK, and couldn’t give a muskrat’s behind what comes of Trent Lott’s porch.

President Bush has a knack for appearing inulated from the American people, and oblivious to what really matters. I have no idea how the man really feels, because somewhere along the line, someone told him he had to put on this ridiculous, patronizing air of superiority; and he clearly took the advice to heart. So did the entire party. They never shared their real reasons for doing things, they told us what they thought we wanted to hear, and they told us what they thought would make us go along with them. It even worked – for a while. But people aren’t as stupid as the Republican leaders seem to want to think they are. You can only blow so much smoke before people start getting out the fans and clearing the air.

And that’s exactly what this election has shown us. America turned on the fans, and started clearing the smoke. Or, if you prefer, they got on the hip waders and started shoveling. Either way you look at it, it can’t be a bad thing overall.

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