Thursday, April 13, 2006
Rumors of the GOP's Majority's Demise...
Are Highly Exaggerated
No one is happy with the current state of affairs within GOP majority on the Hill, except of course the folks we here in DC refer to as the "Kool-Aide Drinkers." The mid term elections seem to be getting a lot of press and I've read lots of reports that there is a growing consensus (among reporters at least) that voter discontent could play out as a repeat of 1994, when the GOP swept a complacent and corrupt Dem majority out of the House. Mark my words, these reports are exaggerated.
Are voters discontent with how the GOP majority has governed? You betch-ya. But that doesn't mean that they've yet found a resonant message from the left. In my humble opinion, the leadership of the House needs some major revamping (Boehner was a good start) and it would be nice to see some fresh blood in the House (even upstart GOP'ers challenging current incumbents). But the numbers just don't seem there.
The Senate is the same story, even if everything goes right for the Dems, the best outcome I can come up with for them is a 50-50 split.
This is only bad news if the GOP majority does not change course and return to its alleged principles on spending, government power and such. When they retain the majority this fall, they should view it as a very generous third chance to get things right, not - as they likely will see - an affirmation of their miserable track record.
The Post has more....
No one is happy with the current state of affairs within GOP majority on the Hill, except of course the folks we here in DC refer to as the "Kool-Aide Drinkers." The mid term elections seem to be getting a lot of press and I've read lots of reports that there is a growing consensus (among reporters at least) that voter discontent could play out as a repeat of 1994, when the GOP swept a complacent and corrupt Dem majority out of the House. Mark my words, these reports are exaggerated.
Are voters discontent with how the GOP majority has governed? You betch-ya. But that doesn't mean that they've yet found a resonant message from the left. In my humble opinion, the leadership of the House needs some major revamping (Boehner was a good start) and it would be nice to see some fresh blood in the House (even upstart GOP'ers challenging current incumbents). But the numbers just don't seem there.
The Senate is the same story, even if everything goes right for the Dems, the best outcome I can come up with for them is a 50-50 split.
This is only bad news if the GOP majority does not change course and return to its alleged principles on spending, government power and such. When they retain the majority this fall, they should view it as a very generous third chance to get things right, not - as they likely will see - an affirmation of their miserable track record.
The Post has more....
