Well, so much for that theory.
I'm hearing that one big reason the reform team of Pence and Shadegg lost (and lost badly) is because they weren't seen by their colleagues as effective legislative tacticians. Well, maybe, but honestly, you've gotta be nuts to think that the message of this past election to the Republicans is "Stay the course! Effective legislative tacticians now!"
I had taken some consolation in the fact that the Democrats struggled on ethics and leadership too, with the Murtha near-miss. Until I read John Podhoretz's column. Excerpt:
Yes, it seems like a disaster for the Democrats.
Only it isn't. This behavior is a sign of the Democratic Party's health, not its weakness.
Dems have power on Capitol Hill for the first time in a dozen years after winning around 53 percent of the vote for House seats last Tuesday.
And House Democrats have made several correct judgments about their victory. The first is that Nancy Pelosi was not its architect and requires little or no deference. If anything, they won in spite of her, not because of her.
Daniel Larison, incidentally, makes an intriguing counterintuitive case for why the GOP should be happy that Trent Lott -- you know, Ol' Strom's podna -- is back in leadership.
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And isn't the rejection of Pence and Shedagg an indication that the future of the party isn't on the fringes. They aren't the future of the party, they are a drag on the party if the elections are any indication because they are far outside the mainstream.>
Susan- given that Boehner & Blunt have nearly perfect conservative rankings from every conservative group, I think that's a stretch.>
Susan -- not getting your meaning; or maybe I am and can't believe it. These guys aren't right wing nuts, but rather people of conviction. And I guarantee you the future of the party isn't the so called "moderate" faction. These people lose elections and give people no reason to go vote for them.
Irenaeus (pomoconservative.blogspot.com)>
You're surprised? No good will come from the Republican defeat, though it was well-deserved. Social conservatism as a political entity is finished. The next SCOTUS appointee will be a squishy con (=crypto-lib) at best, which will render any conservative political success null. But maybe it's just the beaujolais after-party crash talking.>
Lott is an embarrassment on so many levels-devoid of ideas other than getting his. If the Rs will be in the minority standing athwart the Senate saying "NO!" the least they could do is have an articulate spokesman who understands what they should stand for; Lott is a Bob Forehead cheerleader doofus. When he was in charge as a minortiy leader in the past, he acted like being obstructionist or standing on ANY conservative principle was somehow undignified and beneath him.Go along, get along, get to 5 PM cocktails. Between this and the Martinez appointment, I think many registered Republicans are asking themselves other than voting in primaries ifthere's a point any more to being Republican.Keep treating your base like rented mules and they will kick you. But last Tuesday's kicking still hasn't registered.>
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