Will Connecticut send Axis-supporters to Washington? by Tom Evers

The Day After...

Why we lost; what's next?

By Tom Evers

November 08, 2006

Yesterday Americans handed Republicans and President Bush a rebuke of incredible magnitude for their perceived poor management over the last two years.

The fact is that the rebuke was well warranted. The GOP and the President have failed on three primary fronts: 1) Poor management of the Iraqi War, 2) failing to have any sense of fiscal restraint, and 3) Being the party boasting of having the moral high ground, and having two years of scandals dominate the news.

First, we expect the media to beat the anti-war drum no matter the issue, and we expect the Democrats to follow suit. Few may have noticed, but Republicans didn't lose the election because the Democrats had better ideas on handling Iraq, in fact - they had no solutions to offer anywhere, at any time. But watching the American death count rise each month and offering no exit strategy of any kind gave voters the impression that the President was given a blank check to keep this senseless policy going.

Last week, President Bush declared that we will move "full steam ahead" on his Iraq policy, and the voters responded in the only fashion that they could - by cutting him off at the knees, and turning over the House of Representatives to the opposition party. And of this writing, the Senate may be heading the Democrats way too.

The sad thing is that many decent Republicans were bounced from office - not because they did anything particularly wrong during their tenure, but because of the GOP's steadfast support of the President's - no cut and run policy. People like Senator Jim Talent, and Connecticut Congresswoman Nancy Johnson took hits based on voter outrage at the GOP, not at them in particular.

Now there is nothing wrong with standing on principle and conviction. But you need to explain the why's, how's, and when's when body bags are coming home in the double digits. Republican Congressman had an uphill battle trying to convince the White House that much more was needed in terms of defining policy. The White House ignored all pleas.

The second issue is that the Republican Party is supposed to be the party of limited Government. Back in 1996 with the Republican Congressional Landslide under Newt Gingrich, Republicans promised limited government, cutting back pork spending, and fiscal restraint. The Republican Party of today is just as fat as their counterparts where in the 1992 Congress. And in the midst of tax cuts, the deficit has begun to take a major turn to the red.

Third is the problem of scandal and ethics. Republicans always wave the banner of morality and good behavior. This has always been a two edge sword because voters expect you to practice what you preach. Between Foley, Delay and all the others, the GOP managed to provide the media with weekly stories on corruption, scandal, and personal fund mismanagement. And while Democrats had scandals of their own, few expected much else from them so the media barely paid any attention because they don't claim the moral high ground.

So where does that leave us?

The good news (and there is some) is that Democrats including Nancy Pelosi will now need to govern and lead in Congress. In a few weeks time, when the celebrating is over and the work needs to begin, Democrats and their policies - which are not particularly popular with the American populace - will have the opportunity to put on in front of voters and will stick in their minds over the next two years.

GOP supporters can thank God that this wasn't a Presidential election year, because it could be more than likely that Democrats would have landed both Houses of Congress and the White House. However, the Republicans have an opportunity to frame the debate over the next two years. Democrats will get a chance to establish their positions on various issues including national security, social issues, taxation, and all else. If Republicans can expose Democrats for who they are, then they will have a great opportunity to take back Congress and reclaim the White House in 2008.

Republicans should take this time to focus on:

· Coming up with a plan to get us out of Iraq, and getting rid of officials who don't understand the urgency to do so

· Maintaining the moral authority on National Defense and explaining reasons for policy positions (on North Korea, Iran, etc)

· Reforming GOP policy on fiscal restraint

· Fighting to maintain tax cuts

· Forging ahead with common sense positions on social issues that resonate with their conservative base

· Ridding themselves of corrupt, stale, non-principled candidates

· Shedding themselves of the perception that the GOP is protecting greedy oil and energy barons, and lead the way on funding research on new energy sources; reduce dependency on Arab sources of fuel

· Firming up a strong pool of Presidential candidates who are articulate, principled, conservative, and elect able

· Recruiting congressional candidates who are principled, clean of controversy, conservative, and elect able

So cheer up. The first day of campaign 2008 begins today.

So stop the whining and get involved!

Tom Evers