Mid-Term Election Thoughts

Update: Great, just great. Any reason this couldn't have been done sooner? Like, before the elections? Bush looks less and less like a leader every day.

I've been thinking what to write that reflect my thoughts about the mid-term elections. I'm not depressed, I'm not moving out of the country, I feel Republicans got what they deserved. I don't think the Democrats won. I don't think Republicans lost. I think it is more complicated and a little bit of both.

Personally, I think Democrats are up for a rude awakening once they start tackling the Iraq War as they will realize crafting a viable exit strategy is a lot more complicated. However, people are expecting them to get us out of Iraq. My prediction? It will not happen before the next presidential elections. I'd be surprised if they manage otherwise.

I also think taxes will go up and we - middle class America - will lose a lot of the tax benefits gained under the Republican rule; starting with those $1,000 per child credits. I truly want to see their platform materialize - healthcare, minimum wage, social security - and I will hold them accountable to it. I dislike unkept promises as much as the next person.

Illegal immigrants will now get their Amnesty because Republicans politicians did not have the cojones to tackle the issue for fear of losing votes. Well guys, you lost the votes anyway because your base lost their faith in you. Robert at 26th Parallel has a great roundup of quotes from South Florida blogs, with their take on the election.

But the best quote I've found to express what I believe is one of the main reasons why Republicans lost comes from Bryan at HotAir:

So the party that swept to power on a conservative agenda in 1994 is getting swept out because of an unpopular war and because that party has to some extent abandoned those values that were once its core.Republicans–come back to those values and you’ll come back to power. You have a couple of years to spar with the Pelosi wing of the Democrat party, which should be useful training.

Some are saying even though Republicans lost Conservatism won. I don't buy that 100%, but I'll buy it in some cases. I'm deeply dissappointed that the Stem Cell research ammendment was approved, but glad the gay marriage ban went up in other places. The abortion issue in South Dakota should surprise no one. And of course the Governator is back. Good for Arnold.

So what are your thoughts? What are you expecting from this shift of power?

Tags: Mid-Term Elections, Democrats, Republicans, USA, Senate, House, Rumsfeld