Reasons the Republicans lost the House:

[The Real Hawkeye]

One big reason, I think, is that too many perceived (correctly, I think) that the Republicans cared more about the border security of Iraq than that of the United States. After 9/11, every rational American was certain that finally, now, everything necessary was going to be done to secure the border with Mexico, even if it meant the National Guard being deployed. Heck, the US Army should have been deployed, as their primary mission is supposed to be the defense of our national borders from foreign invasion.

I remember every sober person I met, it seemed, was saying that, or something like that in the aftermath. What happened? It was a hugely popular idea all around. What did the Republicans in Congress do? NOTHING. Not until this election was looming, and polls were looking bad, did they start talking about some symbolic border security package.

We didn't need a package of new mambi pambi legislation to defend the border. We needed action to be taken, orders to be given, and none were. Rational conservative Americans were stunned by this, and lost all enthusiasm for supporting the party of foot draggers on national security. Oh yeah, do anything and everything to secure Iraq, but the US border with Mexico? "Oh, well, those are our friends. We don't want to upset anyone over there.

The Mexican military is shooting at our border patrol personnel, you say? Oh, well, probably just a misunderstanding of some sort." That's one big reason I couldn't bring myself to vote for a Republican this time around. That's one big reason they lost, and they deserved to lose. I hope they take the lesson to heart, but I doubt they will.

 

[longeyes]

What the American people didn't get is that it won't happen if it's Bad For Business. Applies to both parties. Cheap Mexican labor, okay--doesn't matter if it's illegal. Energy independence--whoa, just a damn minute there, Sparky, what about the oil companies? Military secrets to China, intellectual property theft galore--what, screw with a potential vast marketplace?

The American Consumer is Queen. Long live the Queen! While she lasts.

 

[Steve 48]

They were too arrogant and did not pass anything of any significance. I am a republican and voted yesterday but it seems like I was in the minority. Spending is out of control and the media made Iraq look like a mess the same way they did in Vietnam. I was there and I know!! We just don't have the will to tough it out anymore. The people want someone to make them feel good. It will be hell to pay for the next 2 years with the liberal Democrats in there. Steve 48

 

[Nitrogen]

They were too worried about holding onto power, and covered up anything remotely unflattering. When the mess started to stink enough for others to notice (as it always does) it looked horrible.

That, and lack of oversight. The view that the current congress is GWB's rubber stamp was one of my big problems with the current congress.

That, and they did almost nothing for RKBA at all, except for refusing to renew the AWB.

 

[gunsmith]

Yup! plus 1000

I voted R anyway, because Senator Ensign is pretty good.

But to add to what you just said H'eye, I didn't like the country club republicans
saying no to a minimum wage raise while at the same time keeping the spigot
of illegal aliens open...Comb over Melman made me want to scream last night, after saying he ignored the base he immediatley pandered to the libs.

grim

 

[The Sentinel]

What the American people didn't get is that it won't happen if it's Bad For Business. Applies to both parties. Cheap Mexican labor, okay--doesn't matter if it's illegal. Energy independence--whoa, just a damn minute there, Sparky, what about the oil companies? Military secrets to China, intellectual property theft galore--what, screw with a potential vast marketplace?

The American Consumer is Queen. Long live the Queen! While she lasts.

Wasn't one or just about all of what you mentioned in your post once considered...... "TREASON?" Especially if perpetrated during a time of war??

 

[The Real Hawkeye]

Yes, but none dare call it treason.

 

[Andrew Rothman]

Republicans lost -- big -- because our adventure in Iraq is (correctly) perceived as a disaster, not because the Republican administration and majority were not conservative enough.

This election was a referendum on President Bush, and Americans said "no confidence" loud and clear.

Any other explanation is self-delusion.

 

[Justin]

Personally, I think it was the ban on exporting horse meat.

 

[Zundfolge]

Republicans lost -- big -- because our adventure in Iraq is (correctly) perceived as a disaster, not because the Republican administration and majority were not conservative enough.

If that was true than Liberman wouldn't have won in Connecticut as an Independent.

The reasons the GOP lost the house (and will likely lose the Senate) are because they pissed off their own base (how much more Republican bashing has been done in these forums vs. previous elections?) and the MSM whipped the DNC base into a frenzy so they came out in force.

Couple that with the fact that several RINOs were booted and you have a DNC "landslide".

Any other explanation is self-delusion.


[tin foil hat]plus I suspect there was some election tampering done by the left in many "red" parts of the country ... I don't buy the idea that the GOP did THAT poorly when on the same ballot there was some sort of gay rights thing that got shot down.[/tin foil hat]

 

[ArmedBear]

Republicans lost -- big -- because our adventure in Iraq is (correctly) perceived as a disaster

So how do you explain Lieberman getting voted back in, and Chafee getting voted out?

Clearly, you have a strong opinion. That doesn't mean that those who look at the facts and scratch their heads because the facts don't support your opinion are "deluded."

 

[carpediem]

Reasons:

(1) Hostile Media coverage/spin
(2) Clever Democratic/Left Wing Political Tactics
(3) Scandals + Handling
(4) Iraq (public perception)
(5) Pissing off libertarian and classic conservatives
(6) Lack of GOP political savvy

 

[ArmedBear]

carpe, I generally agree, but I think it's more like:

Abandoning reform and small-government promises of 1994
PORK! Bridge to Nowhere was pure GOP!
Abandoning libertarian-leaning half of GOP coalition
Scandals and corruption (but what about "Freezer" Jefferson? He's still IN CONGRESS! The Dems are better at this, for some reason.)
Iraq: not going into Iraq, but the perception of stagnation there. Americans want to win. Media bias and "reporting" figured into this
ADHD -- Terrorism doesn't exist if it didn't happen here in the US, yesterday
Poor PR -- if you repeat something often enough, people believe it. Bush and the GOP had 5 years to counter the carping of the hard left, but did little or nothing to bring an alternative message to the public.
Dumb issues -- The Terri Schiavo situation was a disgusting spectacle, for example. So was flag burning. All this stuff alienates as many people as it might ever attract.

 

[fineredmist]

Their bs caught up with them and now it is time for the dems to make fools of themselves. Remember you can always tell when a politician is lieing, his lips are moving. Have you every heard a politicial give a simple yes or no answer to any question? I asked a local politican what his position was on gay marriage is and he spent several minutes talking and I still have no idea as to his position. Double talk and more double talk is all you get as they don't want to "offend" anyone. They are all gutless wonders.

 

[carpediem]

ArmedBear,

Your first 3 points are what I meant by my point #5, just more articulated

Agree with you on scandals and Iraq - your description being much more precise

ADHD - Good one, I glossed over that

Poor PR and dumb issues are largely part of what I consider lack of political savvy, dumb issues goes beyond that though. Not sure I agree w/ you re Schiavo, but that's OT

 

[carpediem]

fineredmist -

As bad as politicians are, be glad that they don' feel secure enough to become true hardline ideologues. Their circumspection demonstrates that.

 

[ArmedBear]

finered, that's what would be easier about a libertarian platform on gay marriage:

"It doesn't matter what I think about gay marriage. I want marriage to be a civil contract between two people, not a contract with the state. Every couple is responsible for their own decisions, and the government doesn't sanction a marriage one way or another.

"I don't want the government to tell a church, other group, or an individual what they must recognize as marriage, or what they are not allowed to recognize."

Since both Republicans and Democrats currently favor more government control, you won't hear that possible "third way" that could solve this thing without forcing anyone to do anything. (Less revenue for the city, though. Vegas and San Diego would both miss out on the Marriage Tax.)

 

[ArmedBear]

Not sure I agree w/ you re Schiavo, but that's OT

I wouldn't have agreed either, but what was not discussed much by the demagogues was that pro-life JEB Bush had already had experts go and thoroughly investigate the case. He was okay with cutting life support, too, because she was brain dead.

I'm not saying that respect for human life doesn't matter; I'm saying that this particular case was trumped up, from all I could tell, and I did my best to get informed.

 

[TX1911fan]

ArmedBear, I agree 100%.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

I consider myself a Republican, and have been all my life. I am one of those people who the mainstream media would refer to as the "Republican Base". I am a member of the RNC, NRA life member, white, male, straight, employed, Baptist. I hunt and fish. I have never voted for a Democrat until this election. I support smaller government, less bureaucracy, less welfare, less intrusion, less taxes, strong defense, and secure borders.

So why did I vote Democrat? Well it sure isnt because I think the Democrats support any of these things. I voted Democrat because the Republicans have abandoned the things I believe in. If I am going to get big government, more welfare, more government intrusion, and unsecured borders, it might as well be from the Democrats.

Just to remind everyone of the things the Republicans have done that the ase disagrees with, here is my list of reasons why I didnt vote Republican:

Campaign Finance Reform
Medicare Reform
No Child Left Behind
Failure to Secure the border
Failure to remove illegal aliens from our country
No plan in Iraq other than "stay the course"

 

[cbsbyte]

Personally, I believe there has been a gradual shift to the left in this country for the last few years hastend by the Iraq war folly, and the abuses of the Republicans with all our rights. I beleive many Americans felt alienated by the growing divide between the right wing Republicans and moderates. If you look around the country the majority of Republicans that lost seats in the house where considered Right wing Conservatives who where replaced by more moderate Democrats. Also many Northeast, Midwest and Mountain states are not that socially conservtive as many like to make them out to be in elections.

 

[lbmii]

I tried to tell people that the Bush Republicans were going to really screw things up.

The Republicans need to do some major soul searching on where they went wrong.

To be very blunt: That whole Iraq deal with billions of the taxpayer's dollars going straight to Halliburton was a big ole shot right straight into the open eye of the American public. That was impenitent corruption.

I really do not see the American population being all that enthused with the Democrats and their "Won't it be just great to have more welfare". And I don't see the American population being all that keen with the Republicans and their "it's all about Master Card, big oil, Chinese imports, and the insurance industry, and everyone else can just deal with it". Maybe the whole thing will work out for the best. It might be time for an "American people first" type of political party.

 

[carpediem]

Small parties always start out proclaiming "the American people first". It's when they take power that you have to watch out.

 

[ArmedBear]

cbsbyte: I think your sig line has the date wrong. It happened a long time ago.

 

[ArmedBear]

Small parties always start out proclaiming "the American people first". It's when they take power that you have to watch out.

Yeah. Sometimes I wonder, if we had Libertarians controlling all branches of government, what it would REALLY look like.

We're all just human beings.