OrangeEmpire
The White Debonair
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- Nov 28, 2005
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The previous evening's victory for the dems brings to mind a comprable election in another time. In 1980, the shoe was on the other foot. Reagan crushed Carter in a landslide (far more decisive than Obama's victory over McCain) and had a net gain of 35 seats in the house and a crushing gain of 12 seats in the senate.
Reagan's victory was hailed not just as a Republican breakthrough, but as a change in America's political mindset. Indeed the terms "neo-conservatism" and "new right" surfaced in this time as a reflection of thsi mindset. America took a hard turn to the right. To a lesser extent, the G.O.P's 1994 gain of 8 senate seats and 54 house seats was hailed as the death of liberalism in America.
So does last night's Democratic victory indicate a repudiation of American conservatism? What will become of the G.O.P in the wake of their defeat? Will they moderate and move to the center like the D.L.C did in the 80s and 90s. Will evangelicals be sidelined the way, say, the unions were? Or is the conservative power structure still entrenched and the American people still predominantly center-right in their mood and simply dissapointed with the G.O.P's performance in Iraq and failing economy?
Thoughts?
Reagan's victory was hailed not just as a Republican breakthrough, but as a change in America's political mindset. Indeed the terms "neo-conservatism" and "new right" surfaced in this time as a reflection of thsi mindset. America took a hard turn to the right. To a lesser extent, the G.O.P's 1994 gain of 8 senate seats and 54 house seats was hailed as the death of liberalism in America.
So does last night's Democratic victory indicate a repudiation of American conservatism? What will become of the G.O.P in the wake of their defeat? Will they moderate and move to the center like the D.L.C did in the 80s and 90s. Will evangelicals be sidelined the way, say, the unions were? Or is the conservative power structure still entrenched and the American people still predominantly center-right in their mood and simply dissapointed with the G.O.P's performance in Iraq and failing economy?
Thoughts?
