Various perspectives
We find a great deal of conversation as to why the voting went as it did on November 7, 2006.Lets look at some of the comments made by both well known and lesser known pundits in the world of politics.
"Republican leaders in Congress during this term apparently never understood, or they forgot, why Ronald Reagan was so loved and why he is considered one of our greatest presidents. If they hope to return to power in '08, they must rediscover the conservative principles that resonated with the majority of Americans in the 1980s -- and still resonate with them today. Failure to do so will be catastrophic. Values Voters are not going to carry the water for the Republican Party if it ignores their deeply held convictions and beliefs.
"To quote Dr. Ken Hutcherson, 'When Republicans act like Democrats they lose and when Democrats act like Republicans, they win.' And therein lies the lesson of '06."
- James Dobson.
"Four columns in the Washington Post --by Dionne, Novak, Broder and Ignatius-- achieve Beltway perfect pitch: The election was a rejection of Iraq, Rumsfeld, partisanship, and pork. The quartet are singing from a Beltway hymnal that has been around forever. We can only hope that the president and his party smile, thank them for their advice, and get back to the war with the realization that history bleeds the party in power after six years, and this time it wasn't so bad. Embracing Beltway dogma is a return ticket to the '86 results when America woke up to a loss of eight Republican seats and a 55-45 Democratic Senate, and a Democratic House majorrity of 258 to 187.
"Tuesday was part Foley fallout and part GOP fatigue. But it was mostly disgust with the Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight on the Hill. The country expected a lot from the majorities it gave the Republicans in 2004, and it got very little. The long explanation is here. Team Pelosi is a high price to pay, but two years is a very short time. If the Republicans elect the right leadership, recruit the right candidates, and select the right nominee for the White House in '08, they will be back in the majority two years from now. And then they may well be prepared to use it to legislate and confirm as opposed to posture and profit."
"In the nation's capital, the rain continues to fall, but it seems insignificant compared to last night's storm when the Democrats roared back to power, a victory that eluded them for 12 long years. With the House in their grasp and the Senate just recounts from it, America has spoken. But at a closer glance, this "new direction" isn't new at all. Democrats won mainly because they seized on a platform largely forsaken by the GOP--social values. When "integrity voters" saw that Republicans had abandoned their principles, they ultimately abandoned the GOP. From Indiana and Pennsylvania to Florida and Kentucky, Democratic challengers embraced a partisan realignment--not as Nancy Pelosi's radical replicas, but as bona fide men and women of faith. These proclaimed pro-life, pro-God Democrats, once extinct, have returned to compete for the confidence of voters. And while our issues prevailed at the polls, we have yet to see if they will prevail in Congress. As Pelosi prepares to lead the House, it will be painfully obvious that the values of her hometown, San Francisco are not the values of Middle America. Make no mistake. The battle in which we are set to engage will be the biggest one we have faced for our core beliefs. The assault against abstinence, marriage, life, good judges, and cloning may be the fiercest yet. As speaker, Rep. Pelosi and the old guard of extremists will pounce on the opportunities that their new committee chairmanships will afford them. Although pro-family Democrats may have tipped the election, watch for them to be marginalized in positions where they have little influence. We must work to peel off this new Congress from their radical leadership and hold them accountable to the standards that elected them. The reality is, this majority will only be as durable as the true change it delivers. The integrity voters who overwhelmingly held the GOP accountable will be back in 2008--and the Democrats will have to prove that their conservative credentials are based on more than rhetoric. They have two years to convince the electorate that they belong in power. In the meantime, the pro-family movement must have all hands on deck."