Back in May of 1994, the 2nd Congressional District of Kentucky held a special election to fill the seat following the passing of Democrat William Natcher. The district had not elected a Republican in 129 years, but Republican Ron Lewis won by a wide margin. Seven months later, Republicans won 54 more seats to take the majority for the first time since 1954.
Can the Republicans do it again and win the 40 seats necessary to win the House majority in the 112th Congress?
The 1994 Republican Revolution had three major components: an unpopular president in Bill Clinton, an unpopular legislative initiative in HillaryCare, and a popular political vision in the Contract with America.
Today, like 1994, a new Democrat president is overreaching in an attempt to centralize the nation's health care system in Washington in lockstep with a congressional leadership that is far to the left of the American public.
Tax-and-spend legislative agendas bent on income redistribution may sit well with the academics and the beautiful people, but not regular Americans who gets stuck with the bills.
Democrats are reading the tea leaves and heading for the door with senators retiring, a House Democrat switching parties and a wave of Blue Dog Democrats hanging up their spurs. There is no doubt that Republicans will make substantial gains, but there is a big difference between winning seats and winning a majority. The latter will require a bold agenda, and the blueprints can be found when you look at the lessons of 1994.
The main lesson from 1994 is that when Republicans act like Republicans, we win; when we act like Democrats, we lose. If Republicans embrace the energy of the small-government activists showing up at "tea parties," they will be rewarded at the ballot box. These are folks not looking for a new program or entitlement, but holding placards at events saying, "We want less."
6 comments:
we can only hope that this is the beginning. we cannot think that because one senator is replaced that the problem is solved. we must continue
I have to laugh at the fact that Republicans forgot about their principles and contract with america in just 6 short years.
We have to vote them all out. Everybody. And then put term limits on the new guys.
If only Dick Armey had Presidential ambitions I would be in his corner 100%. He gets the message of low spending and the importance of following the constitution. I only hope we get back on track as a nation before it is too late.
To all of you celebrating a Rep. win. Just remember that the pols. from both sides of the aisle are full of crap. It's easy to sound great when you are in the opposition. Vote for objective factual analysis and common sense. Not on party affiliation.
1:18 I agree that we should look at each candidate and their views. I vote the most conservative every time. I only wish everybody would do the same. I don't understand why blacks vote democrat 90+% of the time when it conflicts with their values. I know many are the money suckers of society but many aren't and they both vote the same.
2:19, Blacks vote Dem because the Civil Rights leaders of the modern era (Jackson, Sharpton, Clyburn) are Dems. We also saw the first black woman running for president (Chisholm) in the Dem. party. So for 30-35+ y/o adults, Dem. are the party that is most familiar.
As a black man, I often agree more with the economic principles of Rep. But in practice, the politicians and many of the followers constantly remind me that they rely heavily on the "redneck" wing of the party. The side that thinks most black women are "welfare queens in cadillacs". The side that says if you are poor it's because you are lazy, dumb, or both. The side that thinks America is the world's angel and she has never committed systemic acts of hatred and evil in the name of the Union.
The truth is both parties do good and both do bad. So yes, I would like to see us make both parties have to work for the "black vote".
-1:18
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