The Dems won big, but many wins were either moderate or downright conservative Democrats (Heath Schuler for example). On the other side moderate or "liberal" Republicans were killed off, not by the far right in their party who have tried unsuccessfully for years, but by the same moderate or conservative democrats.

Polls said people were upset about iraq or the economy. corruption was a big point.
The Dems now have power in the Senate and own Congress BUT this was done by a move to the Right in many cases and as Lamonts fall shows not to the Left.

What do you think this election was about? A clear mandate against george Bush? A clear sign the GOP has lost its way? The country wants to move left, are we clearly just too Centrist or common sense for any one party to remain in power?

The dems may have gained a lot of control but all across the country very conservative propositions passed easily.
Here in AZ we voted down the Gay Marriage initiative, but as happy as that makes me I believe it was just because the zealots tried to deny Civil Unions for everyone and anyone.
Immigration initiatives
[quote]Arizona voters, to almost a 3-1 margin, supported four anti-illegal immigration measures that would make living in Arizona tougher for undocumented immigrants.

Proposition 100: Bailable Offenses

Prevents those charged with serious felonies from being eligible for bail if they are in the country illegally.

Proposition 102: Standing in Civil Actions

Blocks undocumented immigrants from being able to obtain punitive damages in lawsuits. Limits awards to actual damages.

Proposition 103: English as the Official Language

Requires state government to take all formal action in English. Includes many exemptions, such as for legal proceedings. It won't change bilingual ballots, which are required by federal law.

Proposition 300: Public Program Eligibility

But serious supporters of deporting any and every illegal here got voted out.
We said NO smoking anywhere in public and voted to raise the minimum wage --well i didn't.

Republicans in AZ voted as high as 30% for a Democrat Governor While Jon Kyl won fairly easily (Republicans need to consider putting him higher up in the GOP power structure *hint hint*)


So what does this election mean?

America is Centrist?

The GOP lost its way and finally reaped the backlash?

America wants out of Iraq? Or a whole new course there?

Do the Democrats need to move to the right to win?

We really don't know and its just "On any given Sunday" politics can go either way?

So what does this election mean?

Is this an existential question or just a lead-in to the other questions?

America is Centrist?

Between “very liberal” and “very conservative” is a lot of real estate. I believe most Americans fall somewhere on that scale away from both extreme ends. I may be considered extremely liberal by some, but I am also for less government intrusion in our lives and more fiscal responsibility by those governmental entities. Does that make me a “centrist”? Probably not, but I'm further away from the extreme left end of the spectrum than some, not as much as others. I would hope that most people’s positions are governed more by their own analysis and beliefs than the labels.

The GOP lost its way and finally reaped the backlash?

The GOP’s biggest mistake was blindly following Bush and never questioning anything he did. I don’t presume to speak for the GOP, but I think the current crop of Republicans in power do not represent their party, or its values, very well. There has been a lot of analyses of “neo-conservatives” by both sides of the political aisle, and IMHO, the "neo-cons" have perverted everything the party is supposed to stand for.

America wants out of Iraq? Or a whole new course there?

I think the majority of Americans definitely want us out of Iraq. The rah-rah rhetoric coming from the White House is no longer having the desired effect. We're tired of being lied to, we're tired of nation-building in a region where they neither wanted us or needed us, and we're sick and tired of Americans being killed to satisfy one man's pathological need to wage war on the world. Well, the "me" part of "we" definitely is, anyway.

Do the Democrats need to move to the right to win?

Like I said, the political spectrum includes more than 2 extreme ends. I don’t think Democrats need to necessarily “move to the right” as they do need to accurately gauge what the country and the public needs at any given time while still maintaining their party values.

We really don't know and its just "On any given Sunday" politics can go either way?

Well, there is THAT.

GREAT quesitons Christopher, as usual.No, America is not centrist, it is a socially conservative and fiscally authoritarian country. Look at the Congress, you can count the number of liberals in it with your fingers and toes and you can count the number of libertarians with five or six fingers. Conversely, it'd be hard not to find more than 5 Republicans who aren't conservative and you could even find some conservative Democrats without too much of a problem. We are certainly not centrist.

They lost the election because Iraq is a hell-hole and they've become corrupt [just like every political party does after 12 years]. Unfortunately Americans did not reject their social conservatism and did not reject their fiscal irresponsibility, they rejected their incompetance and severe lack of ethics.

America wants a change in Iraq...Anything, just make it different. We're the first country in the history of modern warfare not to change strategies in a war, it's pretty reasonable to assume the American public rejected that unthinkable lien of...err...thinking.

They've already moved to the right, again, how many liberals are actually holding elective offices on a federal level?

[In best voice over announcer voice]In a world where up is down, left is right, and Iraq is going fine so don't worry about it...Two parties, one big white building...Starring Nancy Pelosi, Charles Schumer and a special guest cameo by Jack Abramoff in...Any Given Tuesday: The Story of the 2006 Mid Term Elections...Yeah, I like that.

CP

So what does this election mean?

Means dems better deliver in the next two years, or we can look forward to more inept so called conservatives

America is Centrist?

No- we are so far right we border on fascist, in fact, since we are talking about two parties with massive competing corporate interests really driving the money behind elections- we would probably meet some modern/neavou definition of fascist, or neo-fascism.

The GOP lost its way and finally reaped the backlash?

it was thier election to lose, and they worked hard at it. I don't count Americans as very savy or smart votores, and don't follow issues well, so it was mainly the massive incompetancy of GW that the non-affiliated voter out of the repub camp.

America wants out of Iraq? Or a whole new course there?

Yes, and fast as possible- though most through up thier hands and say 'well, we are here now, now what do we do?"

none of the options are politically or ethically or morally posible it is looking like at this time.

Do the Democrats need to move to the right to win?

We are so far right now we are almost goose stepping to lee greenwood alreay - liberalism as we know it died in 1980, and it is extinct now. The liberal is just a label that republicans use against thier very stupid voters like a boogeyman. And then cry "elitist liberals" when the so-called liberals say 'I told you so"

We really don't know and its just "On any given Sunday" politics can go either way?

I don't think so, you an have only so many years of incompetance, whether dictatorship or elected goverment, before someone sticks a fork in you and yells "your done!"

So what does this election mean?

Let me to tell the story of a land named Us
A poor coun-ter-ee stuck in Iraqi dust
The Prez was looking for those dubya em dees
Kicked him in the tush and the voters did agree

Us, move away from there!

America is Centrist?

Yep. Nobody wants to go on grand adventures to change the world. We like stability. We like change, but not the kind that throws us over a cliff.

The GOP lost its way and finally reaped the backlash?

The GOP lost its way and reaped what it deserved. The party got idealistic. That never works in politics, at least not in a relatively stable country. The party also got astoundingly corrupt.

America wants out of Iraq? Or a whole new course there?

Yes. Yes.

Do the Democrats need to move to the right to win?

I think they already won. Or are you talking about Iraq? Okay, first define what it means to win over there, then we can talk. Also, honestly assess what the hell is going on over there, and then we can talk. We have gotten neither from the GOP. We don't believe the GOP knows what it is doing.

The Democrats can assess Iraq honestly and define whatever winning, or resolving, is, but they didn't win the White House. Expect a good deal of conflict pertaining to how the Iraq project goes from here.

We really don't know and its just "On any given Sunday" politics can go either way?

It's more like every two years.

I think the primary meaning of this election is that voters don't give a hoot what mantle our politicians wear. We demand competence in governing. The GOP has shown itself to be so inept that its own former supporters crossed over. This happened before to get Reagan into office, Demos crossing to Repub. Seems the tide has changed.

Of interest is that the Demos don't have a grand plan to change the world, as the GOP had with its neo-con vision of world domination. I think this works for the Demos advantage, and I do believe the idea will develop out of this situation to fix things that got broke rather than to construct some kind of world vision.

The demand from the GOP side for Demos to come up with their own world vision was a trick. The GOP expected some kind of 1960s peacenik thing. Uh, things have changed, guys.

In effect, the US wants to move forward. The GOP wants to hold us back.

There are other things floating in the ether:

How come the Taliban and the Religious Right seem to be the same species of bird?

Why are the political comics more true than the news reporters?

Shouldn't getting off of oil addiction be like the primary thing to do for this country?

Are we going in the right direction, generally speaking?

This all adds up to changing leadership.