No need to be so glum!! Cheer up!!. Sure it sucks to lose some good Democrats. But the next 2 years are going to be very tough for the Republicans, here's some things to look forward to:
1. The Republicans now have 'skin in the game'
I know John McCain's slogan was 'Country First' but like most Republican lies, it is the exact opposite of the truth. The truth is the Republicans have been 'Me first and damn the country' for the past 2 years. Saying no to anything helpful, combined with a bad economy was a recipe for political success. From now on, if no laws get passed they are going to be held partly responsible.
There's more...
2. Republican's have to advance an actual agenda and pass bills
Whatever the House passes will be able to be scrutinized. Their work will be the subject of criticism from the left AND right. Are they passing big tax breaks for corporations and no help for main street? It will be in black and white in the bills they send to the Senate. If they do the same old wrong thing, it will be political ammunition in 2012. Truth be told, their agenda can only be sold when it is well hidden. Examining whatever they do over the next 2 years is going to shine a light on their utter lack of an economic plan, or any other plan for that matter.
3. If the Obama budget is DOA when it hits the House, then...
... the House Republicans will need to propose their own budget. Will the Republican budget have a 1 Trillion deficit? Yes, it will if they don't raise taxes or make politically 'courageous' cuts to Medicare, Social Security and the Military. The huge deficit is really going be a slap in the face to the conservative tea party folks. Conservative talk radio will have to start apoligizing for the deficits and explaining how they are a temporary thing.
4. Will the bills passed by the House be full of 'ear marks'?
I don't think the Republicans will be able to resist, at least not for long. This will enrage their base who seem to believe all our financial problems can be sloved if we get rid of all the relatively tiny earmarks.
5. Voters want action on jobs
Personally, I don't think any amount of tax cuts alone are going to qualify, especially after scoring by the CBO and seeing as we already have a huge deficit. They are going to actualy have to do something in the next 2 years.
6. This may encourage Obama to take a more active role in shaping legislation Having a Republican majority in the House will be a good foil for Obama. House bills should give him the ammunition he needs to make a simple case to the electorate on the differences between Republicans and Democrats. It will give him something to fight against. Just once I would like to see Obama say 'The Republicans who control the House are not doing enough to create jobs.' Just once, please... but maybe this is just too much to hope for.
7. 29-30 Blue Dogs lost
That's half the Democtatic losses. Sure they were officially Democrats, but in 2012 we can actually run some progressive candidates in their ridings. Some of them will win. At least then voters will have a choice between a progressive and a corporatist instead of two corporatists. They were kind of an anchor around the neck of the party when it came to getting anything done. And when no enough got done, all Democrats got blamed.
8. With 2 wars ongoing...
Shutting down the government is just a little trickier than it was back in the 1990s. And it didn't turn out well for the Republicans back then in any case.
9. Boehner is already being criticized from the right
On conservative talk radio, this morning. Not kidding. Apparently Bohener showed one version of the pledge to America to conservatives to get their support, and then a watered down version to the public. This is JUST the beginning. All that agner does NOT turn to roses over night. These people are angry every day and their mindset will not change. There was also 'no compromise' criticism. If Bohener wants to get anything done he is going to get hit, hard. Don't look for an audit of the Fed any time soon, either. Crazies won't like that. Rubio's talk is getitng a lot of play, part of that was not trusting the Republicans to do the right thing. There wil be lots of heat on the right.
10. The inevitable splits of Republicans in the House & Senate.
Rand Paul will toe the party line, but others won't they will be vocal and will cause trouble. This trouble will translate into a lack of enthusiasm in 2012.
So cheer up and get to fighting back!!