Several years ago, during the mid-term election, I wrote the following about the republicans:
REPUBLICANS:
You didn't win because:
-- Your ideas are better, or
-- Your opinions are moral, or
-- The country is on your side, or
-- The country hates the President, or
-- Your fear-bating, nasty, ugly, cynical approach to politicking is correct.
You won because:
-- You crafted a simple message for a public that is too stupid to remember the past.
-- You appealed to those who are racist, callous, selfish, ignorant, angry and fed that negativity.
-- You won by making the country lose. You must be so proud of yourself for destroying our only chance to get out of this recession - and if you don't understand why you're wrong, you're too stupid to hold your position.
...and the republicans used the same fear-bating, nasty, ugly, cynical approach to their campaigns this time as they did last time...
The big difference? No one bought it. Not enough anyway. Critical thinking prevailed.
In the end, will this change the republican party? No. They are so entrenched in their thinking that nothing short of a landslide for Obama would push the off course. They will continue to lie through their mouthpieces about why they lost, and continue to demonize Obama for the next four years.
My hope is that our President takes a hard line with them now - a COMPLETE hard line. They will not negotiate. Not now, not ever. And the public needs to know that every single day. The only way to break through this barrier of obstruction is through a constant barrage of shame that will force their constituency to say ENOUGH!
And if their true believers want to continue obstruction in the name of the party, well, lets make sure they get left behind.
We have a great opportunity to do the things we hoped to do. If our party is strong enough and stands up for itself, maybe some of these things can be accomplished.
Way to go, Democrats!