Houtopia: Lesson Learned

January 18, 2007

Lesson Learned

The results of the 2006 midterm elections predicatbly prompted among Republicans the kind of recriminations and finger-pointed reserved only for Democrats over the last few years. GOPers have been publicly and privately asking themselves why they lost both houses of Congress, numerous governships and state legislative seats, though (unsurprisingly) a consensus explanation has yet to emerge.

Some Republicans believe the losses are explained by an abandonment of the party's core conservative principles. That makes sense, except different Republicans define those principles differently. Are they fiscal responsibility, limited government, prudent foreign policy, or strict adherence to the tenets of social conservatism? Depends on who you ask.

Some in the more pragmatic GOP camp attribute the negative election result to a drag at the top of the ticket -- a once popular president saddled with the baggage of an unpopular war that has no end in sight. Though not on the ballot during the midterm, as went Bush's fortunes so went his party's -- recall the opposite result in 2002, when Bush, soaring in the polls, delivered a big election victory for Republicans.

Then there were the scandals. We all remember Mark Foley, and his sad, revolting behavior undoubtedly damaged Republican prospects down the home stretch. Let us not forget, however, the house that Jack Abramoff built and that burned down over several months in broad daylight. A slew of GOP lawmakers, one after another, went down in flames (including a certain party leader from right here in Texas) over that dirty, dangerous word in politics -- corruption.

Every few weeks in 2006 it seemed, a new Republican corruption scandal emerged, and the cumulative effect was powerful. Poll after poll showed declining trust in Republican governance, based in part on policy failures, but also on the sleaze factor. And the Foley fiasco tipped it over the edge.

Funny then, that amidst all the post-election GOP navel gazing Republicans seem to have failed to see the role corruption played in their political demise, and the need to right the ship going forward. Case in point is yesterday's Republican hijacking of the new ethics reform bill in the U.S. Senate.

Fresh off an electoral ass-whipping, is blocking ethics reform really how Republicans want to begin their session in Congress?

It looks like GOP self-destruction could be the gift that keeps right on giving in for Democrats in 2007.

Posted by houtopia at January 18, 2007 08:25 PM