Nov. 9, 2006
BAYHAM ON POLITICS: Reasons to Smile After Nov. 7
By Mike Bayham
South Louisiana (Special to HNN) -- Well folks, I’m not going to lie to
you: Nov. 7, 2006 was the Republican Party’s darkest day since Bush 41 got
tossed by Bill Clinton in 1992.
On Nov. 7, the GOP lost its majority in the House, once considered
impregnable due to gerrymandering and the nation’s post-1994 political
realignment, and as it turned out Republican control of Congress’lower
chamber was about as unsinkable as the Titanic.
The news is only going to get worse when the Senate inevitably goes to the
Democrats once the legal maneuvers in Virginia are exhausted come December,
assuming the white flag is not hoisted before then. Sure there is precedent
for a candidate who lost on election night to be declared the winner later
via recounts and court challenges, i.e. Washington State’s gubernatorial
contest in 2004, but I should point out that such phenomena only happens for
Democrats, since they fight harder (and dirtier) than the GOP in the realm
of politics.
This column is dedicated to those selfless individuals who knocked on doors,
put up the signs and manned the phone banks (and no doubt learned new curse
words in the process). Your efforts were not wasted even in defeat.
While losing stings, one should hum a few bars of that famous song from
Monty Python’s “Life of Brian” and put things in perspective.
1) It could have been worse. A lot worse. Republicans lost 48 seats
in the House in the 1974 Watergate midterms. The GOP lost that same number
during the 1958 “sixth year” disaster towards the end of the Eisenhower
Administration. Right now Republicans are poised to lose around 33 when the
dust settles, meaning a swing in the neighborhood of 17-20 could restore
control to the GOP in 2008.
2) The new Democratic majority isn’t protected by the Walls of Troy,
but rather a New Orleans levee. While the “bad guys” will be in control,
their time in power might be limited. A number of Democratic marginal wins
against tainted incumbents in “red districts” will revert back to the GOP in
2008 when their names appear on the same ballot as Hillary. And you think
Republican candidates were running away from Bush?
3) With Speaker Denny Hastert’s announcement that he will not seek a
leadership post in the minority faction, Republicans have an excellent
opportunity to remake the caucus. Hastert was a failure as a long-term
party leader in the House and overstayed his usefulness as a “temp” after
the departure of Newt Gingrich and Bob Livingston in 1998. Instead of
recognizing the reality that someone other than him was going to be running
the house, the speaker foolishly clung to the drapes, the spacious office
and rock-star parking at the peril of his party. Though Gingrich was
controversial, he at least offered an agenda. Hastert should have been
cognizant of the “sixth year” historic trend by either producing a
legislative vision for this past term or getting out the way. It’s hardly
ironic that it was a bland Illinois congressman (Bob Michel) who served as
the GOP’s last House minority leader and it will be a bland Illinois
congressman who turns out the lights on the Republican House majority this
January.
4) After the Republican defeat in 1992, National Review rightfully
proclaimed radio-talk show host Rush Limbaugh as the ”leader of the
opposition.” In his Wednesday, Nov. 8 broadcast, Limbaugh announced that his
days of carrying water for a philosophy-deprived GOP are over. With
President Bush giving early signals that his days as party leader are
nearing an end, Limbaugh’s return as the voice of conservativism, regardless
of what the party establishment thinks, will keep the GOP’s base energized.
5) Republican officials needed a lesson in becoming too insulated from
reality and the consequences of their actions (and cover-ups). The Mark
Foley scandal typified the prevalent Capitol Hill mentality of “pin the
blame on an aide” that needs to be eradicated in the halls of power.
6) The days of the moderate Democrats could be coming to an end.
Self-proclaimed middle of the road Democrats have been able to get away with
voting for Nancy Pelosi for speaker twice now because it was previously an
empty formal act; not anymore. Once the electorate understands the full
ramifications of their centrist representative’s vote for the gentlewoman
from San Francisco and the bevy of loons that will assume committee
chairmanships at her ascension, the last litter of Blue Dogs might get put
to sleep.
7) Illegal immigration will be a dominant issue for the next Congress
and now members of the GOP caucus will have the freedom to oppose amnesty or
any other policy that will legitimize the presence of millions of illegal
foreigners in this country.
8) The “Tin-foil Hat” wing of the Democratic Party won’t be able to
restrain themselves once they ensconce themselves in power. When the
Move-On.org crowd screamed “we own you” to the DNC after Kerry’s 2004
defeat, they meant it and they’re not going to be happy with a
non-offensive, vanilla political agenda by the Democrats. Just look at what
they tried to do to liberal Joe Lieberman for being on the other side of a
single issue. I’m sensing Rumsfeld, Cheney and Bolton investigative hearings
that would make a Soviet commissar proud.
9) “The Missing Linc” can go back to piddling with horseshoes. The
days of Lincoln Chafee holding conservatives hostage in the Senate are over.
Too bad the NRSC wasted seven figures on his political funeral.
10) The New Orleans Saints are 6-2! Truth be told, I’d prefer a Saints
victory in the Super Nowl over another two years of Denny Hastert as
speaker. The former would have much more meaning. If you’re not a Saints
fan, dwell upon something else that conjures happy thoughts -- the strong
economy, Saddam Hussein’s conviction, Britney dumping K-Fed, just think of
anything. Unless you see a swarm of toads hopping your way, this ain’t the
end of the world.
1992 was a defining moment for the GOP when the politics of “compromise at
all costs” was replaced with a brazen adherence to conservative principles
in 1994. Republicans should use these two years of exile to remember why
the party enjoyed success with Reagan and Gingrich and work towards becoming
the conservative party again.