Do They Still Have It?

It’s been 16 years since the Republican takeover of congress in 1994. Hitherto the minority party in both chambers of congress, the Republicans surged to take over both; going from 44 Senators and 176 Reps to 52 and 230 respectively.

The Republicans capitalized on anxiety over President Clinton, then in the middle of his first term. More importantly the GOP mobilized its conservative base of support and pledge loyalty to the spirit of the Constitution with its Contract with America. Voters who had been frustrated over George Bush’s tax hike and failure to stick to conservative principles saw a newer, wiser GOP emerge in 1994.

Since then, however, the party has gone back to its old ways, like a dog returning to its vomit. George W. Bush was as much a failure as a president as his father; spending more than Clinton and racking up a massive debt while paying only lip-service to the voters who put him in office.

Obama’s 2008 election was a wake-up call, reminding us what is at stake if the GOP strays from its values. The election upset last night in Massachusetts by Scott Brown over his Democratic opponent shows the potential for a great rebound to the conservative values that put the GOP in power in 1994. The question is does the Republican leadership have what it takes? Can the GOP outgrow the Iraq War, support for big-business, and the daunting image of W. Bush’s failure?

The mid-term elections this November are, more than a critique of Obama’s disastrous presidency, a test for the Republican party. Last night’s upset in far-left Massachusetts shows that if they are true to their roots, they can reshape America’s political map in a big way. If not, it will be politics as usual.