There is something going on with Bush and the GOP but I can't figure it out.
It's almost as if the administration and the Senate Republicans have called it quits.
I worked my ass off supporting Bush and more local GOP candidates in my state, county, etc. While the national GOP was really really good, the state run side of things sucked.
When Bush won, we expected him, through the media, as well as other means, to really fight. Heck, he won cleanly, his party has leadership of the House and Senate, and he has been winning the war on terror.
Yet, when the mass media began to launch their all out effort to undermine the administration, the military, the war, the economy, and everything else good, the GOP has had no response.
From the top, they acted angry and feigned shock and surprise at Dem tactics but have done nothing meaningful to combat it.
It seems that GOP leadership, including Bush's team has made extraordinary efforts to get people to like them and to "get along." And its backfired miserably. Instead of learning their lesson, taking the gloves off and starting to fight toe to toe on what is RIGHT, what is TRUE, and what is REAL, they've simply limped away wimpering.
After the election, I needed a political break. So I took one. And I was in that mode right until there was hope of invoking the Constitutional option on judges. When the gang-rape of 14 brokered a "deal" that totally surpassed party leadership and the leadership did nothing in the form of retribution, I started to really get angry. Then the war, then the economy, then Katrina and then Roberts/Miers/Alito all happened. Even though we've weathered that really, really well, we got pummelled, and continue to get pummeled in the press, not just the mainstream press but other venues as well. I feel the fight starting to slip away. Anecdotally, I see those I worked with on the election, sitting home, not motivated at all by the party or the President to take up the fight and push forward.
And at the same time, I see the left quietly, but effectively organizing well and preparing for 2006. Yet, we continue to underestimate them assuming they can't win because they have no ideas. 2006 won't be about ideas. It will be about turnout. And right now, we're not winning that game.
They seem to be paving the way for Dems to take over in '08. It is the Clintons' turn in the WH again, after all :(