No, 1986 was not a similar year. The Rats won Senate seats that we unexpectedly got in the landslide year of 1980. This year, the Rats won additional seats that they failed to win in what, for them, was the good Senate year of 2000. We also did not lose 32 or so seats in the House in 1986. Election 2006 was a horror, and short of a political earthquake that is almost impossible to foresee, we will not be able to repair the damage in 2008. Likely as not, it will get worse before it begins to get better.
Two silver linings: One, Bush is through as GOP leader, and deservedly so. Same with Frist and Hastert. Good riddance, chumps. Two, the American people will get a slightly better idea that it's really the Rats who are running things in this country. This was a hidden reality under the "Republican government" that accomplished almost nothing. Now it's out in the open. Are the American people smart enough to learn the appropriate lessons. Stay tuned. I wouldn't bet on it. But we can hope.
The blame for this rests squarely with national GOP leadership which completely abandoned the party base. Don't blame me I voted GOP, I hated to see the Rats take the House.