It is important that the Republicans realize that conservatism didn't lose on Tuesday. George Bush lost the middle of the road conservative leaning voters(security moms, soccer moms, suburban middle class, not the true conservative Republican base)on Tuesday and took the party down with him. It happened to Clinton in 94 (when he lost the same voters), it happened to GWB Tuesday.
This group is fickled and not beholden to any particular political party. They are mostly fiscally conservative, family oriented and socially moderate. They can't be swayed with flag burning amendents and while they vote in favor of Gay marriage bans at the state level, they don't believe it is federal issue. As a group they are mostly pro-life with exception, but saw no reason for the federal grandstanding in the Schaivo case and aren't sure they want Roe overturned. They have historically voted pocketbook, but since 9/11 have added national security to the list. As a group they support the administration on the wiretaps, interrogation issues and fighting terrorism, but have grave misgiving about why we are in Iraq and where our Iraq policy is headed. They are strong on illegal immigration, jobs and cultural issues. They sense a change in the cultural that they are not totally comfortable with centered on job outsourcing and what they see as a growing Hispanic influence even in small towns from the midwest to the deep south. Their votes are up for grabs every election cycle and they will vote for the candidates that listens to and addresses their concerns the best. We can win these people on a regular basis with a sound fiscal policy, a strong, sensible, defensible foreign policy and a strong cultural message.
I know these people. I live with them, work with them and talk to them everyday. They are well educated, hardworking, middle to upper middle class, and definitely not policy wonks or political junkies, but they are natural Republicans, and if we offer them a viable choice they will almost always vote that way. However when we govern as liberal democrats and they don't see much difference between the parties they can easily be swayed to vote for the other side. Add this group to our conservative base and the fiscally conservative, socially more liberal young urban voters and we become a strong majority. Kiss off any of these groups espcially the base and the right leaning moderates and we are toast.
They will be beholden to pelosi.
Why don't you take a walk down to your local used car lot. You seem to enjoy the experience of being snookered.
One of the better "who/why we lost" summaries I've seen in the last few days.