[LS]

Your current analysis is as lame as a three-legged dog. But your history is even worse. What "Constitutional" Republican Party are you talking about?

If it was the party of Lincoln, that party instituted an income tax, a tariff, gave RRs subsidies, and established public colleges. I love Lincoln, for a lot of reasons, but these ain't them. There is no such thing as the "Constitutional Republian" party you claim to remember.

The two most "constitutional" presidents of the last 100 years are Grover Cleveland and Calvin Coolidge.

Now, as to the main thread, I wish it were true, but I think it hopelessly optimistic to think that incumbents will lose more than 5% of the races---that is the historical trend.

[fogarty]

I never claimed the GOP was the perfect party. There WAS a time however, that the GOP believed in the sanctity of human life, a reduction in the federal bloat (AND elimination of the Dept of Education), and a commitment to limiting government power.

The GOP now is a merely dim reflection of the democrats - and its cowardly knack for compromising on EVERY principle has shown me that it is just a slower road to hell.

[altair]

Now, as to the main thread, I wish it were true, but I think it hopelessly optimistic to think that incumbents will lose more than 5% of the races---that is the historical trend.

Yup. It will get even worse if Bush signs the Incumbent Protection Bill.