[Poohbah]

In both cases, the GOP made major gains by putting forward a clear and conservative agenda.

In 1994, the Democrat base stayed home in droves. The Republican base was just less of a no-show.

[Austin Willard Wright]

Fair enough. Do you have any examples of where GOP "moderation" has worked in securing significant congressional gains? About the only example I can think of was in 1952 when the GOP just barely (despite Ike's landslide) took control of both Houses. All of this was lost in 1954 and the GOP did not take control of either house again until 1980.

[Austin Willard Wright]

P.S. You state that the Democratic base stayed home in 1994. Please note that they did this despite Newt's in-your-face contract with America. Why do you think they stayed home? If the me too advocates are right, one would have expected that Newt's "take no prisoners" strategy should have galvanized the left to turn out for the Democrats and thus overwhelm the right at the polls.

BTW, the fallacy of Dubya's approach this year is that he is paving the way for conservatives to stay home out of apathy and dismay and the likelihood that the moderates won't switch to him in sufficient numbers. Moderates, after all, are not known for being "galvanized." It is the ideological base (left and right) which matters the most.

[Harrison Bergeron]

Oops got the link. Thanks.