[Sam the Sham]

The current Republican majority isn't likely to be defeated, or disappear, in the next few election cycles--though serious setbacks are always possible. But the party feels increasingly tired and corrupted by power, obsessed with fighting yesterday's battles and unwilling to adapt to the changing political landscape--a landscape that has changed, in many cases, precisely because of the party's past successes. Because of the GOP, most Americans no longer feel overtaxed; because of the GOP, rising crime rates no longer threaten the fabric of daily life; because of the GOP, the free market no longer buckles under the weight of government regulation. But in these very successes lie the seeds of potential defeat.

That is the point. The days of easy Reagan era landslides is over because the red button issues of the 80's (crime, taxes, commies) are worked to death. Bush damn near lost. He would have lost if the Democratic candidate hadn't been Thurston Howell III. The vital GOP state of Ohio was iffy because Bush has no economic message for the socioeconomic insecurity of non-college educated American workers in the era of globalization. Indeed, he plans to make their lives more miserable with a cheap labor agenda of illegals and job exporting free trade agreements.

[fallujah-nuker]

"That is the point. The days of easy Reagan era landslides is over because the red button issues of the 80's (crime, taxes, commies) are worked to death. Bush damn near lost. He would have lost if the Democratic candidate hadn't been Thurston Howell III. The vital GOP state of Ohio was iffy because Bush has no economic message for the socioeconomic insecurity of non-college educated American workers in the era of globalization. Indeed, he plans to make their lives more miserable with a cheap labor agenda of illegals and job exporting free trade agreements."

Very good analysis. Can you just picture what Reagan would have done with Kerry.

[BlackbirdSST]

That is the point. The days of easy Reagan era landslides is over because the red button issues of the 80's (crime, taxes, commies) are worked to death. Bush damn near lost. He would have lost if the Democratic candidate hadn't been Thurston Howell III. The vital GOP state of Ohio was iffy because Bush has no economic message for the socioeconomic insecurity of non-college educated American workers in the era of globalization. Indeed, he plans to make their lives more miserable with a cheap labor agenda of illegals and job exporting free trade agreements.

You've nailed it to the wall Sam. Good observations. Blackbird.