It's The Democrats Turn
by David Morrell

In the election of 1929, the Labour Party took control of the British Parliament. Winston Churchill reflected on the victory of the Socialists over the Conservative Party and posited three reasons why the Conservatives lost; two are especially germane to a discussion concerning the 2006 election.

The first was “the natural desire for change after four and a half years of steady but unexciting administration.” In our case, it was nearly twelve years of Republican majorities in Congress that eventually tired the patience of the American electorate.

The second reason for the loss was “the prolonged campaign of disparagement leveled against [the Prime Minister] by the powerful popular Press.” This again is true for last week’s election. Democrats did not so much stand for something as they stood against Bush and the Republicans. With the help of the media, the Democrats have charged them with mismanagement of the War on Terror, domestic wiretapping abuse, and a long list of other distasteful policies and practices. I can still hear the old lines of Cindy Sheehan and the neo-sixties radicals lining Michigan Avenue: “Bush lied, thousands died”; “WMD”; “No Blood for Oil.” Not to mention the more discreet ones from other, “more legitimate”, sources.

Some may posit additional reasons for the Republican loss last week: Rahm Emanuel’s “brilliant” campaign strategy; the Republican failure to highlight their successes; the so-called “quagmire” in Iraq. But what does this all suggest?

Many have held this election as a victory of Democratic principles over those of the Republicans. But, one must not hold this idea too tightly. It is important to remember that despite the Republican losses in Congress, conservatives achieved some important successes in state and local elections across the country. Ballot measures like those asking voters to weigh in on marriage were responded to overwhelmingly in favor of traditional marriage. Others suggests a desire in the people for fiscal restraint.

This suggests hope.

The Democrats must now rule. New situations are bound to arise; new solutions will be required. They have convinced many that the problems of our age can be solved by an election, by simply casting a ballot for the Democratic Party. But the nature of things rejects such a simple answer.

To improve the country is done only through years of effort and toil and labor. Look how long it has taken civilization to arrive where it has. Improvement can be achieved neither by anti-Bush slogans nor by simply pointing out that the ones leading the country are not perfect. Rather, change for the better requires a clear goal and the appropriate means of achieving it, neither of which the Democrats have offered. Their favored tool of criticism must eventually give way to real solutions. I imagine that they will find that it was much easier to criticize than to act. And so, on the shoulders of the Democratic Party now rest the burden of their promises, and the eyes of every American.

If you ask me, I think that the American people will soon find that they have replaced imperfect leaders with those who are more so. I do not think that they will long cast their ballots against the Republicans. Eventually, the true judge of time will make clear the difficulty of ruling and the need to restore conservative principles to our Capitol.