Editor,
It has now been more than a week since the midterm elections, and many Democrats are jumping for joy, as Republicans are in their own puddle of tears. But I would like to tell Republicans not to cry - many major polls suggest this year's election was not a vote for Democrats, but a vote against the war, a vote against Mark Foley and a vote against Republicans not acting like Republicans. We went away from what got us elected in 1994.
Democrats had a reason to vote, because they were mad at Bush; independents who normally vote Republican or don't vote at all decided to vote Democrat to show their disappointment in Republicans; and many Republicans just didn't vote.
All of us saw at least some of the political ads that Democrats were running. In New Mexico, it wasn't about voting for Patricia Madrid or what she brought to the table, but instead about voting against Heather Wilson, because she supported the war and President Bush. Although these ads didn't work in New Mexico - thank you for debates, that's all I have to say - they did work throughout the country. Areas that were normally Republican voted Democrat; areas that were neutral went to the left; and whole states that would never vote a Democrat into power did.
What does this mean for the next two years? Well, it's great, as far as I'm concerned. After the country has to deal with Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Ted Kennedy and Sen. Hillary Clinton ruling our country for the next two years, we will all realize what we did and how we messed up. Republicans and independents will gladly vote Republicans back into office in the next election.
Let's just hope that Republicans realize the mistakes they made now so that in two years they will be ready to go back to their beliefs - back to small government, lower taxes, more personal responsibility, better national security, tighter borders and all the other reasons why we believe in the GOP.
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So, rather than look at these next two years as the worst two years of our lives, let's look at them as two years to rebuild our party and give people a reason to vote again. Show people that higher taxes, anti-business legislation, open borders, pulling out of Iraq, universal health care and abortions on demand do not represent us.
Billy Gupton
Daily Lobo reader
