Sidney Blumenthal: Republicans Still Carry the Scars of 1994
[Sidney Blumenthal is a former Clinton aide and the author of "How Bush Rules: Chronicles of a Radical Regime".]
Despite the superficial similarities, the Republican party after its midterm election victories is not in the same position of prestige and strength it was after those of 1994. Then it was held in favour by 67% of the voters, according to the Pew poll, while the CNN exit poll conducted on election day 2010 found its favourability rating at 41%, below that of the Democratic party at 43%.
The voters now have made a judgment on the economic state of the nation. Another poll showed that 55% did not believe that if elected the Republicans would enact Republican policies. Though the electorate also did not embrace the Tea Party and its candidates – a majority of those affiliated lost for the House of Representatives and nearly all those running for the Senate were defeated – this movement lent the Grand Old Party the patina of something new and different. Yet the voters were not embracing Tea Party nostrums, such as privatising social security and abolishing Medicare. They were simply voting for change in their economic conditions....
Read entire article at Guardian (UK)
Despite the superficial similarities, the Republican party after its midterm election victories is not in the same position of prestige and strength it was after those of 1994. Then it was held in favour by 67% of the voters, according to the Pew poll, while the CNN exit poll conducted on election day 2010 found its favourability rating at 41%, below that of the Democratic party at 43%.
The voters now have made a judgment on the economic state of the nation. Another poll showed that 55% did not believe that if elected the Republicans would enact Republican policies. Though the electorate also did not embrace the Tea Party and its candidates – a majority of those affiliated lost for the House of Representatives and nearly all those running for the Senate were defeated – this movement lent the Grand Old Party the patina of something new and different. Yet the voters were not embracing Tea Party nostrums, such as privatising social security and abolishing Medicare. They were simply voting for change in their economic conditions....