Big Thumbs Down!

As Tallyrand reportedly said about the last Bourbon rulers of France: "They have learned nothing and forgotten nothing."

A message was sent this past Tuesday. You heard it. I heard it. While we may debate the interpretation, the actions of each party afterward are of note. My take is that the folks in the middle told the Republicans "Enough. Leave." I do not believe they said "We want Democrats!" It was simply a case of "We do not want you." Maybe some time for reflection and a review of the failed policy. Yeah, right. Let us look at the past week and reflect...Ken Mehlman out as RNC chair replaced by Mel Martinez. "Our" president scurrying to be part of the "in" crowd and offering immigration as the olive branch. Compromise on immigration...we KNOW what Bush wants. Finally today, we learn that Trent "I Love Pork" Lott is back as in a Senate leadership post. The message from the GOP is perfectly clear, get ready for more of the same!

The country has had enough of "Compassionate Conservatism". The GOP leadership has not. John Hawkins has a great piece up today on the current course of the GOP leadership. He states:

In other words, if you're looking for signs that the GOP is getting back to its conservative roots in Washington, there aren't many to be seen right now. That's bad news because this election wasn't about it being the "Democrats' turn" to take power or about liberals fooling people by pretending to be moderates, it was a referendum on the sort of big government Republicanism that has taken root in Washington—and the verdict on "compassionate conservatism" turned out to be a big thumbs down.

Maybe the Republicans do need another "thumpin" in 2008. Unless they once again show they are the party of Ronald Reagan that will probably be the case.

....and then we have the Democrats. John Murtha.....ahh, never mind. I just don't have the stomach for it, yet.