Conservatives have a much harder job: they have to defend the status quo and prevent change. But over time, change is inevitable. You can't keep it in check forever.

Republicans gained two governorships last night. Is it really a great victory? Obama made the mistake of politicking pretty hard for these Democrats, so the Right can say their defeat is a sign of America's dissatisfaction with Obama. It was a poor decision on the president's part, and he deserves criticism for not seeing the inevitable. Corzine was never going to win; the DNC in New Jersey has been its own worst enemy of late. It wouldn't matter if Obama had a spectacular first year in office. Corzine didn't have a chance.

But if you believe Republicans gained some momentum last night, you need to ask yourself this question: will it stop the Left's agenda? Momentarily, maybe, but I don't know how. Democrats gained a seat from New York that was Republican for over 100 years (ludicrously, some Fray rightwingers are high-fiving each other over this, as if this is some kind of sign of a resurgence of "real" conservatism).

The Screamers, the Teabagging Glenn Beck fanatics--these people are irrelevant. They are very noisy and obnoxious, so perhaps it is hard to remember this. They are not idealogues. They are worried about their Medicare coverage. They fear losing their social security. They wrap themselves in patriotic claptrap and talk about Gawd and country, but in the end, they want their entitlements like everybody else. How are these even remotely conservative?

The gay marriage vote in Maine was disappointing, but not really surprising. Anyway, the long term still belongs to liberals. The Left's pet issues won't go away; they'll keep coming back and coming back, and as the popular sentiment grows more tolerant (as it inevitably does in a free country), the Left will keep moving the lines. In twenty years, the status quo defended with passion by the Right will look a lot like the liberal agenda they're screaming against now.

Liberals will win, no matter which party is in charge. We've got time.

You are absolutely correct, Brit. The real underlying currents in this country - the aging of the population, the further diversifying of the country, the acceptance of things like gay marriage, legalization of marijuana, acceptance of abortion rights, environmental challenges, and an undying thirst for government goodies - all run against the so-called "conservative" agenda.

It is important, nonetheless, for there to be a health counter-voice to try to attempt to moderate any shift in a particular direction. That will take a healthy, thoughtful conservatism, not the hysterical, populist, anti-thought Palin GOP of today. The Republicans have a long, long road to hoe, and little wins like this one last night will only convince them that they need to continue down the Glenn Beck road, rather than the George Will road.

EarlyBird:

You are absolutely correct, Brit. The real underlying currents in this country - the aging of the population, the further diversifying of the country, the acceptance of things like gay marriage, legalization of marijuana, acceptance of abortion rights, environmental challenges, and an undying thirst for government goodies - all run against the so-called "conservative" agenda.

It is important, nonetheless, for there to be a health counter-voice to try to attempt to moderate any shift in a particular direction. That will take a healthy, thoughtful conservatism, not the hysterical, populist, anti-thought Palin GOP of today. The Republicans have a long, long road to hoe, and little wins like this one last night will only convince them that they need to continue down the Glenn Beck road, rather than the George Will road.

What I think is funny is that some of these righties are saying that health care reform is now dead...but Dems actually gained a seat in Congress out of New York.

Liberals will win in the end, but yes, we can't be complacent.

BritBailey:

Liberals will win, no matter which party is in charge. We've got time.

Whether you are right or not, and no matter which side of the political debate you are on, this is a refreshing attitude. Every election I have lived through is portrayed as The Most Important Election EVER - as if this is the one that will seal history forever. But then, lo and behold, two years later an even more important election follows.

And while Republicans certainly deserve to enjoy yesterday's wins, getting very excited would be foolish. 1994 was a vastly bigger victory, really a dramatic change, and it seemed absurd that the Democrats would keep the White House in two years. Except that they did.

Nothing has changed, nothing has been decided. These were just a couple of elections that will soon be forgotten by all but a few people. The game plays on.

Time...and History.

Even under Reagan, liberalism didn't lose...conservatism didn't win.

Reptilicus:

Time...and History.

Even under Reagan, liberalism didn't lose...conservatism didn't win.

By successfully divorcing "We, the People..." from "Government" in the minds of the American public, Reagan has completely and utterly dominated the political landscape for over 25 years. True, conservativism as a serious philosophy has not triumphed over liberalism--but Reagan won.