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For some - the belief is that the public just didn't "hear the message" - not that the message is wrong, just not heard (usual culprit, of course, is the "liberal" media). For these fools, there are lessons to be learned. One needs to look no further than the trouble ole Mitt Romney is having launching his presidential campaign - instead of tacking center (which his former positions and statements on policy suggest) he has tried to lurch further to the right (no lessons learned there!) only to have the religious right to begin to turn on him based on those old policies/positions that were more moderate.
It really depends how beholden the particular republic in congress is to the religious right - and how righteous they think that they are. I think many have come to power during the partisan jihadistic rule of Newt and DeLay - and that they know no other way of behaving than backing up the 'leader' and throwing bombshells at any dem for any reason. Its sorta knee jerk with them.
Just yesterday in either the NYT or the WaPo (or was it Time?/Newsweek) an article on the Dem leadership promise to rule with more decorum and less partisan 'shut-outing' (the other side from the entire process) the house minority leader said that if the dems live up to their promise to let the repubs introduce legislation and amendments for debate - that the repubs will be sure to push some (read social conservative/bushian crap) items to force moderate dems into votes that could be used in the next elections (think flag burning amendment, think anti-gay marraige amendment and the like). Doesn't sound like 'lessons learned' to me.
Some will show some independence, to be sure. And bush's agenda items will face some defections. But the beginning evidence makes it seem that it will be more the exception (to defect and/or go against bushco) than the rule. Foolish politics - but they are republics, afterall...
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