Matt’s right: The pundit class invariably reads way, way too much into the results of a single election.

Well when it fits their agenda anyway. Otherwise it doesn't mean anything.

The democrats came in, and won the congress, but that doesn't mean that they are still a national party, or rather are still a national party but in a state of decay. The Dem's were able (thanks to outrageously ridiculous coverage of foreign policy by the media, I'm sorry, the coverage is unbelievably abusive of America) to make the War, to make donations to indonesia, to make Katrina (one of the largest re-building grants in the history of the world, I think that only the marshall plan, and nero's rebuilding of the burning of the christian portions of rome match or exceed in inflation related dollars) and every little pissant scandal into a national issue.

The Dem's are scraping every dark area (some fairly, some unfairly) from "macaca," a word I have never heard or read in my life, to foley, who was no longer a congressman, to ARGH! I forget his name, the corrupt ace pilot from vietnam who lost his job and is probably going to jail, to tancredo's (currently crazy) anti-ILLEGAL-stance, (though dobbs should be polishing tancredo's nob) and "haliburton" whatever thats supposed to me, to israel's self defense action against hezbollah (not pre-emptive) to every foreign policy issue,and every domestic (if it's republican) scandal on the planet.

The dems succeeded by nationalizing the 'pubs, and by moving to the center in their own party, while ignoring the democratic scandals, with blatantly complicit action on the part of the media. Even Fox didn't bother cuz noone wanted to hear about verifiable voter fraud in michigan, or missouri.

The dem's only bought themselves time. The 'pubs are a national party, but the true center, is so whishy, that they forgot that they are more washy, this time around.

I'm just say'n

Hey, drawing strawman caricatures of my philosophical opponents and burning them to the ground comes almost naturally. Maybe I could write a political column for the Washington Monthly too!

The country is split 50/50 Democrat/Republican. It is that way because each party adjusts and moves to the center, where ever that center is at the time. I doubt any party will ever gain a huge majority in congress again.

The recent gains by the Democrats tended to be with moderate or conservative candidates. Many of the Republican candidates hold positions counter to what conservatives expect. Some Democrats act like Republicans and some Republicans act like Democrats. Who can tell what they are anymore?

Let's see how the Democrats perform controlling congress, then we might see a shift back the other direction.

This sounds like pundits talking just to hear themselves speak.

And in general, voting is going to have more of a swing than anything fixed with a few exceptions.

I do think the GOP will have it tough in New England, but then it has always been tough for the GOP here.

Over confidence among democrats that the GOP is now relegated to the South will in the end harm their party. I think it was all the talk of "permanent majority" that started some people balking as it was, I don't think anyone likes the idea of a permanent majority except for the absolute strongest party faithful and the people of Massachussette's who will mostly seem to elect the GOP governor for affect.