Election Thoughts, Part II

My biggest concern in the wake of the election is that the Republicans learn the right message from their defeat. This concern was at the heart of my last post which pointed out that conservatism actually did quite well this election since liberalism had to dress up like it to win as big as it did. The clearest statement I have seen that shows a Republican leader learned the lesson is from Mitt Romney:

Americans spoke last night and Republicans are listening. Americans have not become less conservative, but they believe some Republicans have. As a party, we need to remember who we are and the principles that have always led our party and our country to success.

We must return to the common sense Reagan Republican ideals of fighting for hard working Americans, lowering taxes, shrinking government, curbing out-of-control spending, promoting the traditional values of faith, family and freedom, and providing a strong national security with all the necessary tools to protect the American people and win the War on Terror. (Read all of it here)

The biggest problem presented by the changeover in Congress is that the appointment of judges, particularly Supreme Court justices, just got very dicey. And of course, this problem is compounded by the refusal of the Republicans to use the so-called "nuclear option" and vote to get rid of the ridiculous filibuster rule that turns the nomination of justices from a simple majority (as explicitly stated in the CONSTITUTION[!] by the way) into a super majority. So now, rather than pulling together 51 votes for a justice, Bush faces filibuster with any worthwhile (originalist) nominee. Thanks John McCain.