Analysis: Despite setbacks, long term trends may favor GOP

[Barrett808]

Analysis: Despite setbacks, long term trends may favor GOP
Friday, September 30, 2005
By Ronald Brownstein, Los Angeles Times

WASHINGTON -- John G. Roberts Jr. is in. Tom DeLay, at least temporarily, is out.

That contrast encapsulates the uneven advance of Republican Party efforts to build a lasting conservative majority in U.S. politics.

After an election in 2004 that consolidated their hold on the White House and Congress, Republicans have suffered through a year of missteps and bad news -- such as this week's indictment of DeLay, the House majority leader from Texas -- that have stirred Democratic hopes of a revival.

And yet, even as poll numbers sag for the GOP, Republicans continue to entrench their control of federal power -- a progression spotlighted by yesterday's lopsided Senate confirmation of Roberts, who as chief justice may tilt the Supreme Court rightward for a quarter-century or more.

These dueling developments capture a Republican ascendancy that looks enduring from some angles and fragile from others, like concrete that hasn't quite set.

(more)

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05273/580273.stm

[melody]

1. the wire service cut another piece earlier in the same vein

Sounds like the spinsters are trying to make hay while the indictments are still hanging.

[NEOBuckeye]

2. If the US Right Wing wins, America and all Humanity will lose

Ignorance Kills
http://www.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,12374,1546824,00.html

[neuvocat]

3. Only if the dems let it happen.

Quite frankly, after seeing how angry a lot of conservatives have gotten, I don't think the GOP stands a chance anymore.

[depakid]

4. It's Brownstein- the West Coast Fineman

Not only is his reasoning usually specious (and his analysis usually wong)- but he's such a shameless panderer in the way he colors his copy, that I guessed this was his column before I even saw the artcle.

[Barrett808]

6. Great observation, thanks. n/t

[Demeter]

5. If Roberts Is Expected to Lead the GOP Revolution While the GOP

sinks slowly in the oceans of failure, then Roberts, like the smart cooky he is, will abandon the effort. He's a kiss-ass, not an idiot.

[MasonJar]

7. Then I hope to move to the south of France or maybe Tuscany

because I do not like the Pug America. However, I do not believ that these blockheads have really won. We must get responsible elections; then and only then the populace will decide on a level basis which party they want for any given election.

[phantom power]

8. Long-term trends always favor "reality-based" government.

In that sense, the current incarnation of the GOP is doomed in the long-term. Hopefully they don't take the rest of the country, or the world, down with them.

The arc of history is long, but it bends toward reality!

[Alcibiades]

9. Republican version of EDM

Judis & Teixeira's influencial book, "The Emerging Democratic Majority," wherein they make exactly the opposite claim, i.e. that prevailing social geographic and demographic trends favor Democrats. The authors have also put up a swell site that summarizes their book & has a blog:

http://www.emergingdemocraticmajorityweblog.com/donkeyrising/