The Rise of a More Conservative America

The Financial Times ^ | November 4, 2004 | Amity Shlaes

[quidnunc]

The outcome of the US election may look similar to that of 2000. But in reality, 2004 is fundamentally different.

The lessons of 2000 involved process — ballots, campaign finance, judicial rulings. The lessons of the 2004 election involve policy — or, to put it more precisely, the unpredicted victory of Republican and conservative policy. This victory has undermined some of the assumptions about the country that dominated election year, including the idea that the American right is essentially marginal and contemptible. And it is a victory that has been won on three fronts — foreign policy, social policy and economics.

Start with the breadth of the result. Mr Bush collected millions more votes than his opponent. He won more votes even than Ronald Reagan, until now the biggest vote-getter in presidential history. The Grand Old Party locked in its control of the House of Representatives, picking up seats in the south as old Democrats retired. Republicans also gained crucial seats in the Senate, defenestrating Tom Daschle of South Dakota, the minority leader. Those Democrats who did win office often did so with relatively conservative messages. And both Democratic and Republican voters backed numerous Republican or conservative ballot initiatives.

On foreign policy, the result tells us that Americans, like Europeans, are concerned about the world and America's actions in it. But that concern does not translate into the sort of large-scale doubt about Mr Bush's leadership that observers had predicted. It is obvious but still must be said: voters would not have turned out in record numbers for Mr Bush if they had thought his efforts to foster democracy in the Middle East were insane. And they would not have voted for him if they had thought he was the principal source of global instability.…

-snip-

[jdege]

defenestrating Tom Daschle of South Dakota

I don't think that's what's meant by "Broken Glass Republican".

[ModelBreaker]

Republicans also gained crucial seats in the Senate, defenestrating Tom Daschle of South Dakota, the minority leader.

Good image. He's needed defenestrating for a number of years now.

[Mark Felton]

His squeeky voice suggested to me he had been defenstrated quite some time ago.

[randog]

Thanks. I thought defenestrating was something akin to a cold-water enema.

[uncbob]

Let's see Reagan got way over 50% and Bush got 51% but we are more conservative

Don't compute

We been fighting the barbarians off the gates since Bush I

[The Man]

Actually, it means throwing someone out of a window.

[Jagman]

I think it's a line from that old Who song:

"Talkin' 'bout defenestration!"

[randog]

ROFLMAO!!

[GW and Twins Pawpaw]

Throwing is good!

[GeronL]

This victory has undermined some of the assumptions about the country that dominated election year, including the idea that the American right is essentially marginal and contemptible

These foreigners have no clue about our country.

[Straight Vermonter]

These foreigners have no clue about our country.

You are correct. They equate the right in the US to the right in their countries which are in fact marginal and are conteptible for their bigotry.

[k2blader]

We're not any more conservative than we used to be.

[jammer]

We're not any more conservative than we used to be.

Manifestly less conservative, as uncbob reminds us, like John the Baptist in the wilderness.

[Jack Black]

Interesting. BTW: Anyone else spot the error about the reaportionment. I sent them a short note on this.