The Democratic victory is only temporary

And here's why.

You just can't govern on an agenda consisting of hating President Bush.

Even in victory, the Democrats are devoid of new ideas and riddled with internal strife. It would be a mistake to assume that a temporary victory rooted in a reaction against the Republicans- and largely against a lame-duck Republican president- predicts long-term prosperity for the party of Henry Wallace and George McGovern and Jimmy Carter.

The Democrats have long since ceased to be the party of FDR, Harry Truman, JFK, and Lyndon Johnson.

A sample of the article:

The Democrats are in an untenable political position because most of their votes come from Americans who want to protect and preserve our civilization, while their intellectual and financial support comes principally from people who want to destroy it. This coalition can’t last. The effort to keep all their constituent parts together has already twisted the Democrats into knots and their situation will only get worse.

And another:

The Democrats’ most immediate problem is Iraq. Congress probably can’t force a retreat from Iraq, and if Pelosi and Co. try to do so they’ll pay a heavy price with sane voters of every political stripe for the effort. Very few Americans relish defeat. But if Democrats don’t at least try to engineer an American defeat in Iraq, their base will desert them in disgust.

Winning control of Congress may be the worst thing to happen to the Democrats in a long time- worse even than the string of electoral defeats which preceded it.

Will Rodgers memorably once remarked, "I am not a member of any organized political party. I am a Democrat." It's truer now than ever. Divided on every major issue and at odds with the American people about the agenda of its own base, the Democrats are in big trouble- and it will soon be apparent just how big. Running against George W. Bush is one thing; articulating and advancing a coherent and politically viable program will be quite another.

No, fellow Republicans. Don't slit your wrists. We'll be winning again sooner, rather than later- and our most powerful asset is the mess of self-destructive contradictions that just won control of Congress, and simply cannot be a viable competitor for the votes of the American people when they have specific proposals and an actual record to defend.

HT: Real Clear Politics; Graphic: iHillary