Lessons Learned?

So it is the morning after an awkwardly mild election cycle (which happens in odd off years like 2009). I think there are a few things we can take away from yesterday's vote.
1. Apparently the Republican Party is not yet dead. The GOP has been crumbling since 2004 when George W. Bush was re-elected President, and the decline seemed to reach it's zenith (can a decline have a zenith?) in the recent election of Presidnet Obama and the sweeping majorities garnered in both Houses of Congress. However, almost one year into his Presidency and the only legislation signed by President Obama has been morsels of token liberal agenda items. TARP and the Bailout's have been passed by this administration but I can assure you that that was not something the President ever fathomed having to do as part of his administration's agenda. He imagined spending that money on Healthcare and other social justice causes... not on banks and car companies (though the "little" venture may ultimately help the Democrats succeed in other areas). The reason the President's agenda has gone unfulfilled? Me and you. The American citizen has complained just loud enough for Democrats in moderate and conservative districts to get the picture. If they want to keep their jobs and continue to help mold the American agenda they cannot be seen as supporting overreaching Healthcare legislation. They must maintain at least a semblance of detachment and wariness about "BIG" government and more spending. I have my doubts about whether or not "Blue Dogs" really disagree with the size and scope of Healthcare legislation being pushed by the likes of Nancy Pelosi and President Obama but whatever their reasons (whether just or spineless) it is thanks to moderate democrats that the legislation has not passed. The problem for Democrats is that many Americans are starting to get itchy trigger fingers for their ballot boxes. Joe Middle America wants to vote tomorrow to get his current Congressman out of Washington... and this is good news for the Republican Party seeing as there are so few of them in Washington today. So, why hasn't the GOP died yet? Address your thank you notes to the Democrat Party care of Barack Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid. If not for the Triumverate in DC... the GOP would be toast.
2. It's ok to vote for third party candidates. Though it appears that Doug Hoffman of the Conservative Party has lost NY-23 (by a slim margin), if you look past the election there is perhaps a much more important story here. Dede Scozzafava had been the Republican's choice for this seat prior to dropping out just days before the election (and then voicing her support for Bill Owens, the Democrat), but many Republican voters (who identify more as conservative than Republican) would not vote for the definition of a RINO (Republican in Name Only). By most measures Scozzafava was more liberal than her Democrat opponent, how in the name of Ronald Reagan, did the Republican Party let that happen? To show their angst at the GOP machine voters in the NY-23 chose a third path... Doug Hoffman. I don't know if this will trend around the country but I have to believe that more voters will at least seriosuly consider the idea of voting Third Party after Hoffman's stunning campaign. And folks... this is a good thing. Neither party really cares about what their constituents think or want... the only time they care is when it costs them money or votes. It is high time the American public start forcing the two major parties to pay the piper... let your local party representatives know that their decision making will COST them... and the cost is your money and your vote.
3. I am tired of "moderates". Moderate make me sick. Moderates are dithering. Moderates are squishy. Booooooooooo moderates.
I would rather debate and argue with a flaming liberal or a raging conservative than "discuss" the current political climate with a moderate. Do you know why moderates are moderate? Because they can't make a stinking decision and they don't want to offend anyone. Moderates have thrown away intellectual honesty for what feels right. Moderates have discarded the logic and reason centers of their brains for the "which way is the wind blowing" portion of their hearts. For example: Olympia Snowe Republican from Maine is a moderate. She is not socially conservative, so she must be fiscally conservative, no? No. She voted for the bailouts and is currently considering supporting massive Healthcare legislation. What part of Senator Snowe is conservative? Nothing. Not an ounce. What part is liberal? I think most liberals would say... nothing, not an ounce. Olympia Snowe is the epitome of what is wrong with Moderates, they stand for nothing. I'd rather deal with Barney Frank, at least then I know what I should expect.
4. Lastly, I am sick of the "Big Tent". And hopefully so are you. Look, I am not vain enough to believe that my party will think and act exactly as I do on every issue. That would mean that I was in a party of one... I mean, my wife is my biggest supporter and she and I disagree all the time. However, the Republican Party trying to make the tent so big that folks like Dede Scozzafava fit under it... is ridiculous. Scozzafava proved my point for me, when after dropping out of the race she endorsed the Democrat and seemed to have accepted a deal from NY Party leaders to become a Democrat politician in time for the next election cycle. Losing the Republican vote... is no skin off her nose, because the Democrats welcomed her with open arms. Just like they did with Arlen Specter (who if anyone has noticed has been more reliably Democrat since his switch then he was reliably Republican prior to his switch) and would do with any other RINO who decided to switch sides.
A "Big Tent" should be just big enough to fit folks under it who buy into the party platform. Moderates are welcome...liberals are not. You disagree on minor issues? Fine. You disagree on major issues? Sorry, we are probably not for you. No more Dede's, no more Arlen's. And while I am not well versed enough in Democrat Party politics... I would say the same for them. The major party's being more pure and reliable would be good for democracy. It would force those of us in the minority to vote 3rd Party consistently enough to force change (see the populist and progressive parties of the late 1800s early 1900s).
Real change, not token change like the meaningless words bandied about by politicians from both parties.

* HotAir finds other lessons.
* The GOP's $1 million dollar object lesson.
* Abortion activists get violent with old lady... Apparently they have problems with both ends of the life spectrum.
* Al Gore criminal Billionaire.
* Surprise, surprise the racists in Atlanta are deciding the mayoral race based on RACE!