In 2010, the Republicans won an election. A special election, in a traditionally democrat area. It was hailed as the end for Obama's plan and many a Republican announced that Obama must change his stances as he had lost an election (the sheer irony and hypocrisy of that left anyone with any objectivity gasping for breath). Later that year the Republicans would win more elections, enough to seize control of the House and revitalize their party. They did so by turning further right.A Democrat has won an upset victory in a traditionally Republican House constituency in the state of New York.
Kathy Hochul defeated Jane Corwin in a special election seen by analysts as a referendum on a Republican proposal to overhaul the Medicare health programme.
The district in western New York had been held by Republicans for decades.
Democrats hope the result illustrates wider voter distaste for Republican plans to cut entitlement programmes as a way to reduce the federal deficit.
Republicans had presented their plan to revamp the Medicare programme as a necessary budget-cutting effort.
Ms Hochul, the Erie County Clerk, won with 47% of the vote to 43% for Ms Corwin, a Republican state legislator. A third candidate, wealthy conservative Jack Davis, took 9%.
The seat became empty in February when Republican Christopher Lee resigned after it emerged he had sent photographs of himself shirtless to a woman he had met on the internet.
Since winning control of the US House of Representatives in November, largely by promising to reign in government spending, the Republican Party has united behind a proposal to dramatically reform the Medicare healthcare programme for older Americans by requiring programme participants to pay more for care.
The party said the changes were necessary to control spiralling cost increases.
Ms Corwin backed the plan, and Ms Hochul made criticism of that support a centrepiece of her campaign.
Ms Hochul's tactic appeared to work, with large numbers of Republican voters crossing party lines to back her.
Republicans still maintain a significant majority in the House of Representatives, but analysts say party leaders may have to reassess how they use their Medicare proposal in the 2012 campaign.
I mentioned many moons ago that 1 of the 3 options open to them was radicalization, where they seek to move away from their opposition, in this case by trekking further out into the right wing. America saw the results of that over the last couple months since the elections.
They saw it in Wisconsin where at least 6 Republican state officials are looking at their political doom in a recall. Because of the harsh and illegal actions of the governor and their aiding and abeding of them.
They saw it in Michigan, where despite a lack of support by the local democrat party, recalls are still being pursued.
They saw it in the Paul Ryan budget which led to scenes of bitter town hall revolts against Republicans.
Having called up the radicals, the Republicans could not control them and within months overreached. Because the radicals saw their election has a carte blanche to rewrite American Society and failed to realize Americans don't want a massive rewrite of their nation. They want their jobs back.
As we move through 2011 the Republicans may recover from this but from what I've seen I doubt it. The Radicals have responded to this in many cases by putting their heads down and vowing to push harder. That said, it's a long time until November 2012 so let's not get to excited.
Still Democrats, remember this if you win 2012, Americans are looking for whoever can bring their jobs back. Not for someone to make radical changes in the nature of society.
