Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting.

Daniel 5:27

First and few questions need to be answered and then we can look to the future.

So why, why Cowboy, did the Republicans loose control of the House and most likely the Senate in last nights election? Simple, they deserve to loose. If I had to use one word to describe congressional republicans it would be arrogant. The Republican leadership in the House and Senate became fat, dumb and happy, not to be confused with 'fat, drunk and stupid' that would be Ted Kennedy, and he won last night.

After September 11th 2001, the congressional republicans rode the wave of patriotism and resolve of the American people to gain seats in the first mid-term election and again in 2004. This support for the party was interpreted as support for each individual member of congress. In their arrogance they overspent, underworked and above all would not listen to the people who elected them. After a few years in office and a few re-elections under their belt, the republicans lost touch with America and filled their own heads with happy talk.

They love me, my constituents won't care if I take money from lobbyists and funnel it to my family members. They won't care if I vote to increase spending across the board. They won't care if I create a huge Medicare entitlement that will strap future generations with ever increasing debt. They won't care if I look the other way at members of my party who are crooked or perverted. And they certainly won't mind if I turn my back on the President and the people to side with democrats on critical issues like warrentless wiretaps, terrorist detainees and judicial nominees. My people love me.
Wrong'o.

While the media and the left will point to losses like Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania and say that Americans soundly rejected conservative ideals, don't let that fool you. Santorum ran into a buzz saw of anti-republican sentiment, an opponent with great name recognition and an electorate that wanted change. In fact, if you look at a good portion of the democrats who took seats held by republicans they are socially conservative, pro-life and pro-gun rights. Not exactly Pelosi liberals. Not a single seat that changed hands was taken by a democrat who ran on a platform of higher taxes, immediate withdrawal from Iraq and gay marriage. To be honest, it was hard to tell where some of these democrats stood on any issue, other than my opponent supports Bush and he knows Jack Abramoff. That was enough to win against republicans who spend like drunken sailors and who have the backbone of a jelly donut.

So what now? I have been thinking about the realities of the next two years. I cannot of course see into the future, however there are a few certainties that will come to pass. The first reality is amnesty for illegal aliens. The second will come sometime around the first of April, that will be buyers remorse. I give the honeymoon with Nancy and Jack Murtha until the end of March before we get the first of many, and I mean many, investigations. The first couple will be low hanging fruit. These will take the form of easily proven wrong doing by republicans in congress, the administration and Pentagon. Then the witch hunts begin. With a few scalps hanging from their lodge poles, the democrats will over reach and they will over reach big time.

The second part of this buyers remorse will be the chairmanships that will go to people so far out of the main stream that you can't cover up their true colors with all the makeup at MaxFactor. Just wait until the old guard liberals get on the Sunday shows and tell America what they actually believe. After two years of listening to the liberal leadership of the Democratic party like Nancy Pelosi, Jack Murtha, John Conyers and Charles Rangel, the folks who voted for change will long for the days of Bill Frist.

By the end of 2007 the democrats in red states will start running for cover. I predict the Nancy and Jack show will not be popular in red districts and they will not be stumping for these new democrats.

There is an opportunity for the republicans to clean house, starting with new leadership. If they elect a painted up version of the same pig that just got it's a#$ kicked, they will be digging a hole they will not get out of. What they need is conservatives who are, well, conservative. Leaders with fire in their eyes and a spine to look Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid in the face and tell them to go pound sand. Leaders who inspire the nation, not the people who have been in Washington the longest. Republican would do well to listen to the people who voted them into office. Ask them who they would like to see in a leadership position. That would be refreshing.

We will see.