Balladeer's Blog

HERE AT BALLADEER’S BLOG I USED TO RUN THIS ITEM EVERY FEW YEARS. IT’S ABOUT THE WAY BOTH MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES – AND MANY OF THEIR VOTERS – DRASTICALLY OVERREACT TO ELECTION RESULTS. The words below have reflected my effort to cheer up the losing party and temper the gloating of the winning party ever since 2012. Here we go: 

“As an Independent Voter here in the United States you get to see this all the time. Permit me to recap some of the noteworthy – and utterly hilarious – overreactions of Democrats and Republicans to election results of the recent past.

“1986 – THE PANIC: The midterm elections in Republican Ronald Reagan’s second term went heavily against the Republicans. Democrats gloated that this proved that Ronald Reagan had been “rebuked for all time” and Republicans would have to be ashamed to even mention his name unless they were condemning him.   

“THE REALITY: In 1988 Reagan’s own Vice President – George H.W. Bush – was elected president by trouncing Democrat Mike Dukakis. *** Republicans gloated that this proved the Reagan Era would go on indefinitely. Democrats paniced about what they could do to be competitive in the future.

1992: Democrat Bill Clinton was elected president by trouncing George H.W. Bush about as badly as Bush had trounced Dukakis.

“1994 – THE PANIC: The midterm elections in Democrat Bill Clinton’s first presidential term went DRASTICALLY against the Democrats and in favor of the Republicans. Democrats paniced and insisted that this meant no second term for Bill Clinton and that in 1996 the Republicans would no doubt have the presidency plus both houses of Congress. Democrats were wallowing in despair wondering how they would ever again be viable in national elections. ***     Republicans credited Newt Gingrich’s Contract with America for their success and gloated that the heavy losses would teach Democrats to distance themselves from Bill Clinton and the Left if they wanted to be competitive in the future.

“THE REALITY: The Democrats GAINED congressional seats in the 1996 election and Bill Clinton won a second term by trouncing Republican Bob Dole.

“1996 – THE PANIC: After losing the presidential election in an embarrassing rout and losing seats in congressional races the Republicans paniced, convinced Newt Gingrich’s Contract with America was to blame for their reverses. Republicans were wallowing in despair wondering how they would ever again be viable in national elections. *** Democrats gloated that the heavy losses would teach Republicans to distance themselves from Conservatives and the Religious Right if they wanted to be competitive in the future. Continue reading →