Yes, But Will They Listen?

Frank Luntz accurately summarizes the electorate's mood following the midterm elections...

First, a warning to both sides. Republicans, for their part, must realize that the voters have given them a reprieve, not an endorsement. In my polling last week, GOP voters agreed with this statement by more than two to one: "I am willing to give the Republicans another chance, but if they mess up again, I'll vote them out again, too." That's hardly a cause for GOP celebration.


Similarly, Democrats must grasp that their defeats were not about deficient personalities or insufficient communication, but about their philosophy and substance. Roughly two out of three voters agreed with the statements that President Obama "has failed to deliver hope and change" and that in the midst of an economic crisis, Democrats "had their priorities wrong."


The post-midterm realities are simple: If the Republicans don't deliver on their promises, they're finished. If the Democrats continue doing what they're doing, they're finished.

Of course, this being Washinton, it's likely both parties ignore the warnings. The Democrats have already given off signs that they think the election was merely a referendum on the economy and/or the result of poor messaging by them. The GOP thus far is at least making the right noises, but they're capable of forgetting why they were sent to D.C. Hopefully, the Tea Party continues to hold their feet to the fire.