Well, everyone has to start somewhere, so I might as well start with last Tuesday’s elections.

Conservatives, unlike most liberals, can face the facts, and the fact is that Republicans are no longer in control of the legislative branch of the United States government because far too many of them went native. Too many Republicans ended up wanting to be liked by the Beltway media. At the same time, truly conservative Republicans found themselves towing the party line and supporting a "compassionate conservative" president who embraces more spending and bigger government. The true conservatives might have been better off voting their principles instead, but that horse has already left the barn, so there’s no use pondering it now.

The popular opinion in the media right now is that Iraq was one of the reasons, if not the main reason, why Democrats took back the House and the Senate. Too many voters perceive that we are in a quagmire in Iraq. Why is that? It’s not only easy but accurate to blame the mainstream media for this. Don’t believe me? Then visit some military blogs or go find yourself some veterans who have served in Iraq and ask them if the big three networks and CNN are presenting an accurate picture of our progress there. The men and women who were there will not only tell you the picture is inaccurate, but that it is frustrating. Every day our military personnel are risking their lives to make life better for Iraqis, most of who are grateful for what we have done and are doing, and that should be presented to the American public. Outside of the new media and FOX News, though, this information has not been reaching Americans, many of whom voted for Democrats on 11-7.

Right about now, though, some of those voters may be wondering, "What the heck did I do?"

For the past two days, FOX News has been showing a Newsweek poll conducted on November 9-10 that indicates that 78% of Americans are either somewhat or very nervous that America may withdrawal from Iraq too soon. People wanted change, and perhaps some "fresh eyes" are needed right now, but Americans don’t want a disaster. Pulling out of Iraq before the new government is stable and its security forces are able to protect its citizens would be just that. And, if this Newsweek poll is accurate, withdrawing from Iraq would also be a disaster for Democrats, since such a move would be contrary to what many of the people who voted them into power wanted them to do.

Not that this may matter. Contrary to popular belief, politicians do not always listen to their constituents. Heck, sometimes politicians do not always care what their constituents are telling them. Just a few short months ago, thousands of Americans inundated their representatives in Washington about the problem of illegal immigration. Americans wanted this problem tackled, but a Republican-controlled Congress ignored these demands. When it became apparent that Americans didn’t appreciate being snubbed, the Republican-controlled Congress got around to working on the problem, but by then it was too late.

Not that the Democrats are going to be any better. During the recent campaign, the Dems wisely supported a number of candidates who could at least appear to be moderate or conservative in areas where Reagan Democrats and moderate Republicans made up the majority of voters. However, now that the Dems are in power, San Francisco liberal Nancy Pelosi, a shoe-in for Speaker of the House, has snubbed the more moderate Democrat Steny Hoyer for the extreme liberal John Murtha (an unindicted co-conspirator in that blast from the past, the Abscam scandal of 1978-1980) to be the House Majority leader. The same John Murtha who wants an immediate withdrawal of military forces from Iraq, and who has not been shy about suggesting that the Marines and soldiers serving there are murderers (See "Murtha: Marines Murdered 15 Unarmed Iraqi Civilians at http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/archives/2006/05/murtha_marines_murdered_15_unarmed_iraqi_civilians/).

The facts facing Americans as of today, November 14, 2007, are these. Beginning in January 2007, Democrats will control the House of Representatives and the Senate for at least two years. (There are some rumors flying about the talk-radio circuit that Senator Joe Lieberman -- who is on the record as going to Iraq, seeing "real progress there," and arguing that our troops must stay there (http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110007611)-- might consider caucusing with the Republicans if he felt the situation demanded it, since that would effectively give the Republicans control of the Senate, but I think this happening is unlikely at best.) The Democratic leadership during these two years is shaping up to be very left-wing, not moderate, in spite of the fact that the Dems came to power on the strength of moderate and even a few conservative voters. As a result, a majority of Americans are nervous the Democrats will make matters worse in Iraq by withdrawing our troops too soon, an opinion the Democratic leadership will likely not care about.

What will the House and Senate do over the next two years? No one can say for sure on November 14, 2007, but I am willing to make one fairly safe prediction, and that is if the new Democratic leadership has its way, most Americans are not going to like it.