Is American really crying for a Political Realignment?

   “…we are clearly still in the public-strutting stage of this historic political realignment in the Capitol, with the Ohio leader of the House GOP majority showing that he heard that anti-establishment-campaign warning from voters and constituents alike.”(http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/washington/2010/11/john-boehner-obama-fox-news.html)  Although the Republicans ability to gain control of congress was the largest party shift in the House since 1948, I refuse to characterize it as a political realignment. A political realignment takes place when there is a great issue plaguing the country that results in a change in the majority party or a newly formed party takes control (Brady 14). The Republican’s ability to gain so many seats may leave some to believe that it was a “historic realignment” but in reality what was seen was the normal continuation of local politics that just so happened to result in the Republicans gaining control of the House. The fact of the matter, despite popular belief, there is no intense national crisis that is tearing the country apart nor did many people voting pattern behavior (Connecticut is still voting democrat and Texas is still republican) even though they claimed they were frustrated with the current condition of the country. The outcome of the congressional elections was nothing but the continuation of the norm just with the Republicans in the majority instead of the Democrats.

According to Fox news and House Speaker-elect John Boehner, (“obviously both intellect and un bias sources of information”) the recent GOP victory was a cry from the people for help because they were fed up with the establishment. Supposedly, the American people wanted to extend tax cuts for all, cease excessive spending, and create jobs so badly that they went out in droves to vote republican to stop the country from collapsing (refer to the link posted above) . However this was not the case. Even though these are among the few major issuing that influenced the outcome of the elections, currently there is no issue so great, so destructive that if there was not a change the people would be furious.

Also many voters continued to vote within party lines. There was no great flow of Democrats now voting Republican. NO! Most Democrats voted Democrat and most Republicans voted Republican. The reason why the Republicans were able to take control was because they were able to gain the vote of the Independents.

          In summary, there was no political realignment. America did not desperately cry for help.