Back when I was a much younger man, and in all honesty – a much heavier man, the world was different. Sometime in early November 1994, I arose one morning under the auspices of a government that at least in party principle represented my viewpoints. For forty years prior to that, the United States House of Representatives was firmly in the grasp of the Democrats. My high school years which were very formative years for my personal political ideology, and then the subsequent college years – along with a few years of real life – had all been under, what I considered the cloud of darkness of American liberalism – the Democratically controlled U.S. House.
For the past 12 years (which totals 60% of my adulthood), I have enjoyed – to varying degrees – the comfort of a Republican Government.
Tonight, that has changed. Fox News officially “called” the change at 11:19 p.m. EST this evening.
Tomorrow morning, I will not wake up under those auspices. I will wake up knowing that a more liberal House of Representatives is in place.
As Republicans, as conservatives – we get what we deserve. What started out as a great concept – ‘The Contract with America’ – has ended up in power grabbing and corruption. Conservatives are no longer committed to protecting human life, or to balancing the budget, or to reducing the Federal debt, or to reducing the size of government…. now, they are characterized (and rightly so) as being spendthrifts, earmarking funds for pet projects – all in an effort to keep power. They routinely make their children lobbyists – which surprisingly enough is not illegal. They’ve turned into those same Democrats who were the dark cloud over those long, cold forty years.
Perhaps, tomorrow will be a brighter day – and we will have learned a lesson.
Two final thoughts: “…power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” – Lord Acton
and, Go Dawgs!! 
Until we have federal term limits what you described will be the status quo regardless which party is in power. It matters not so much what ones idealogy is after they are elected, what matters is maintaining the power they have obtained-and that means spending money to in essence buy off those they need support from. It is pathetic and leads to pandering rather than someone who tries do what they think is right with no worries about keeping their job.
I am dissapointed and even disgusted by what I see from both parties. If the Libertarians weren’t so amoral and without political hope, I’d be in their camp all day long.