A Democratic realignment has begun.  Obama’s margins among decisive and growing constituencies make that clear. 

In the fastest growing demographic in America – Latinos – Obama received 66 percent support.  This is 10 percent points higher than John Kerry’s 2004 total.  In Colorado, New Mexico and Nevada Obama received significant backing from Latino voters.  And the effect was not only felt in the West. 

In Florida, where Latinos have always favored Republicans, they gave 57 percent of their vote to Obama. 

Latinos are not the only growing demographic that supported Obama.  Obama handily carried the 19 states where the highest percentage of voters have advanced degrees.  So the more educated you are, the more likely you were to vote Obama.  Strength for Obama in states like Virginia and North Carolina can be attributed to large numbers of highly educated professionals who’ve moved to those states over the past two decades.

Obama scored huge in every demographic that represents the future of this country – Latinos, educated and 18-29 year-olds. 

The Republican losses last Tuesday proves they are in worse shape than they’ve been in decades.  Their strongholds are getting squeezed.  The confinement of the Republican electorate to the predominantly rural areas is becoming more and more evident. 

This equals disaster for the Republican Party. It is the candidate that can win the educated, racially diverse, metropolitan voters that has a future in politics.  And the Democrats have taken great strides in winning over those demographics.

Obama promised within his first 100 days to address the issue of amnesty for immigrants.  He also promised, in the primaries, that illegal immigrants would be allowed to receive valid licenses if he was elected.  It is not unlikely that he will do both to garner appeal to the large and growing Latino voter class that proved so valuable in getting him elected President.  Obama, along with the Democratic Congressional majority, will continue to push legislation that encourages illegal immigration and validate immigrants already in the country to develop strongholds in those Southern and Mountain West states.

Obama also promised a college education for all.  If programs that make college available to all are created, this country will see a massive increase in the already growing educated voter class. 

Obama is, in essence, reproducing voters that favor him and the Democratic Party.  Obama’s biggest margins of victory during the presidential election were in those demographics that happen to be growing at the fastest pace in this country, and Obama plans on doing everything in his power to strengthen that growth. 

But Reaganism is not dead.  In fact, pay close attention to Obama’s policies and you’ll realize he resembled much of what Reagan preached.  Obama’s tax-cutting message played a key role at a time of great economic anxiety during the campaign.  He was against gay marriage.  He was against gun bans, and ambiguous on abortion.  As we approached Election Day his tax-cutting promise became his clearest position. 

The last Democratic candidate to win the presidential election on a tax-cutting issue was Bill Clinton.  Clinton promised tax cuts for the middle class, as did Obama.  Clinton never delivered, and in contrast raised taxes on the middle class.  We have yet to see what Obama will do, but it is fair to say that Democrats win elections by campaigning on Republican ideals.

During the economic crisis, while Obama was promising tax cuts for 95% of the population, Bush, our so-called “Conservative” president, was pushing forward a 700 billion dollar government bailout.  So in an amazing twist of idealism, a Democrat was elected president for running on fiscal conservatism while our Republican President pushed forth a stimulus package paid for by the taxpayers.

So what is next for the GOP?  Many are claiming that their days are over.  This isn’t the first time Republicans have heard this.  In 1992 the GOP was said to be in terrible trouble.  Bill Clinton won the presidency and brought with him majorities in both the House and Senate.  There were predictions then, like now, that Conservatism was dead and a new era in politics had arrived. 

But only two years later Republicans took control of the House for the first time in a half-century.  Next came a Republican President, and later full majority. 

Republicans surely are not done if elections are won based on conservative ideals.  And the Republican Party was not tarnished because of Conservative principles.  Bush represented the Republican Party but certainly didn’t govern like one.  He passed the ‘No Child Left Behind Act’ that was a massive spending increase in education, and his partner in passing it was liberal Senator Ted Kennedy. 

His prescription drug benefit program was the largest expansion of entitlements since the Great Society.  His fight over his immigration plan put the Conservative movement at odds with each other (Latinos favored Bush in 2000 and 2004).   

The spending increases that took place under the Bush presidency would have made Ronald Reagan burst into flames.  Bush was the symbol of conservatism, but was not a practitioner of it. 

So Republican must be patient.  It will take time to shed the skin of George Bush.  In that time they have to get back to the party that speaks to the middle class.  They must get back to the basics of limited government, low taxes, spending cuts, state rights over federal rights and strong national security. 

Republicans have to once again focus on the family and restore their status - as Daniel Patrick Moynihan put it - as “the party of ideas”. 

Obama won running on tax cuts but is now in power with a Democratic Congress set on becoming more activist. 

Things can change dramatically.  Commentators have the tendency to live in the moment.  Obama is in control.  He, and the Democratic majority, will use their positions of power to stay in control. 

A GOP comeback is possible, but it will not be easy.

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