So the Red Wave turned out to be a Red Trickle. There wasn't even the anticipated "Red Mirage" to trigger the DNC cheating contingencies. The truth is, being idle for two years and expecting voters to give you a chance to lead isn’t enough.

Due largely to the GOP's inability to relate to younger voters (ages 18-29 were +28 Dem, according to exit polls) and provide any kind of vision for the country (what was their platform, anyway?), the best opportunity either party has had to make sweeping electoral gains since at least 1994 has been squandered. Supposed Republicans like Karl Rove (once dubbed "The Genius" by Sean Hannity) spending $2.5M on Democrat candidates didn't help, either.

The McConnell/McCarthy "Surrender Caucus" has lived up to their name once again. Expect them to rubber stamp many of Biden's proposals over the next two years so they can be called obstructionists and blamed for everything anyway. It's ironic that the latest thing the 'conservative' party has failed to conserve is their own viability.

The question everyone who's voted for the GOP even once in the last couple of elections is, why do it again? Without sweeping changes across all levels of party leadership, there is no answer. Whether it's incompetence or malice is immaterial; if the GOP cannot or will not advance, promote, and implement policies its voters want, there's no reason for it to continue to exist.

Image: Bernard DuPont