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It's the economy, stupid. Except, ironic as it is for the Republicans to return on the wings of the crisis they helped cause, the economy was just a necessary precondition.
Like it or not, the Tea Party was the wave. Maybe it's only 10% of the electorate, but that's pretty much the balance of power. Whether it is a grassroots movement, or a cleverly manipulated corporate movement, or both, it had the same effect this year that some of the progressive movements had 2 and 4 years ago. Aided, in a symbiotic frenzy, by the corporate money released by the Citizens United court decision.
I could wish the Dems were better at putting out their message, or had more volunteers, or whatever, but I'm not sure the Tea Party could have been countered even early on, and certainly not once it got rolling. And given the hidden, and overt, racism that winds through much of the TP rhetoric and thought, I don't think it could have been co-opted either, despite its occasional populist strains.
Unfortunately, I also don't think it will go away as long as Obama is in office. If the economy improves over the next 2 years, that may take some of the wind from TP/Republican sails. But mostly I hope Obama's personal popularity and inspirational skills, along with Republican obstructionism, are enough to bring out the Dem vote next time around, because the opposition is not starting from scratch anymore.
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