Has there been a time in the modern era when one party was so irrelevant?

[Drunken Irishman]

I mean, I guess the Democrats were in a similar position after 2002 and 2004, however, it wasn't this bad.

In the 90s, the Democrats held both houses in the early 90s, along with the presidency. And even after losing both in 1994, they still held the presidency.

In the 80s, though they were far from being a national party, Democrats controlled the House.

In the 70s, the Democrats held the presidency at one point and both the House and Senate.

I can't recall a time where a national party has become so irrelevant nationally.

Do you have to go back to the 60s for this?

[depakid]

1. "it wasn't this bad???"

2002-2007 was magnitudes worse.

[Drunken Irishman]

2. Ok.

Thanks for the answer. Well see, the Republicans have hope. The Democrats were far worse off than the Republicans not even three years ago and look at where they are now.

[opihimoimoi]

3. The Pubs are fucked for several reasons: Shallow Bench Syndrome

2. Over Load on Bullies, Abusers, NPD group....

3. Lack of Solutions to Advance....

Them Pubs are gonna have to CHANGE THEIR NAME and their Brand...as of now....both suck BIG TIME

This they won't do....perhaps later...because of Pride...which sometimes leads to Obstinance....

The Pruning is underway to BUS the Baggage...Newt? Nope. Mitt? Close but..Palin is a joke. The Pubs need new Heros and the feild is short...so short they grasping for guys like Bobby....Who? See what I mean?.....hopeless..

[Drunken Irishman]

4. I agree, which fits well into my original question.

I'm not talking just about where the Republicans are now, I'm talking about where they will be in the future. With the Democrats, they were almost out of the wilderness, as they had barely lost two presidential elections and didn't see the type of minority the Republicans see now.

2010 is shaping up to be another good Democratic year and then 2012 could put us on a course similar to what we saw in the 1930s under FDR.

[opihimoimoi]

7. The GOP cannot continue to show signs of being a Social Cancer

and expect to survive for long periods.

People out there...They know what a cancer is and what it does....it destroys.....

The GOP Damage on this Nation is proof enough them Pubs are a POX.....

Hopeless for the GOP....? Yup....and forget about Boner...him too....hopeless.

[Drunken Irishman]

10. You think it's bad now, wait until next year.

All hell is going to break loose when the Repubs lose even MORE seats next year.

[opihimoimoi]

13. It will DAWN ON THEM that their Brand Name is OBSOLETE

and that they should look themselves in the MIRROR...to find solutions to become revelent once more

[Drunken Irishman]

14. Hopefully that hits them in about 30 years.

[depakid]

6. "Pubs are gonna have to CHANGE THEIR NAME and their Brand "

How about Purina?

[opihimoimoi]

9. LOL....:o)

Lipstick is not gonna do it....

[depakid]

5. Usually that's what happens

After a failed war (actually 2) a Katrina style environmental disaster and an epic economic meltdown.

Bush hit the trifecta.

(that's not to mention pages worth of other policy failures).

Republicans basically self-destructed- and yet, they're still able with the help of their enablers, to block efforts to fix this horrendous mess. Wow. Viewed from abroad, it's astonishing to people.

[Drunken Irishman]

8. I still think we were closer in 2005 than they are now.

The Republicans are fucked long term.

[depakid]

11. The trends don't look too pretty for them, lol

That said in 2005 they came damn close to the 3rd rail of American politics- hijacking social security, and still managed to get the most extreme Supreme Court Justices (and other judges on the federal bench) confirmed. They were only denied one other thing- the Enzi Bill (junk health insurance for all).

Dems don't have nearly that much power, despite their stronger election mandate.

[Drunken Irishman]

15. Hopefully that's something they can change in the next four years.

But I agree, on the power side, the Democrats still need to man up.

[Bluestar]

12. The Pubs were almost finished off after Watergate, but the Dems

let it all slip through their fingers and let the Republicans off the hook. The Dems were too nice after Carter took office and allowed the criminals who were pushing Reagan to paint Carter as a complete failure. My own opinion is that Jimmy was naive about politics and was too idealistic, but he wasn't a complete failure. That didn't stop the Republicans from painting him as a total disaster.

We can't let the criminals in the Republican party do this again--it cannot happen.

[Median Democrat]

16. News Corp (Fox/GOP) Is Not Irrelevant - GE (CNBC) Is Not Irrelevant

The GOP is just a front for corporate America. Look at the Teabag protests. This is entirely engineered by CNBC (Santelli) and Fox News.

[SanchoPanza]

17. To the 60s, yes. The 89th Congress, specifically.

The Democratic Party controlled 68% of both House and Senate seats after the 1964 election. Right now, in the 111th Congress, the Democrats control a little less than 60% in both Houses.

I think the biggest disparity is still found in the 74th Congress, when in 1934 the New Deal coalition flooded into both Chambers. About 71% in the Senate and 75% in the House were controlled by Democrats, after having already made massive gains in 1932.

Which generally shows that elections have little effect in whether a party lives or dies. The Whigs and the Federalists died out due to internal politics, mostly.