Post-election Lost and Found - As an expression of an understandable frustration over the lack of obvious progress in Iraq, Americans have turned over the reins of legislative power to Democrats. The great unanswered question for the Left is in what direction they will lead this country, as their political compass has been busted for a great long while. In the wake of the seismic shifts in the nation's legislative bodies, Democrats and Republicans alike would be well served to be honest about what exactly happened last night in Washington. To be sure, the 2006 mid-terms should result in as much soul-searching for Democrats as for Republicans, as the coastal and interior wings of the Democratic Party vie for control.

In the meantime, while Republicans may have to yield on an increase in the minimum wage and a few other Democrat pet projects, nothing suggests that America has more of an appetite for such liberal touchstones as universal pre-school, gay marriage, quota-based affirmative action or nationalized health care. Rather than a victory for the incoming left-wing Democratic House leadership, yesterday's elections were perhaps a sign of the continued ascendancy of conservatism. Indeed, we may end up with a more conservative House of Representatives in January 2007 than we had in January of 2006. It appears that the electorate effectively purged Congress of the Burns-Dewine-Chafee wing of corrupt, compromised and ineffectual Republicans. But they have in no wise rejected the traditional conservative messages of the need for lower taxes and a smaller (and less intrusive) government, a life-affirming culture and a strong national defense.

That's the good news. The bad news is that Republicans also have an open question to be answered: namely, whether the Republican Party wishes to be the greater vessel of conservatism or the lesser.