Well spoken

Ezra Klein:

From the point of history, it's dog-bites-man for the election of an inspiring president to be followed by a fierce backlash. In 1980, Ronald Reagan comes into office. In 1982, Republicans lose 26 seats in the midterm election. In 1992, Bill Clinton comes into office. In 1994, Democrats lose more than 50 seats in the midterm elections. George W. Bush looked headed for a similar fate until 9/11 reshaped the electoral landscape.

You could say, of course, that the problem here was the president. But both Reagan and Clinton won reelection. Voters turned on the new entrants as quickly as they'd turned on their predecessors. Washington doesn't do many things well, but it's absolutely aces at turning hope into disgust.