Really, you're from Wisconsin; don't try to fool this Midwesterner. You're also confusing party with ideology. Yes, if Democrats take over the legislature they will try to raise taxes. When it comes to terrorism, they'll try to revive the Clinton era policies that brought us incrementally bigger and better terrorist attacks, isolationism, and the blame America first attitude. You have a problem with them referencing gay marriage? It's called stimulating their base. The base is what contributes money and money is necessary during election time. Even if they do take control however, chances are someone is going to pull a veto pen out of his ass and hand it to the president.

If you really think this is a problem on the Republican side look to the left. What are they doing to stimulate their base? Start with Connecticut where they forced their moderate senator to run as a moderate to appease them. Look also at how Lieberman is doing. He was rejected because of party politics but voters of his state are supporting him (or at least they were, I don't have new info). As far as your first time voting Democrat, sorry, I don't believe it. Maybe it's your first time voting and you'll cast that vote for a Democrat but I've heard the same statement countless times.

Everyone complains, and rightly so, about politicians. Again this is the case where Democracy doesn't solve all our problems, it just prevents the worst of them. Look at the alternatives from a negative perspective: Who would you least like to lead the house, some fat man from the South or some whacked out lib from the most leftist part of the country?