In 1994, there wasn't a ...well 1994 to look back on

Obama talks about Republicans playing politics-hoping for redux 1994

People forget the biggest difference between today, and 1994 for Democrats in Congress is that at that time, Democrats had controlled the House of Representatives for decades. Since the House had persisted in Democratic control through the Reagan revolution, many thought that Republicans were permanently locked out because of structural reasons. That all changed, very quickly in 1994.

Today, no one is skeptical that change can occur. We've seen predictions (including mine) that Democrats as we are currently constituted (so focused on leftwing special interest groups) would never regain power (very,very wrong). That it would take a centrist to win the White House back for us (sort of wrong, depending on the point of view). Even something as simple as casting the first black POTUS. Certainly we all thought he would have to be a Colin Powell type, and not out of the Martin Luther King and liberal wing. (completely wrong).

So Democrats today, will do what is necessary to win the next election. If they lose it won't be because they had hubris. It will either be because they chose to use political capital to do the right thing, or they were just plain beaten.

1994 was a shock because many didn't believe it possible until after it was over.