People want their lives to be easy. This is a natural tendency that takes quite a bit of effort to overcome. The American way of life and economy as they are, are easy, they make millions of people's lives easy (at least 78 million, if you use the % voter turnout/% Republican votes equation). Republicans offer the prospect of an easy life, where you'll always have cheap oil to drive your car wherever you want, and you'll have low taxes on your fantastically high (compared to the rest of the world) income so you can afford to drive that car to Disneyland a couple times a year.
Although the Democrats are far far far from perfect, at least they understand that this model of society is not sustainable, that it can't last forever, and that it is fundamentally unfair to all the other billions of people on the planet. Their members were actively involved in creating a more compassionate government, such as the late Paul Wellstone, former senator from Minnesota. He was killed in a plane crash only a week before the election, along with his wife and family. Minnesota and the United States have lost the single most conscientious, honorable member of their modern government. His involvement with organizations such as Minnesota Advocacy for Human Rights was key to the development of strong humanitarian programs throughout the world.
Now my home state of Minnesota has a Republican senator. The record voter turnout and landslide victory indicates that it also has a Republican attitude. That's the most disheartening aspect of it all; at least when Bush was elected we could hang onto the fact that it was so close, and the suspicions of foul play by the pollsters... but in Minnesota, and the rest of the states, it is perfectly clear cut. People really think that way, they really have made the decision for easy lives and screw everyone else. The soccer moms and stockbrokers have won.
Liberal America is either defected, or in hiding, I just hope against hope that it's not dead.