A year ago, Americans wholeheartedly endorsed “change” promoted by then Democrat candidate Barack Obama. He won the presidential election hands down.

Two states, New Jersey and Virginia, on Tuesday elected Republican gubernatorial candidates, by a 20 percent margin in Virginia and 5 percent in New Jersey (a usual stronghold for Democrats). What, if anything, do those elections mean nationally and here in Missouri?

In our view they send a clear signal, particularly to Democrats and, to some degree, Republicans as well.

In 2008, Americans voted for change from Republican policies, particularly in foreign matters and economics, and they did so decisively. Last Tuesday, after observing the “change” being implemented by Democrats on the national scene, voters in at least those two states said, “Wait a minute, slow down.”

Uncontrolled spending, speeding bills through Congress without debate, huge confusion over the details of health care reform and its potential consequences, the possibility of cap-and-trade legislation with unknown effects on energy costs, continuing high unemployment rates and government intervention in private business have many voters confused and very concerned.

We believe that the votes in New Jersey and Virginia are the tip of a much larger national iceberg waiting to crash into the Democratic party. But we don’t see such voting patterns in those two states as an endorsement of the Republican party.

For sure, they were strong repudiation of the Democratic policies seen nationally thus far. To us, it seems that one party lost the elections because of party policies.

The other side won because two good men just happened to be Republican. It was not an endorsement of strong, even radical conservatism. The vote in the congressional district in New York reinforced that observation.

Last Tuesday’s vote should be a wakeup call for Democrats at the national level to slow down, revise some of the more radical changes being proposed, let full debate take place, get control of spending and, above all else, get productive jobs back into the hands of Americans.

If Democrats do not react in that matter, watch out for midterm elections in 2010. It could be 1994 all over again.