Sunday, November 05, 2006

What's next?

In just a few days, the American public will likely see a major shift in the national power structure. Democrats almost certainly take control of Congress and have a strong shot at the Senate as well.

Republicans have no one to blame but themselves. The GOP leadership abdicated any attempt at oversight of President Bush. They were happy to bask in the reflected glow of his success and thus were complicit in all his errors. When Republicans took control in the Republican Revolution of 1994, they were going to "change the way things are done". They were going to end "business as usual." They were going to term limit themselves, be more cooperative with the minority than the Dems were when they were in control, and in general return respect to the role of politician. Over a decade later, they clearly were swept up in the pull of power and have become more controlling, more power hungry, more derisive of their ideological opposites than the Democrats ever dreamed of during their years in control. And they did everything but give a crown to the Imperial Presidency of George Bush.

Now the table turns.

The question is what will my party do with this opportunity? Will we punish the GOP for its ham handed and dictatorial control? Will we refuse them access to committee rooms, deny their right to amend bills, refuse their attempts at oversight hearings? Or will we say "enough"? Will we come out of this dark tunnel of single party control and decide to attempt bi-partisanship and true governance again?