The Fallout
Tell me something: did we go to sleep Tuesday night and wake up to a new country? A newfound energy seems to be flowing through the November air. And not just in places like Ohio and Pennsylvania, two states feeling the effects of congressional scandal and anti-Bush sentiment more than others, but also in places like Florida, Montana, and even DC. Another question: should we all be afraid?
In my opinion, and as a moderate I am probably the most unbiased person I know, the Democrats should be the ones who are nervous. Even though they probably pulled off the biggest sweep of Congress since 1952, Liberals/Lefties/Democrats should not be celebrating just yet. In fact, I would much rather be a Republican right now.
Here is why: no pressure. Democrats are under what I feel is a temporary security blanket, bestowed upon them by the American voters. If the Left is unable to unite and bring some positive legislation to the table, 2008 will be just as bad for them as Tuesday was for the Right. What Nancy Pelosi, the Speaker in waiting, will have to accomplish is a quick agenda, pushing through bills such as an increased Federal minimum wage, immigration reform, healthcare initiative, and most importantly an exit strategy for Iraq. The Democrats have not so much as peeped about their strategy for Iraq and the American public is expecting a unified voice to shout an exit strategy.
Furthermore, I feel the majority of Americans identify with conservative values and a fiscally responsible economic policy. If this election was indeed a referendum then it was directed at the fact that the Republican Party of late has not lived up to the platform created by Newt Gingrich in the Congressional landslide of 1994.
This election is simply saying to congress: “We, as the American people, will not put up with corruption from our leaders. We will not accept dishonesty and deceptiveness from politicians who are representing our values. And most of all, we still run the show, so go back to the drawing board and show us what we want to see: more freedoms, less taxes, more domestic focus, and less wasteful spending.”
For President Bush, the loss of Congress means his agenda will take a back seat to the Left. His tax cuts will not be extended, the Patriot Act could be rescinded, and nothing his administration tries to push through will even leave committee in the House. For the next two years, the President who once had the highest approval in the history of the rating system will be unable to accomplish much of anything domestically. He will, however, still be able to affect foreign policy through Condoleezza Rice and the Joint Chiefs (they will not have Donald Rumsfeld any longer and Robert Gates might have to battle during confirmation).
The biggest winner out of this whole thing is probably the man who lost his own party’s primary, Joe Lieberman. The House is not even close; Democrats have a 33-seat majority there (Pelosi assures us impeachment will not be on the table, and it did not even take a day for the ‘I’ word to come out). But the Senate is tighter than a you-know-what. Republicans and Democrats both hold 49 seats and two Independents (Lieberman and Sanders), make up the rest of the 100. Both Independents have said they will caucus with the Dems, thus the two seat majority. To be sure, Sen. Sanders will caucus with the Left but will Sen. Lieberman stay loyal. I mean, the Left abandoned the guy and painted him a Bush-loving warmonger in order to defeat him in the primary.
It will be interesting to see how heavily the Republican leadership will court Sen. Lieberman. Remember that if the Right can get Joe on their side, the Senate will be split and Vice President Dick Cheney will sit as the tiebreaking vote on legislation. Also, I believe, on committee selection, which would allow Republicans to offer Joe an attractive seat as chairman of a committee. Although I do not know what they could offer, possibly Armed Services but Sen. Lieberman is in line to become chairman of Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Regardless of what happens in the upcoming weeks, one thing is certain: I would love to be Joe Lieberman right now.
Any questions or rebuttals, feel free, I could definitely be wrong.
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