Through the Palantir: The Future of Congress
36 or so hours ago, the final election for the 2006 cycle ended - the election of the new minority (Republican) leadership. Within this cycle there were multiple races - Minority Leader, Minority Whip, and Confrence Chair (A similar race too place the day before for the new Majority Party, the Democrats.) In the Republican races, the former Majority Leader (John Boehner) is now the Minority Leader, the former Majority Whip (Roy Blunt) is now the Minority Whip, the former Policy Chair (Adam Putnam) is now the Confrence Chair. Now in the Democratic races, the former Minority Leader (Nancy Pelosi) is now Speaker of the House (and the first female to hold that spot), and the former Minority Whip (Steny Hoyer) is now the Majority Leader (after defeating John Murtha for that spot, who I might add, had the backing of the New Speaker).
There has been a unmistakeable shift in leadership for what will be the 110th Congress, but the question to ask is "what does this all mean?". For Republicans, it means that they are now in the minority and will no longer weild the gavels on various committees. For Democrats it means that they now "have the power" to paraphrase from an old 1980's action cartoon involving a castle called Greyskull.
The result of the Republican elections on leadership is that the GOP may find itself in the minority for a lengthy period of time because those in leadership positions before November 7th, 2006 are still in leadership going into the 110th Congress. Why might it find itself there? The answer lies in the fact that the Old Guard has been reaffirmed, the old guard under which the Majority status that the Republicans held was lost. The voice for reform may have been squelched, and it is that voice for reform and realignment that is needed in this crucial period.
The result of the Democratic Leadership elections is that of a divided party, thanks to Speaker Pelosi throwing her weight behind a far-left figure like Murtha, who's calls for phased redeployment (withdrawl) of troops in Iraq has resounded like nails on a chalk board. She's made a back-room enemy of the new Majority Leader, her second in command, Steny Hoyer, who she also beat out for the Minority Leader post in 2001; so there is a bit of rivalry and bad political blood there.
This is the leadership makeup of the Congress as the 110th session opens in Janurary 2007, with the Democrats enjoying a 20+ seat lead over Republicans. Before one thinks that the Democrats will steamroll though, take a second look. Many of the Democrats that ran, ran to the Center/Right as conservative Democrats, even running on a more conservative platform that some Republicans. So the outcome lies with them, will they govern as they promised that they would, which would put them in bed as it were with Republicans more often than not? Time will tell.
Reguardless though, I know this: if reform and reevaluation within the ranks of the GOP does not happen, and happen soon, as the light may be dimming, then a majority exist in their name and their favor is likely not not happen for a long while. The idea that Republicans will bounce back in 2008 because the Democrats have messed up so badly that they cannot recover, is not a winning game plan (for it looks like that could be the plan at present), no, it's a blueprint for continual defeat - even if it works.
The country wants and needs leadership - leadership that is good, solid and principled. The GOP would do well to remember this and not to rely on the mistakes of their opposition, for leadership this is not, and luck it is...no matter what Obi-Wan Kenobi says...
There has been a unmistakeable shift in leadership for what will be the 110th Congress, but the question to ask is "what does this all mean?". For Republicans, it means that they are now in the minority and will no longer weild the gavels on various committees. For Democrats it means that they now "have the power" to paraphrase from an old 1980's action cartoon involving a castle called Greyskull.
The result of the Republican elections on leadership is that the GOP may find itself in the minority for a lengthy period of time because those in leadership positions before November 7th, 2006 are still in leadership going into the 110th Congress. Why might it find itself there? The answer lies in the fact that the Old Guard has been reaffirmed, the old guard under which the Majority status that the Republicans held was lost. The voice for reform may have been squelched, and it is that voice for reform and realignment that is needed in this crucial period.
The result of the Democratic Leadership elections is that of a divided party, thanks to Speaker Pelosi throwing her weight behind a far-left figure like Murtha, who's calls for phased redeployment (withdrawl) of troops in Iraq has resounded like nails on a chalk board. She's made a back-room enemy of the new Majority Leader, her second in command, Steny Hoyer, who she also beat out for the Minority Leader post in 2001; so there is a bit of rivalry and bad political blood there.
This is the leadership makeup of the Congress as the 110th session opens in Janurary 2007, with the Democrats enjoying a 20+ seat lead over Republicans. Before one thinks that the Democrats will steamroll though, take a second look. Many of the Democrats that ran, ran to the Center/Right as conservative Democrats, even running on a more conservative platform that some Republicans. So the outcome lies with them, will they govern as they promised that they would, which would put them in bed as it were with Republicans more often than not? Time will tell.
Reguardless though, I know this: if reform and reevaluation within the ranks of the GOP does not happen, and happen soon, as the light may be dimming, then a majority exist in their name and their favor is likely not not happen for a long while. The idea that Republicans will bounce back in 2008 because the Democrats have messed up so badly that they cannot recover, is not a winning game plan (for it looks like that could be the plan at present), no, it's a blueprint for continual defeat - even if it works.
The country wants and needs leadership - leadership that is good, solid and principled. The GOP would do well to remember this and not to rely on the mistakes of their opposition, for leadership this is not, and luck it is...no matter what Obi-Wan Kenobi says...
posted by A. R. Welty at 10:57 PM
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