Lowered Expectations We Can Believe In
Even though the common sentiment is that this is a life-changing country-changing future-changing election, many Democrats are already lowering their expectations, and wisely so. Of all people, Nancy Pelosi has called for the Congress to be "governed from the middle."
I have no idea what to expect from the next Congress, other than whatever Barack, Pelosi, and Reid can cook up. The funny thing is, "the middle" is no longer the middle, as the nation has fallen victim to a sharp lurch to the left over the last 50 years. From The Hill:
The truth of the matter is, the Democrat leadership knows that an immediate and sharp turn to the left will upset a suspicious electorate, namely in so-called "blue dog" districts that tend to elect more reserved and traditional Democrat representatives. If they're foolish, they'll go right for jugular and fast-forward measures like the fairness doctrine, health care "reform," and a perilous Iraq withdrawal.
If they're smart, they'll put the more radical initiatives on the back burner and attempt to avoid a GOP smack-down in 2010, by convincing a panicky America that the Left can be trusted with one party government.
The hot potato is yours, Democrats.
I have no idea what to expect from the next Congress, other than whatever Barack, Pelosi, and Reid can cook up. The funny thing is, "the middle" is no longer the middle, as the nation has fallen victim to a sharp lurch to the left over the last 50 years. From The Hill:Perhaps the Democratic party as a whole, as far left as it is, is realizing that the country still maintains center-right ideology, as they learned in 1994 after their failed health care initiatives got them thrown out of power for the first time in decades.Democratic leaders are tamping down on expectations for rapid change and trying to signal they will place a calm hand on the nation’s tiller.
“The country must be governed from the middle,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Wednesday. Repeating themes from election night, she said she plans to emphasize “civility” and “fiscal responsibility.”
Her comments emphasized that after an election consistently referred to as “historic,” Democrats face the daunting task of dealing with the plunging economy and two wars.
The truth of the matter is, the Democrat leadership knows that an immediate and sharp turn to the left will upset a suspicious electorate, namely in so-called "blue dog" districts that tend to elect more reserved and traditional Democrat representatives. If they're foolish, they'll go right for jugular and fast-forward measures like the fairness doctrine, health care "reform," and a perilous Iraq withdrawal.
If they're smart, they'll put the more radical initiatives on the back burner and attempt to avoid a GOP smack-down in 2010, by convincing a panicky America that the Left can be trusted with one party government.
The hot potato is yours, Democrats.
Labels: Congress