After the mid-terms - now what?

Democrats won a majority in both Houses this past Tuesday, and will take over majority leadership roles in January. To my Republican readers, I want to assure you that this is not the end of the world, although it was not the outcome we had hoped for. This is still a multi-party nation, and that was evidenced at the polls.

But now what? What will the Democrat Party do that will be better for our nation than what the Republican party was doing? Is there anything they can do that will actually be better? That remains to be seen, really, as I have yet to hear any Democrat put voice to anything remotely resembling a coherent plan, so I really have my doubts there. But, like I said, we’ll see in the coming months.

One thing I would like to see the Democrats not do is gloat. As Daniel Ortega, the recently re-elected President of Nicaragua said, "Don't let one criticism slip from your lips against those who didn't vote for us," he warned his supporters. "We have to be humble." That is wise advice indeed, and the Democrats would be wise to heed that. Why? It wasn’t the leadership of the Democrat Party that elected them, it was the voters of America that did, and that’s something they need to be mindful of.

On that note, another thing I would like to see the Democrats do, in cooperation with the Republicans, is get back to doing the people’s business. To do that, the partisan bickering on both sides needs to stop. It is counter-productive at best, and shows a measure of condescension towards the American people at worst. We put you there – Republicans and Democrats – to do a job, and that is to represent US, not to advance your own little petty agenda’s. You’ve been voted in to do a job. Fail to do that job, and you can find yourself voted right back out. If you can’t concentrate on doing the people’s business in an honest, ethical way, you have no business being in office. Something else you need to be mindful of.

So far, the Democrats have been “playing nice”, but how long will that last? The ball is now in your court Democrats – now what?