It’s been about a week since Election Day turned red skies into blue ones. By now, the Democrats have started getting used to the three most seductive words in politics: “We’re the majority.”
It’s a topsy-turvy world right now in Washington. The Democrats, who for so long couldn’t win for losing, are on the way up. Donald Rumsfeld, the seemingly untouchable secretary of defense, is on the way out. President Bush, who castigated Democrats for being soft on terror, now has to deal with them as equals.
With everything going their way right now, these are heady times for Democrats. But they can’t afford to get cocky. Not now. Their revolution is a lot more fragile than it looks.
First of all, despite the new majorities, 90 percent of the faces in Congress are the same as they were a year ago. And although they no longer set the agenda, the veteran Republicans remain a force that must be dealt with, particularly in the oh-so-finely balanced Senate.
Second, most analysts agree that Tuesday’s elections weren’t so much pro-Democrat as anti-Republican. Many voters have said they were expressing their frustration about the war, the economy or the recent scandals in Congress. But the very issues that brought the Democrats into power can lead them out just as quickly if they fail to find workable answers.
Finally, the party needs to be able to stay focused. The Republican Revolution of 1994 worked because its members had a clear, coherent agenda. That hasn’t been a Democratic strength in recent years. Now that the Democrats have found a voice, they need to make sure they’re singing from the same hymnal.
A lot of things may be possible — but only if the victors don’t let cockiness overcome common sense. If they become self-assured and over-comfortable in their power, then we might as well have stayed the course with the last crew.
Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss?
We sure hope not.