Now What?

Just a quick little post-election post: I am, of course, happy with the overall outcome yesterday. Like I said a few days ago, I don't expect some new dawning of liberty across the land. But I will definitely sleep easier knowing that there is at least one branch of government organized to place a check on executive power for the next two years.

Perhaps Rumsfeld's resignation is more satisfying than even the election...nah, not THAT satisfying, but pretty good nonetheless. That he stayed this long is a sign of the President's incredible arrogance.

The Democrats have to get moving and fast. They need to make some real legislative decisions so that when two years has passed they are still not running on a theme of, "Vote for us 'cause we didn't make this mess." Listening to John Murtha blather on rather incoherently on NPR this morning about the Dems' vague proposals for Iraq didn't inspire much confidence. I'm not smart enough (or maybe I'm just too bleary-eyed from staying up late last night) to say exactly what the Democratic agenda should be, but this should be the first order of business if there's any hope to make this win meaningful. Perhaps a good start would be reviving the Jeffersonian ideals of the party as a legislative philosophy?