Meet the new boss...

Same as the old boss.

This is a Special Edition Report from the Cynical Center (TM)(R)(C).

OK, We're getting a change. And I think it's a good thing. The Repubs needed more accountability.

But I don't think there's going to be a big difference. Even less will probably get done. I don't think the Dems are going to be effective in crossing the aisle since they've run against corruption and incompetence. President Bush has shown himself to be a divider and not a uniter. I don't see him playing ball nicely with the new Dems.

We'll see investigations of the Iraq War and Rumsfeld.

This was a referendum on Bush and the War and Bush lost.

Basically what we're getting is a check on the Repubs. They swept into Congress with their Contract for America and proceeded to spend a lot of money, mishandle the war in Iraq, and brew up their own corruption and ethics scandals. I have a rabid Democrat friend who thinks the Dems are going to be better and that makes one of us. I find it difficult to imagine the positions that don't think it's better to have at least one chamber of the Congress, if not both, be different from the Party that holds the Presidency. Isn't it pretty well proven by now?

For myself, I predict that, as I said above, not much will get done and the Dems will have some success in pinning it on the President. That should give them a head start on 2008 if they pick an electable candidate like, say, Obama.

Pelosi vowed to restore integrity, civility and honesty to Capitol Hill

I will be pleasantly surprised if that really happens.

The unsung winners here are the moderates. Lieberman won despite supporting an unpopular war. Moderation is the way to go people. The high profile, more left Dems say they will welcome their more centrist freshmen. Let's hope so.

Several traditionally hard-fought demographic groups were choosing Democrats, including independents, moderates, and suburban women.

Centrist is the way to go.

Stuff I hope doesn't happen:

- An abrupt pull out from Iraq (though my buddy, Dan tdaxp, argues that this would be good and he could very well be right).

- Overly protectionist, anti-globalization economics.

- Anti-immigration policies, especially with respect to our southern border. I'm open to reforms here along the lines ZenPundit has argued. The American public has a problem with the current lawlessness and the at least perceived wage deflation and burden on public services.

Here is South Carolina, we still continued to vote overwhelmingly Repub, for whatever that's worth. Our governor, who won again, gets accused on being a Libertarian, and, basically, if you promise to lower taxes and then do it and don't do anything really stupid, you're in.

This has been a Special Edition Report from the Cynical Center (TM)(R)(C)