Purple Reign

As I was saying, the Dems are likely to sweep the board in grand style.  OK, I didn't say that, but you bet I might have.

So What Does It Mean?  I endorse the point made by Michelle Malkin that Republicans lost but conservatism did not.  One straw in the wind is that the ban on affirmative action passed in Michigan; the bale of hay blowing by is the number of conservative Democrats that unseated Republicans.  James Webb, who is poised to become the next Senator from Virginia, is not exactly your grandfather's progressive, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania is pro-life and the NY Times profiled several pro-gun, pro-life, pro-capital punishment (I'll bet) new Congressfolks such as Heath Shuler in North Carolina or Ted Strickland in Ohio.

So one of the important Washington story lines will be, who is Nancy Pelosi?  Is she a committed, unreconstructed Dinosaur-Lib or can she manage the tension between the newly elected conservative Purple Dems and the Dean-led "Democratic wing of the Democratic Party"?  She is surely shrewd enough to realize that her safe-seat uber-lib Chairman are not in touch with the swing district voters that helped the Dems regain their majority.  If Speaker Pelosi can manage these competing factions within her own party it will be great for America (and I am not worried.)

Time will tell.  But while we wait, we get a glimpse of both the battles and the solution from Christy Hardin-Smith of the firedogs, who rips into Rahm Emmanuel for saying that Democrats "cannot allow the party's liberal wing to dominate the agenda next year".

However, Ms. Smith also poses the solution, since she then demands that Henry Waxman be given free rein to investigate everything under the sun - Ms. Pelosi and Rahm Emmanuel can placate the loony left by giving them hearings but shouldn't allow them more than perfunctory involvement in the drafting of legislation.

Just a thought.

UPDATE:  If Miracle Max is with me, who will stand against me?  (OK, take a number...):

Rahmbo rulz..  I disagree with firedoglaker Christy and Mighty Atrios. Rahm said all the right things. One could hardly expect him to bellow, "To the wall, Yanqui!" Under present circumstances, nothing will get done that is not bipartisan.

MORE:  Eventually I hope to scratch out some thoughts on Two Dimensional Democrats - my notion is that the typical left/center/right breakdown fails to capture a key component of Democratic angst and that there are plenty of Dems who are not typical progresives or lefties on a range of policy questions but just want to see members of their party beat up on Bush.  I noted this in a recent Kerry post when I described the Fight Club Democrats.  The two dimensions are Policy and Pugnacity, but I will come back to this.

Comments

[clarice]

We will have a hard go of it holding a lamp up to all the skullduggery. What say you to encouraging a nationwide plan in which thousands say they will violate CFR limitations on free speech the next election? If the WaPo and NYT performance is any measure, CFR demands that the people sit by while the one party media and fake 527s dominate the news.

[Don]

I love it when guys who completely failed to predict what just happened opine with breezy certitude about what's about to happen.

[Pofarmer]

I suppose that since the Dims are all about corruption, they'll be looking into Senator Reed's(D-NV) land deals and ties to mob lawyers?

[Jane]

What's your prediction Don?

[TexasToast]

It's morning again in America.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

[clarice]

I'm looking for a TM-Kaus ticket:The Get Real Party, if you will.

Kaus:

"Just Asking: What does it tell you about a political party if in a year of epic disaster for their opponents the best they can hope for is a 51-49 majority in the Senate? ... Update: Matt Yglesias says it tells us the Senate is constitutionally malapportioned. I agree. But that's still a problem for the Dems! And many readers email to point out that only a third of the Senate was up for election. That's true too. But it's also true that the Democrats have had other elections, with other Senate seats, to build a stronger majority and they haven't. ... The 2004 election, with its famous "wrong track" numbers, should have been good for the Democrats, while it's hard to imagine a more favorable climate than the current one. My point is, if this is the high water mark for the Dems in the Senate, it's a low high water mark. ... The same can probably be said for the House, though it's too early to tell exactly how big Pelosi's margin will be. ... 8:21 A.M."

[Geek, Esq.]

Dems shouldn't have much trouble keeping unity--the ability to duck potentially divisive votes is a major perk of majority status.

There will always be some netroots people thinking they can intimidate the powers-that-be. Those threats aren't worth the paper they're written on.

[shaman]

You people will hold on to any little shread of denial to say conservatism didn't lose.
Why was Arnold running as a Liberal?
Why did Steele have blue signs saying STEELE DEMOCRAT?

If you people would stop the denial and lying amongst yourselves,you may,some day,win something.

Enjoy BOTH back benches--LOSERS.

Gloat O' Meter/off

[Bob]

Don... Here's something anyone could have predicted!

Hamas Chief: Truce With Israel Is Over

Looks like the Arab street now thinks the US has been neutered! I hope Pelosi can figure this out...

[Semanticleo]

"Ms. Pelosi and Rahm Emmanuel can placate the loony left by giving them hearings but shouldn't allow them more than perfunctory involvement in the drafting of legislation."

Placate the looney left?

REAL conservatives don't tolerate corruption
so is Maguire or Malkin see themselves as the conservatives who emerge unscathed in this bloodbath?

REAL conservatives should be screaming for
transparency even more than the 'looney left'

Get a grip on your self-righteous sublimations, Maguire. You, Reynolds and other so-called moderates cannot separate yourself from the conservative 'loonies' whom you shamelessly have enabled these 6 years.

[Sue]

If you people would stop the denial and lying amongst yourselves,you may,some day,win something.

::grin::

Gotta love 'em...their own party leaders are telling them the country just elected moderate to conservative democrats but they will argue to the bitter end that progressives won last night.

[shaman]

Weep,wail and gnash your teeth-LOSERS.

All you Limbaugh/Hannity/Malkin/etc. lovin neocons are through.
I,for one,am going to enjoy watching you cannibalize yourselves.

Gloat O' Meter/off

[Jane]

.their own party leaders are telling them the country just elected moderate to conservative democrats but they will argue to the bitter end that progressives won last night.

Emmanuel has pretty much thrown the progressives to the wolves. That probably explains the acute need for attention we are seeing today. It's the only ray of light in an otherwise dim day.

[Sue]

Weep,wail and gnash your teeth-LOSERS.

::grin:: Hard to keep a straight face, considering the wailing and gnashing of teeth has reached a crescendo in here.

[shaman]

Sue:

No matter 'what' was elected,progressive will be the direction we go.
Hey,I can't blame you neo's for wanting to make yourselves feel better after the 'thumpin' ' you took last night.
Try a couple Aspirin with your kool-aid.

Gloat O' Meter/off

[anonymous]

OK guys,fun's over lets get down to policy,what are we going to do about the WoT,a nuclear Iran,immigration,Iraq? Come on team,I know you want to try Bush before you shoot him,whatever,but there are things to do.

"You people will hold on to any little shread of denial to say".
If you misspell one more word Shaman, you idiot,you are going to get a slapped wrist.Being a butt buddy only gets you so far!

[Sue]

Jane,

The moonbats haven't figured out yet (well, FDL has, maybe we should point them in that direction) that Emmanuel set out to get moderate to conservative democrats to run. Heath Shuler, the new rep from NC, was courted by the republicans to run with a R (I bet he is glad he didn't do that ::grin::). There are lots more like him.

[Miracle Max]

Hey I'm pro-gun and pro-cap punishment. Two out of three ain't bad. Am I a conservative Democrat?

[hit and run]

I really really don't feel good at all today. Lethargic. Unmotivated.

Because of the election?

Uh, yeah.

Because of who won?

Uh, no.

Because I friggin' stayed up til 3 in the morning and got in to work before 7.

::YAWN:::::::Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[Sue]

No matter 'what' was elected,progressive will be the direction we go.

You better hope you don't. Your reign will be short-lived.

[Sue]

Drudge is teasing that Bolton is the next to go.

[shaman]

'anonymous':

I can only assume that you are really Dale in Atlanta who has hi-jacked anonymous' good name.

Nice try,but you're too stupid to pull it off.

Gloat O' Meter/off

[vnjagvet]

To the trolls on the thread:

You all get to celebrate and gloat until January.

Then you must watch your elected leaders participate in governing rather than just kibitzing,campaigning, winning and gloating.

In order to do that in time of national peril, we'll see if your leadership is up to the task. In order to be up to the task, they will have to work with the Bush administration and vice versa.

What has up to now been kind of a game for your team is now deadly serious.

History will now judge them as closely as it will judge the Bush Administration for results.

We will be watching.

[jack]

"All you Limbaugh/Hannity/Malkin/etc. lovin neocons are through. I,for one,am going to enjoy watching you cannibalize yourselves."

Yes. Cannibalizing is exactly what is about to happen. In 2005 the repugs were assured they had nothing to worry about by the BushCo team. Now? Now they will see BushCo as completely incompetent. As light shines into the formerly opaque windows of the White House revealing the corruption and incompetence within the remaining repugs will be looking for something, anything, to save face. Impeachment will be their only option and they, as much as the dems, will initiate it.

[Semanticleo]

"they will have to work with the Bush administration and vice versa."

Yeah, but Bush has to learn the accepted definition of 'work with'. Hint: it's not
'do it my way, or else'

[anonymous]

Shamen,you cringing little wretch,it is Gloatometer,O'Meter is Irish.How dare you question my orders,no more "Brokeback Mountain" for you.
Nothing worse than an imbecilic sycophant.

[jack]

"In order to do that in time of national peril"

Oh, do you mean the neocon-manufactured islamobogey peril?

[shaman]

Jack:

You're so correct,my man.
I long for that day.

Gloat O' Meter/off

[anonymous]

Jackoff,
Will you get it right,they aren't "neo-cons",the new conservatives were former liberals.Sheesh,where did I get all these stupid minions? It's like the Three Stooges on acid.

[rrk]

I think this "mandate" can be filed under Be Careful What You Wish For.

Though it should be that the Democrats now must actually articulate policies, there is an alternative. The Smith's and Kos' in their closet will be banging the door down, so let the show trials begin (for the next two years).

[jack]

Shaman

I think we will witness the handing down of the first life sentence for an American president.

[shaman]

TROLL ALERT !!!

Someone [Dale in Atl.] has hi-jacked 'anonymous' respected and good moniker.

TROLL ALERT !!!

[jack]

anonymous

The drunken rant of topsecretk9 is unmistakeble. You don't fool anyone.

[anonymous]

Jack:

You're so correct,my man.
I long for that day.

By the sound of the hand job you are giving him,you've already had that day.

[shaman]

Jack:

On that day,the V.U. meters on my Gloat O' Meter will be off the charts. LOL

[Jack]

Shaman,
You can use you tongue slicker than a $20 whore.

[jack]

Have a good day Righties and neocons.

Just kidding. As usual, eat crap and die.

[shaman]

Jack:

I don't think it's k9,she is way too vague.

This depravity can only belong to Dale in Atl.
He is a impure inbred pervert.

[Enlightened]

"I love it when guys who completely failed to predict what just happened opine with breezy certitude about what's about to happen"

Uh you might want to rethink that. I do believe many conservatives predicted the loss in all their breezy certitude some time ago.

[rrk]

Perhaps it is now safe for shaman jack to preview their very own plan for the future?

[Enlightened]

It smells like s--t in here, the swamp must have emptied early today.

[azredneck]

The KosKids always expect everyone to act like they do. Sorry, guys. No weeping and wailing. No calls for investigations into election fraud. No accusations of stolen elections. We lost, pure and simple.
So what now? Identify the problems, prioritize and find solutions--what else? Enough of the rock throwing and lying spin.
GWOT, out of control spending, corruption and a continuous stream of 'gotcha' votes in both houses (almost on party lines, regardless of the subject) are my priorities. Let's roll--party's over,there's work to do! Mine & yours.
GWB made the first gesture this AM. Your turn!

[Shamen]

"As usual, eat crap and die".

Gee,Jack I didn't know you were into that,it's a bit far out for me.

[JM Hanes]

"Cannibalizing is exactly what is about to happen."

LOL! So far the only folks who have showed up looking to feast on conservatives are the trolls.

[Shamen]

The dying bit.

[Bill Arnold]

Re impeachment, this Democrat was happy (though surprised) to see their Republican congressperson go down, because her voting for Clinton's impeachment indelibly marked her as a partisan hack. (Revenge took a while). However, I will hold my new congressperson to the same standard of not wasting our time on nonsense, and am drafting a letter to him which says this.

[JM Hanes]

TexasToast:

If you actually make it this far down the thread, congrats to you and your guys. You won bigger than I thought you would (or wish you had), but Rahm Emmanuel sure pulled through -- which took some heavy lifting in his own party -- and if I were a better person, I'd even have to give Chuck Schumer points for the remarkable Senate turn around. You've done some heavy lifting on Tom's board yourself, and you deserve to enjoy this day. So, Cheers. In a good way.

[azredneck]

Thanks BA. That's a start. In return, I will wait in silence for my revenge--hopefully not as patiently as you did!
In the interim, what issues have you suggested that your congressperson concentrate on in not wasting OUR time??

[MayBee]

Do you all remember the ergonomics in the workplace bill the Dems tried to pass after the 2000 elections?
Please, I hope they don't try stuff like that again.

[Sue]

Democratic Priorities. Why did I think this wouldn't be # 1?

Military: Force an immediate drawdown of troops in Iraq and conduct oversight hearings on missteps on the war. The announcement Wednesday that Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was resigning met Democratic demands that he step down to take responsibility for the situation in Iraq.