Democrats Take the Senate

The AP is reporting that the Democrats have taken control of the Senate.

George Allen will concede the race to Democrat Jim Webb as early as tomorrow night, they are reporting.

My guess is that Allen is doing what Nixon did in 1960 -- accepting defeat rather than go through a protracted recount battle to preserve his political viability in case he wants to seek elective office in Virginia in the future. It's the smart move.

If this is true, it means that Democrats control both houses of Congress for the first time since 1994. Of course, the odds that the Democrats will be able to put forth a widespread progressive agenda is very unlikely. As much as President Bush deserves impeaching, don't look for that to happen in the next Congress. Instead, look for incrementalism -- the minimum wage will go up, some of Bush's tax cuts, especially those for the wealthy, will be allowed to expire. But mostly Democrats will be relegated to the role they've been playing for the past 25 years -- walking behind the elephant in the circus parade with a big shovel.

And the GOP has seen to it that there's a lot to shovel.

Nonetheless, I can't help but think of something that Rush Limbaugh said in 1994.

The equivalent of the Berlin Wall has fallen. Liberalism in America has actually been written out as a dominant ideological governing force in the United States. You ought to feel good about this, folks. In the broad sense, it is something to celebrate and feel extremely smug and good about.

Just switch Liberalism to Conservatism, and it's a pretty good description of what happened this week, don't you think?

Tom Moran