Archive for Sunday, November 9, 2008

Real work

The Democrats have scored impressive victories and now must prove themselves worthy of the confidence voters have placed in them.

November 9, 2008

Advertisement

The Wednesday news photo included jubilant Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer as they raised their hands in victory after Tuesday's elections. They were standing behind a podium fronted by a sign that read "Change for America."

Even though they and their ticket-leaders, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, had just cause to rejoice, they should not allow themselves to soak up the triumph too long. What their appearances, and those of countless other Democratic leaders, created was the reminder that they must answer that age-old question about voting people into office: They won; now can they govern?

The records of Pelosi, Reid and Hoyer over the past two years are not impressive. In fact, even a lot of Democrats are embarrassed at how many opportunities were missed as the White House continued to decline in positive impact.

The Democrats registered major gains two years ago as Republican influence and leadership waned and there were countless predictions of near-miracles as Pelosi took over the House speaker's job. Optimists contended that these people and their backers were on the verge of outstanding gains on behalf of the people they were voted into office to serve.

But what really did they get done? Democrats have controlled both the House and Senate in that period, and even though their relationship with the Republican White House was generally contentious at best, what of a major nature did they accomplish?

The economy has continued to crumble as the Democratic Congress has time and again missed chances to act and react to obvious threats, fraud and incompetence in the financial sector. True, the George W. Bush presidency has not done much better, and there are mixed results in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the war against terrorism.

But it was the Democrats after gaining workable majorities in the House and Senate who fell so pathetically short of expectations. Polls show that public regard for the Congress is lower even than its perception of George W. Bush. That is not something Pelosi, Reid and such should be boastful about.

Finally, we got to Election Day and Democrats Obama and Biden prevailed with a whopping victory. They and fellow Democrats had good reason to celebrate, as the congressional group was doing in the news photo.

But let's hope that sign in front of them, "Change for America," is something that will sober them up, fast, and get them on track to doing the many vital jobs they were chosen for. There is evidence that President-elect Obama is fully aware that he will have to hit the ground running and dares not waste any time at tackling the countless problems of the nation, at home and abroad.

We can only hope the Democratic Congress is infected with the same degree of fervor as that of its party leader, and after two years of disappointing performance will show that they not only can win but govern effectively. Obama, Biden and all the rest now must prove they can perform notably in office.

Rejoice a while, people, but then it's work-time and the sooner the job at hand is tackled, the better off all of us will be.