WP,pg1: Democrats Find Lessons in GOP Reign: New Majority Mindful of Rivals' Mistakes, Successes

[DeepModem Mom]

Democrats Find Lessons In GOP Reign
New Majority Is Mindful Of Rivals' Mistakes, Successes
By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, November 12, 2006; Page A01


From left, Rep. Rahm Emanuel (Ill.); Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.); Sen. Harry M. Reid (Nev.), in line to be the new majority leader; and incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.) celebrated Democrats' victories Tuesday. (By Gerald Martineau-The Washington Post)

Democrats preparing to take control of Congress for the first time in over a decade are looking to the Republican takeover in 1995 as an object lesson of what to emulate and what to avoid. They hope to match the legislative energy of the Newt Gingrich era while avoiding at all costs the partisan pitfalls that eventually soured voters on the GOP.

The majority party that takes control of the House and Senate in January will look significantly different from the party that was swept from power in the 1994 elections. The old-guard liberals and staunch union supporters in control then are giving way to a new generation of moderates with more temperate legislative ambitions.

Democrats last week picked up six seats in the Senate and at least 28 seats in the House en route to victory. Eleven of those House districts were solidly Republican in the 2004 presidential election, while new Democratic senators from Montana, Missouri, Virginia and Ohio will have to be mindful of their traditionally Republican constituents.

Led by a feisty Nevada senator and the first woman in history to claim the House speaker's post, the long-banished Democrats hope to prove their bona fides as lawmakers and challenge a president from the other party to accept their agenda, a game plan taken straight from the Gingrich era's "Contract With America." They also intend to challenge President Bush to change course in Iraq and consider their demands for a timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops.

But Democrats say they will avoid the overreaching, arrogance and rancorous partisanship that left them virtually powerless on Capitol Hill and spawned an era of political corruption and influence-peddling. Democratic leaders vowed last week to pass major ethics reforms early in the new 110th Congress, and to offer Republicans seats at the negotiating table and ample opportunities to amend bills on the floor -- opportunities that were denied their party....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/11/AR2006111100918.html?nav=hcmodule

[immerlinks]

1. Of course they will

"Democrats say they will avoid the overreaching, arrogance and rancorous partisanship..." If they didn't they would be repubs.

[Ignacio Upton]

2. Pelosi can start by checking Hoyer, Murth, and Alcee Hastings

Hoyer is a friend of K-Street, Murtha is earmark-friendly, and Hastings served as a federal judge who was impeached in the '80s for accepting a bribe. Between Murtha and Hoyer in the Majority Leader race, I hope a third candidate comes on the scene. I also hope that Hastings does not become Chairman on a committe (I think it is the sub-committee for Terrorism and Homeland Security.)

[cyclezealot]

3. Remember all Newt's bombthrowing

Especially during end of day speeches. Newt the bombthrower. Dems need be perceived as nice. Americans hate bickering. But, The Repugs will find another bomb thrower. Turning the cheek will only get one slapped down. Bomb throwing works if not checked. Question. Seems I recall, Hastings was exonerated? Was not his impeachment a partisan attack? True or not. ?