upside/ downside

So it looks like the democrats have a majority in congress. Not much, but enough to be able to call it a majority. Although since there are a couple of third party/ independants in office as well, It might be more accurate to say that they have a majority in one house, and republicans merely have a minority in the other.

Good.

Well, not good!!!, or Great!!! And definately not "FUCKING AWESOME!!!" It is at least a step towards a right direction.

It's a step away from outright bogotry and hate to a more subdued intolerance. Instead of openly stating that They are oppossed to same sex marraige, the dems privately lament the idea, but love to piss off Rush. Not quite a step towards equal treatment of all citizens by our government, but getting there.

It is a step towards the idea of providing health care, food, and shelter to all Americans. Either by expanding federal programs or at least raising the minimum wage to something approaching reasonable. It won't get us Universal health care, or a living wage, but at least it's a step towards the right direction.

We will hopefully be moving away from the idea that your belief in god also means that you are suppossed to believe in trickle down/supply side economics. Although the benefits of supply side economics to the poor and lower middle class are as elusive as evidence of some guy in a toga and sandals feeding everybody with 2 fish and a baguette. Not quite a step towards supporting labor unions and worker safety regulations, but at least it's a half hearted saunter in that direction.

The hardest challenge the democrats will have is the 2008 presidential election. Since a large part of their victory seems to have come from Americans finally waking up and saying, "Hey, Bush lied to us", it's going to be difficult to both finish the job in Iraq and also avoid a backlash in two years when we're still not out of Iraq. I'm afraid that only one of the two can happen, and both situations have steps in both the right and wrong directions.