If we are to recall the spirit of heady optimism that marked the elections in November, we are now on the precipice of a new Golden Age. After all, Nancy Pelosi is the new Speaker of the House, and the Democrats control both houses of Congress.
That's good. I'm glad the GOP no longer has a lock on D.C. power, and I'm thrilled we finally have a woman Speaker, but I wonder how much really has changed inside the Beltway. There has been no articulation of a policy; no moral leadership, vision, or guidance; no Moses leading us to the Promised Land.
Bush has fulfilled his prediction for what would happen with an invasion of Iraq: Toppling Saddam's corrupt regime has created a new world for us all to live in. He has emerged as the architect of a new world order.
We're unable to deter Iran or North Korea from pursuing nuclear weapons; annoying little pests like Hugo Chavez and now Daniel Ortega also get to multiply and act alternately tough and beneficent before a worldwide audience bursting with applause; political terror groups like Hamas have no reason to heed us or work toward peace; and even our economic hegemony is slipping away from us and toward China.
The Democratic revolution of 2006 appears to have been driven solely by dissatisfaction with what the Republican revolution of 1994 has produced. (And that in turn was fueled primarily by dissatisfaction with Clinton's less-than-stellar opening years, and a failed health care reform package.)
Perhaps the movement among voters right now is not one of realignment to a new political allegiance as much as it is "dealignment" with the two major parties, but our nation is suffering right now for want of a leader, of virtually any sort: political, moral, spiritual or social.
Polls and a desire for power are what drives our elected officials, not any sort of leadership compass.
I think the terrorists won four years ago, when we invaded Iraq.
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