OPINION:
The most expensive midterm election in history is finally over, and the Tea Party’s high hopes of leading conservative Republicans into control of the House and Senate resulted in control of the House and substantial gains in state governorships. Conservatives also gained sufficient Senate seats to rob liberals of their filibuster-proof majority.
Tea Party advocates made a substantial dent in the midterm elections, giving a powerful assist in wresting control of the House from the strong liberal leadership grip of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
But Republican control of the House did not derail the balance of power, as the Democrats’ retention of Senate control offsets the House Republican majority, canceling out the possibility of meaningful legislation or the voiding of Obamacare. Senate Republicans will not have the two-thirds votes required to override threatened presidential vetoes. A conservative agenda will be stalled in Congress even as the liberal agenda likewise will be stifled. Meaningful legislation will be impossible, and should any constructive, balanced legislation sneak through Congress, Mr. Obama will be protected by his veto power.
Now comes the problem of how conservatives plan to legislate. Their first order of business should be to derail the lame-duck session of Congress, a time when Mrs. Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid may attempt to fast-track extremely liberal agendas, possibly added to necessary legislation as poison pills that may be impossible to reverse by the newly elected Congress when it convenes in January. The best solution for conservatives may be to play the “party of no” role to the hilt, blocking potentially bad legislation in committee before it comes to the floor, and if it comes to the floor, filibustering ad infinitum.
ALBERT MASLAR
Absecon, N.J.
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