Ken Silverstein interviews political strategist, Carl Wagner, about the new Congress. An excerpt:
Okay—but given the role of corporate money in the political system, and the way the Democrats have been moving to the right for so long, isn’t the scope of changes we can expect to see rather limited?
Money is a big issue, but the Democratic Leadership represents the party's most progressive wing. Four years ago, Nancy Pelosi led House Democrats in voting against the Iraq War resolution. It took backbone to do that back then. This afternoon, David Obey is going to be chairman of the House Appropriations Committee, George Miller will be chairman of the Education Committee, and Henry Waxman is going to be head of the Government Reform Committee. That's power.... The administration's energy policy was written in secret by Cheney. They refused to say who attended the meetings during which it was drafted. Now we're going to have Ed Markey making energy policy, not a lapdog for the industry like Joe Barton. The fact that the Democrats are rolling back billions in tax breaks is huge.
What about the Republicans? How has life changed for them?
I don't think they're going to be marching down the road with Bush and Cheney. Arlen Specter is running for reelection next year. Is he going to vote to expand the war? I don't think so. There's going to be a very different chemistry on both sides. The day of lockstep obedience by congressional Republicans is over.
Wagner mostly gets it. His blooper is his statement about the "progressive" Democratic Party leadership. Oh boy.
