The future doesn't seem so glum anymore

Democrats win House, promise new direction
Democrats win control of Senate, AP reports
Bush takes blame for GOP election losses

For the first time, I feel I can give Bush kudos for something: He has gotten a wake-up call, and it appears he is accepting it gracefully.

"I'm obviously disappointed with the outcome of the election," he said during an East Room news conference at the White House, "and, as the head of the Republican Party, I share a large part of the responsibility."

It is said that he, Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid will work together to conduct the nation's politics in a bipartisan manner.

"The message yesterday was clear: The American people want their leaders in Washington to set aside partisan differences, conduct ourselves in an ethical manner, and work together to address the challenges facing our nation."

The strong grip the Republican Party has on Washington is coming to a close. Hopefully, with a Republican executive and a Democratic legislature, everyone can breathe a little easier now. Hopefully, the balance of power is on the way to being restored. Hopefully, no longer will the Republicans divide the nation with me-me-me-ism, and no longer will they demonize the Democrats. Hopefully, it'll become us-ism, where Republicans will now seek common ground with the Democrats, as Bush and Pelosi state.

The sweet smell of cooperation is in the air. I sure hope this smell doesn't turn sour.

It's still possible that Washington's Republicans, especially the Bush administration, will continue along the same path that has brought them to this defeat in the legislature, and I still wouldn't put it past them — but for the first time, I sense some good, refreshing vibrations. I'm looking forward to this promised bipartisan cooperation.

I still extremely dislike Bush and the radical, fundamentalist-Christian Right that has reigned over America for what seems like forever now, but I'm preparing to be pleasantly surprised by Bush in the last two years of his reign.

Let's hope there's a union in America beween the two parties — not like after 9/11, where we united on the right-as-in-wing side, but better, where we unite at the center.

I am glad that the Democrats are soon the majority party in Congress, and it makes me smile that Bush and Pelosi are accepting this gracefully.

The future doesn't seem so glum anymore, and I'm glad.

— Athelwulf