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Govern For All

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 9, 2008

If they're smart, President-elect Barack Obama and congressional Democrats will resist as much as possible the temptation to flex their new mandate muscles.

Democrats scored undeniably impressive victories nationwide on Election Day. Senate Democrats won at least six more seats, boosting their majority to 57. In the House, Democrats gained as many as 20 seats, increasing their margin over the GOP to 80.

It's the kind of success that's bound to make those in the majority a little giddy. And it's similar to the position Republicans were in only four years ago, before they blew it all by arrogantly ignoring the art of compromise.

In 2004, Bush won re-election and boasted that he intended to spend the capital voters had given him. Republicans increased their majorities in the House and Senate. Party leaders spoke of a permanent majority.

It took only two years for one-party rule to unravel. The GOP lost Congress in 2006, due to Bush's failed policies and lawmakers' fixation on serving themselves instead of the public.

In his victory speech on election night, Obama spoke of his desire to seek common ground when he takes office. "To those Americans whose support I have yet to earn - I may not have won your vote, but I hear your voices, I need your help, and I will be your president, too," he said.

A good step would be to include Republicans in his Cabinet. The financial crisis and economic woes require solutions by the most talented people in the country, not just the most talented Democrats.

There will no doubt be those in the Democratic Party who want to start in January with long-awaited items from the progressives' wish list, such as enacting universal health care. With electoral success comes the tendency to overreach.

The search for solutions will be more productive if Obama and his party set a new tone of reaching across the aisle from the outset.

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