Waxman Takeover, Obama Selections Should Send Thrill Running up GOP’s Leg

While an Obama-induced thrill running up Chris Matthews’ leg advanced into one great and unremitting orgasm, Republicans from across the country began to assess the Election Day damage and tried to comprehend exactly how Democrats handily won the White House, expanded their majorities in Congress and largely duped a center-right electorate into voting for a gang of ultra-liberal candidates.  

Promising tax cuts for nearly all Americans, supporting market-based education reform and championing other long-held conservative principles, Mr. Obama and his cohorts successfully reached-out to disaffected Republicans, moderates and independents by speaking their language and promising an end to hyper-partisanship in Washington, D.C.

At the same time, a captivated media painted the junior Senator from Illinois as a pre-made American icon with the charm and charisma of Reagan and the personal fortitude and character of Lincoln. To combat liberal leanings, voters were assured that Democrats had learned their lesson from the 1994 Republican Revolution and were intent on delivering authentic reform while governing from the center.

Despite close personal relationships with a number of questionable characters and a solidly liberal voting record, Democrats and the media successfully branded Obama as a centrist candidate while ignoring divisive issues. On the campaign trail, Obama rarely mentioned his support for abortion and was allowed to do so despite his championing of abortion rights during his tenure in Illinois and in the U.S. Senate.

While Democrats have enjoyed large electoral success, there is still hope for the GOP going forward. The recent appointment of a plethora of former Clinton Administration officials to the Obama White House and the ousting of Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) from the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee signals a radical shift left and a White House filled with Washington insiders: the two things that Obama was able to successfully convince voters he would not do.

With nearly two full months until the 111^th Congress convenes, the gavel of the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee was handed over to Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) with a 137-122 vote. The move dealt a serious challenge to the Democrats’ seniority system and put key aspects of President-elect Obama’s agenda in the hands of a liberal, aggressive and activist chairman, reports The Hill newspaper. In addition, it signals a radical shift that will likely pit the environmental wing of the Democratic Party against the labor unions.

Relying heavily on former Clinton Administration officials, President-elect Obama has gone forward with staffing his Administration. Despite promises of brining reform to Washington, D.C., Obama has appointed a number of former Clinton Administration officials, with the choice of Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State still undecided as of this writing. So much for change.