In my lifetime, I would have to say that I have voted for a candidate about 5% of the time, most of the time I am voting against the other guy. For example, I voted against B. Hussain Obama not really for John McCain. That is the position that I think that our Congress will be in if the Republicans take control of the House and a majority (not a super-majority) in the Senate.
The Republican control of the House can stop potential damage by limiting the amount of spending since all appropriations bills have to start in the House of Representatives. As far as I can tell that is about all that can be done. To override a Presidential veto take 2/3 majority in the Senate and I don't see that happening at this time. Keeping the Democrats at less than 60 members will allow for the filibuster to still be used (again voting against the bad guy not for the good guy).
What I can see happening is a giant stall in the political world. The President not be able to get any of his radical reforms pushed through Congress. There also will be no legislation signed by the President that is passed by a Republican majority Congress. So essentially a two year "holding pattern" in legislation. Sure a lot of Post Offices will get a new name but I don't see anything else happening.
Potential dangers for the Republicans, in this time, is that the President will blame even more problems on the Congresses inability to act. President Obama has not taken the blame for anything that has happened during his administration and I don't see him taking blame anytime soon (the buck doesn't stop in the Oval Office anymore).
What is does do for the Republicans is, that is builds a base that can be expanded in the next two years, running up to the Presidential election. If Republicans actually come up with a plan on what legislation they are going to pursue and stick to the plan (take notes from the 1994 Contract with America), I think majorities can be expanded in both the House and Senate in 2012. Republicans have to see their mistakes of the past and put the checkbook away and actually take the time and listen to the American people. They need to make themselves candidates that a citizen would want to vote for, not just against the other guy and the American people will respond.
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