Change, change, and more change - that is the theme for 2007. Some changes are small. Others are historic. Here are some, or maybe not.
Certainly, the most reported changes in the news are the changes in the United States Congress. Virtually every American who watches any cable news or reads a newspaper knows that Democrats have captured control of both Houses of the United States Congress. These changes mean new committee chairmen, a different legislative agenda, and heightened Congressional oversight of the Executive Branch. It will be real political change.
In addition to political change, there are social and geographical changes. Notably, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives will be a woman for the first time in history. This will be a dramatic shift for the once male dominated House. There will be issues, big and small, which will surface that heretofore never made the radar screen.
In addition, the Speakership will move from rural Illinois to urban San Francisco. The types of issues that predominate discussion in liberal San Francisco, California are very different from those in moderate Plano, Illinois. Make no mistake - it will be a dramatic shift in the agenda for debate on the floor of the House of Representatives.
The center of power will also move west. With a Speaker from California, and a Senate Majority Leader from Nevada, things will be different. When the 109th Congress began, the Senate Majority Leader was from Tennessee and the House Majority Leader was from Texas. Look for the center of political power to change from a Midwest-Southern view to a West coast-Northeastern perspective.
There are historic parallels that make for some interesting emerging developments in the new majority. When the Republicans won in 1994, seeds of dissension emerged when there was a contested majority leader's race in which the Speaker-elect had a preference. Some believe that divisions from that race eventually led to an attempted coup attempt against the Republican Speaker.
Fast forward to 2006 - after the Democrats won, there was a contested majority leader's race. Like 1994, the Speaker-elect weighed in. Like 1994, the Speaker-elect's candidate lost. Whether these dynamics will lead to a similar mid-term challenge from within the Democratic Party remains to be seen.
One thing is certain, however. The new Speaker will have to keep one eye focused on her flank as she tries to move her new majority forward. Some believe cross-eyes cause stumbling.
The challenge does not stop there. There are over fifty blue dog Democrats in the new Democratic Majority. The gap between their centrist views and the Speaker's liberal approach is far greater than the gap that existed between moderate and conservative Republicans. Managing this diversity of opinion within a legislative conference can prove difficult.
Winning the majority and staying in the majority are two great motivating factors for bridging differences. As Republicans learned, however, political bridges can only last so long and go so far. After that, personal interests take over.
Of course, in the Senate, the differences between majority and minority status are not as great. The power of individual Senators is simply too great.
Chairmanships will change. But, the filibuster remains. So, the elusive sixty votes required for cloture continues as the thread of consistency from the last Senate to the next. It will just be differentfaces complaining as nothing gets done.