| The Republicans gained seats in the House of Representatives in the U.S. 2014 mid-term elections, where they now have a 243-176 majority, up from 234. The Republicans also gained a small majority in the 100-member Senate, currently 52-44 with two independents. This compares to the Democrats' previous majority of 53-45 and two independents. Alaska and Louisiana are still undecided. Alaska only counts the absentee and questioned ballots one week after the election; on November 11, state officials are expected to begin counting as many as 40,000 ballots. Meanwhile, Louisiana's Senate seat will be decided in a December 6 runoff since no candidate won more than 50 per cent of the vote. The majority in the Senate is not enough to block filibusters (60) or vetoes (67). The number of Republican seats in the House of Representatives is also not enough to prevent a veto by the president (291). This means that even if Republicans succeed in passing legislation in both houses -- which remains to be seen given the infighting within and across party lines -- President Obama can veto the legislation. Such a situation would likely be seen as worse than the current one, further justifying executive action on Obama's part. A change in majority in the Senate does not limit the president's ability to take executive action. Indeed, given the existing broad anger with government and Congress, it could facilitate the ability of the president to justify the need for executive rule. At least then "something" could be accomplished. Obama has already shown his readiness to do just that, bombing Syria and continuing aggressive efforts at regime change there without Congressional authorization. In general, there is little reason to expect Congress to become more functional in the coming period, as conflicts within the ruling circles and their representatives in Congress continue to intensify. This is evident from comments by Republican Senator Ted Cruz (Texas), who said he will challenge the leadership of Senator Mitch McConnell (Kentucky) -- who won re-election and is expected to lead the new Republican majority. As already seen, even with a sizeable majority in the House of Representatives the past two years, Republicans were often not able to pass their own legislation. It is possible Obama and a bloc of Republicans and Democrats, led by McConnell and Democrat Senator Harry Reid (Nevada), will join together to secure further anti-social attacks, such as those against Medicare and Social Security. The next debt-ceiling debate, for example, coming up in March 2015, could be such an arena. There could be an effort to target "extremes" in both parties and bring forward a bloc that together imposes the cuts. Similarly the sequester budget cuts are due in January and may be another arena for such moves -- which will likely be done in the name of "bipartisanship" and overcoming gridlock in Congress. Most tea party Republicans were eliminated in the primaries so those elected are more likely to follow McConnell and those that remain are more vulnerable as "extreme" targets. Obama can use the so-called mandate of the elections to demand that Democrats submit and similarly target those who refuse as being "extreme." The elimination of such "extremes" will be seen as the way to end gridlock. In fact, it will be the means to impose yet more vicious anti-social attacks. A change in majority in the Senate will not eliminate the problem of Congressional dysfunction because the source lies elsewhere. The ruling circles have put in place arrangements of governance of executive rule, greatly undermining the power of Congress and effectively rendering it a consultative body at best. The parties no longer function as political parties but rather as gangster-like cartels, constantly at each other's throats. Private interests, concentrating power in fewer hands while fiercely vying with each other for more power, have directly taken over public institutions. In doing so they have attempted to eliminate the concept of government for the public good. It is a vehicle in their private hands to guarantee their narrow private interests. This includes securing the entire public treasury, public pensions, public lands and buildings, like public schools, and so forth. To whatever degree Congress, or legislatures at any level, stand in the way of such maneuvering, their powers will and are being curtailed and executive rule consolidated. The danger that presents is not the Republican majority but rather the strengthening of this executive power and the continued elimination of the public, and the public good, from governance. This direction is very dangerous, as the violence, chaos and anti-social character of the Obama administration has already shown, abroad and at home. It is reflected in the broad anger of the public with these elections and with government in general. Blocking this anti-democratic direction demands stepping up the fight to build independent politics of empowerment. It means organizing to oppose executive dictate and demand decision making of, by and for the people themselves as we together defend the rights of all. A democracy of our own making that puts the rights of all, abroad and at home, at the center is the battle of today. |