So with the victory of Al Franken in Minnesota today we now have, at least in theory, absolute one party rule for the first time in more than thirty years. For those who are going to correct me I would point out that by one party rule I mean where one party had a filibuster proof majority in the Senate, a 50 plus seat majority in the House and control of the White House.

The last time that happened would be 1977-1979 under Jimmy Carter, when the Dems had 61 Senate Seats and about a 2-1 majority in the House, and we all know how well that Presidency turned out.

For the Democrats and/or the left, it’s now time to put up or shut up. All we’ve heard the last few months (or years if you go back to 2007) is how the evil old Republicans are preventing them from solving all our problems. Now they have sufficient control that for good or for bad they are the ones on the line.

As the Republicans found out while operating with much smaller majorities between 2003 and 2007 this is not always a good thing. When you run the show people tend to hold you liable for what happens. Since they held the GOP liable for what they did with a 51-49 (2003-2005) or 55-45 majority (2005-2007) in the Senate and 230ish majorities in the House it will be pretty hard for the Dems to claim that they are not liable for things when they have these bigger numbers.

Polls are already starting to show that the ‘blame Bush’ card is starting to get old and by the time the 2010 and 2012 elections roll around it’s going to be even harder to plan that card.

For my own part, while I am doubtful that the ‘let the government run everything’ solutions being pushed in DC these days will work I’m certainly not going to be upset if they do. I recall a comment by a Democrat during the 1980’s who said that he felt the Reagan programs were a win/win for his party. If they failed then the party could run against them and if they were successful then nobody was going to be mad at him.

The cartoon by Taylor Jones, Politicalcartoons.com, is copyrighted and licensed to appear on TMV. All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.