November 2006: Democrats across the country rejoice as the results begin pouring in and it becomes clear that voters have not just soured on the Republicans, but have served up a full-fledged beatdown, tossing control of both chambers to the Democrats - in the case of the House, with a margin that is likely to sustain control for a decade. With such a slim margin in the Senate, and with the ever-present possibility of the presidential veto, sweeping legislative change is an impossibility, but other avenues - potential impeachment hearings, Conyers and his oversight mandates, the ability to at least force Republicans into embarassing filibusters - portend other equally important changes.
Well, they got Gonzalez. The House has given a few headaches to Senators who would pass the Republican FISA bill. Really, the only change of true import was that the corporate media by and large stopped carrying the GOP's water for them. By virtually any pre-election progressive benchmark, the 110th has been a dead letter.
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