Okay, ladies and germs, we’ve survived the midterm election and won’t have to put up with campaign folderol for another year and a bit. The election results had something for everyone, meaning nobody’s exactly happy at the moment.
Democrats won the majority in the House. It wasn’t exactly a “wave,” more like an oversized ripple that was nevertheless big enough to do the job. Just about what the pollsters expected, in fact. And they got closer to having half of the governors.
The House majority will suffice to enable Dems to make unending trouble for Trump and his minions for the next two years. Looking at the results, I’ll bet those cabinet secretaries who had planned to stay are reexamining their options, maybe honing their vitas.
The appointees who already have plans to leave are glad to be headed out the door. They’ll be harder to replace as quality people will take a dim view of volunteering to be a punching bag for House Dems.
The Republicans won additional seats in the Senate, perhaps enough to confirm a pro-life Supreme Court justice like Amy Coney Barrett, bypassing the objections of prochoice Sens. Collins and Murkowski. They will be able to confirm judges and presidential appointees, as these require no House action.
The Democrat-controlled House conceivably could impeach the President or Justice Kavanaugh. The Republican-controlled Senate will never convict so it would be a purely symbolic act.
It is within the realm of reason that executive branch personnel could refuse to testify before House committees, precipitating a Constitutional crisis of sorts. I presume the goal will be to bankrupt executive branch personnel via unending legal fees. Perhaps Trump can appoint an Attorney General who would defend them on the government’s nickel, or they could take the Fifth.
One thing you can count on, your Federal government will solve no problems during the next two years. Expect each chamber to pass things the other won’t even bother to consider.
Symbolic behavior - basically posturing - will be the order of the day. Anything Congress can’t get done before the new people take office next January won’t happen.
