First, a big congratulations to America for having a legislature that will actually do it's job.

I wanted to comment a bit on two aspects of the beginning of the new Congress. First, the media and blogosphere are spilling a lot of ink and pixels on whether "bipartisanship" should be a goal of the Dems. I think it should. But hold your horses a bit. Bipartisanship should have always been a part of how Congress operates. Why wasn't anyone very concerned about it when Republicans were steadily ripping up the rules of Congress? I would also like to note that bipartisanship doesn't mean equality. Being a majority means setting the agenda and having more power. Working with the other party means consultation and cooperation, not folding like cheap tents. You can be sure that any time the Democratic majority exercises it's appropriate rights in Congress, Republicans and their media cohorts will squeal like stuck pigs. But recognize that this is just what Republicans do .... whine as victims. As Digby put it:

The people who voted for the Dems are a little less concerned with that [civility, bipartisanship] right now than ending the war in Iraq, overseeing the executive branch and restoring the constitution. Restoring civility is out of the Democrats' hands --- the Republicans are free to start behaving decently any time they choose. Meanwhile, somebody has to start thinking about the needs of the American people.

The second issue I want to mention is the spilled ink and pixels over the fact that Pelosi is the first female speaker. Is it just me or is it that this really isn't much of an issue? I've become so accustomed to women playing equal roles in politics that I haven't even thought about Pelosi being the "first" female speaker. Perhaps it is a milestone to be celebrated. But these kinds of "firsts" are seeming more overblown as we progress toward equality of the sexes which I think is a very good thing.

Anyway, congratulations America. And if what is being reported about Murtha not funding Bush's Iraqi war escalation, it may be a very interesting year as the Democrats answer the fundamental question, "how far will they go to counter Bushism"?