By Bruce Walker
The 2010 landslide means that Republicans
in the House can stop any new legislative initiatives by the Democrats
and that Senate Republicans, if united, can stop almost anything
Democrats want to do in that body as well. House Republicans can also
send to the Senate bills that will put political pressure on Obama and
Senate Democrats, like a complete extension of the Bush tax cuts. But
at the federal level, Republicans cannot actually do anything without
Democrats caving in.
The situation is very different at the
state level. Republicans now control both houses of the state
legislature and the governorship in a number of states. Republicans now
have complete control of state government in twenty states compared to a paltry seven states
before the midterm election. Crucially, Republicans now control all
state government in five industrial rust belt states: Pennsylvania,
Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin. This control will allow
Republicans to draw congressional districts and also, just as
importantly, state legislative districts -- a real political blow to
Democrats.
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