What an Absolute Democratic Majority Would Look Like

On Saturday, Democrat Don Cazayoux beat out Republican Woody Jenkins for the House of Representatives seat in Louisiana's 6th Congressional District. The conservative district has been held by the Republicans for more than 30 years, and gave 59% of its vote to George Bush in 2004.

Cazayoux's victory in such a stridently conservative district sent an unmistakable message about the 2008 elections: The Democrats are poised to win every single seat in the House of Representatives in the Fall.

What could a House of Representatives filled entirely with Democrats accomplish? Here's a preview of what voters can expect if the Democrats hold every seat in the House of Representatives in the next legislative session.

1. Continued authorization of funding for the war in Iraq with the suggestion that, at some point, the House may pass a resolution suggesting a timetable for the withdrawal of forces, unless the president objects, in which case never mind.

2. Appointment of a federal commission with authority to issue non-binding recommendations on whether to increase the top marginal tax rate for hedge fund managers to something higher than 15%.

3. Tentative pronouncements by Democratic leaders that perhaps the country ought to consider the development of alternative sources of energy such as solar and wind power.

4. Hand wringing. Lots and lots of hand wringing.

5. Immediate repeal of the gas tax.

6. Continued calls for additional funding to repair America's crumbling infrastructure.

7. Repeated, reluctant votes to extend the Bush tax cuts.

8. Appointment of special federal commissions to examine global warming, the health care crisis, the war in Iraq, the minimum wage, inequities in the tax system, and the pros and cons of deregulations of the energy, housing, financial, and transportation markets.

9. Continued failure to re-authorize the Superfund tax on the petrochemical industry to pay for toxic waste cleanups.

10. What, you expected Congress to do ten things next year?

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