Promising Signs

RealClear Politics depicts the pie chart of post-election polling results at right, and I hope the GOP will heed it. The question:

As you know, as a result of the election which was held earlier this month, the Republicans will control the U.S. House of Representatives. Do you think the Republican victories in the House races are more of a mandate for Republican policies or more a rejection of Democratic policies?

The blue portion of the chart, clocking in at nearly three quarters of those polled, corresponds to the answer, "rejection of Democratic policies." "Republican mandate" is less than a fifth.

Even better, yesterday brought news from Politico that several Tea Party and allied groups are holding the GOP's feet to the fire:

In a letter to be released Monday, the group GOProud and leaders from groups like the Tea Party Patriots and the New American Patriots, will urge Republicans in the House and Senate to keep their focus on shrinking the government.

"On behalf of limited-government conservatives everywhere, we write to urge you and your colleagues in Washington to put forward a legislative agenda in the next Congress that reflects the principles of the Tea Party movement," they write to presumptive House Speaker John Boehner and Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell in an advance copy provided to POLITICO. "This election was not a mandate for the Republican Party, nor was it a mandate to act on any social issue."

While I have expressed misgivings about the explicit "principles" of many Tea Partiers, I am cautiously optimistic after reading the rest of the article that these groups, at least, are focused on reducing the size of the government. (This is not ideal: it's the scope of government that is the real problem. However, in today's context, it's good news.)

-- CAV