The New Congress

Michael Tomasky, former editor of The American Prospect, has a must read editorial in today's Los Angeles Times about the make up of the new Democratic majority. The conventional wisdom that is emerging seems to revolve around the idea that some of the newly elected (relatively) socially conservative Democrats will keep the caucus from shifting too far left on social issues; Tomasky points out that the social issues will be relegated to the sidelines in any case because highlighting those issues would harm party unity and, instead, the Democrats will unite around and push economic issues, where the newbies are closer to the party's mainstream.