We came here to work

I like the way that the Democrats have started their engines. Not with calls for impeachment or by making lots of self-congratulatory speeches, but by putting their priorities in view. Things that already look good to me:

• Nancy Pelosi says the House will actually do business in January, rather than adjourning between the swearing-in of rookies and the State of the Union address. Lord knows there's plenty to do!
  
  
• Harry Reid says Senate will work 7 straight weeks to start '07, waving goodbye to the "do-nothing Congress" that came before.
  
  
• Meanwhile, even before the election, they had listed their top priorities for the first 100 hours (as well as their general goals here), so they should be able to hit the ground running on a number of issues that really matter to a wide range of Americans, from better healthcare to implementing the 9/11 Commission's recommendations. Be still, my beating heart...

Only time will tell how unified they'll be, how successful at getting legislation enacted, and how capable of maintaining their focus on ideals once they get the taste of power, but I feel we could have some good times ahead for those who love real people and actual democracy . . .