Post-Election Wrap Up

All I wanted was the Democrats to get one house of Congress. But with them now holding a solid lead in the House and barely inching out as majority of the Senate, I think we're in a good position with a power-hungry Republican president.
The main thing I hope they do is hold Bush accountable. Congress needs to go back and get rid of the overbearing laws that don't do much for security, but utterly destroy civil liberties. The NSA Wiretap scandal needs to be properly wrapped up, if only to make sure that the president, no matter who is in office, has to follow the law. Then the signing statements, which should have no legal power to them, should be made so then they don't have any power whatsoever.
For the long run, I hope this puts a new backbone in the Republican party. They have blindly followed one person for too long. Some pundits speculate that Republicans should have been more moderate, while others more conservative. The direction they should have gone is more independent; following their own opinions and not the opinions of others.

As for Rumsfeld's resignation, I think it was long overdue. However, his replacement-nominee, Robert Gates, has me a bit worried that not much will change (see: http://www.brendan-nyhan.com/blog/2006/11/bob_gatess_hist.html). I will wait and see if things change for the better, but won't give up any hopes on it.