The political pendulum swung again – this time in favor of the Republicans. This was not a huge surprise, as we knew the House would stay Republican, and all indicators pointed to a flip in the Senate.
As the country knows by now, the 114th Congress will begin next year with the Republicans controlling Congress. In all likelihood, John Boehner (R-OH) will be the Speaker, Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) will be the House Majority Leader, and Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will be the Senate Majority Leader.
Currently, the Senate will have at least 52 Republican seats: 43 seats will belong to the Democrats, and 2 seats will be Independents. In the House, the Republicans will have at least 244 seats, and the Democrats will have at least 180 seats. Many won re-election easily despite a historic low Congressional approval rating. 2015 also will begin with 31 Republican Governors, and the Democrats will have 17 Governors.
We can be sure that the 114th Congress will do things that the President doesn’t like, and, in the next two years, the President will do things that Congress doesn’t like … all natural dynamics of a Democracy. Both parties vow to find ways to work together – also not a big surprise.
Whether you’re a Republican, a Democrat, or an Independent, the mid-term election was more a referendum on American’s views of what is perceived as the incompetence of government … not necessarily because of political parties, but because of a steady trend of not incorporating the minds of “the people” when developing public policy.
The legislative and regulatory processes always have been (in part) political machines. But over time, they’ve also become less sensitive to what made America great: small business. Small business must always fight to be heard on Capitol Hill and within government agencies. The greatest victory this week will be the awakening of lawmakers and regulators who need to listen to small business when designing laws and regulations.
As PHCC National has reported for years, we have a wonderful story to tell on Capitol Hill. When we tell it, lawmakers and regulators listen.
So, as the nation continues to analyze this past election, remember that we (PHCC National) will continue to work with those who listen to us in Washington, D.C. and those who sincerely agree with us in Washington, D.C. – regardless of the political pendulum.