What the Democrats' takeover of the House means
The House of Representatives now heads back to Democratic control in a true-blue jolt to President Donald Trump.
This anti-Trump backlash emerged after all, despite a humming economy.
It shows the entire life of a nation never magically revolves around any president and that midterm congressional swings are cyclical.
Eight years ago, at the midpoint of Barack Obama’s first presidential term, Republicans seized back that same House even more convincingly. The GOP gained so many seats on Election Day eight years ago that a 255-176 Democratic majority suddenly became a 242-193 Republican majority.
And since the U.S. Senate very importantly is poised to remain in Republican hands, questions loom as to what the new mix means for the particulars of national governance.
Sexiest among the issues ahead will be the impeachment question. Under Democratic leadership, Congress will be more willing to fully consider the findings of special counsel Robert Mueller. But nobody knows yet what those will be — and any referrals remain strictly hypothetical.
Still, Republicans have been expressing fear. In August, Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) warned supporters against his party losing the majority to shield Trump from what Mueller might do. Now the intelligence committee he has chaired turns over to Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.).
Substantial change is less likely on several other fronts despite the House flip.
The GOP tax cut, crafted and approved in large part by departing speaker Paul Ryan’s majority, ranks among the ships that have already sailed. Large business reductions, peppered with rate cuts for individuals across many categories, will be reflected on 2019 returns. Huge military spending hikes remain in place and deficits are expected to keep growing.
So-called Obamacare has never been replaced as promised with a new health care program, presidential claims to the contrary. Immigration law remains unsettled. None of the once-ballyhooed infrastructure plans have been filled out, let alone enacted.
Pre-election excitement produced a series of now-you-see-them-now-you-don’t proposals and statements from the White House, the urgency and soundness of which are now in question.
The role of thousands of troops called to the border, magnifying the purported threat of a migrant “caravan,” remains to be seen. Trump spoke of a new tax cut for the middle class that took lawmakers of his party by surprise. Trump also has yet to issue his promised controversial executive order intended to counter the Constitution’s 14th Amendment language, which deems that millions born in the U.S. are citizens.
Stay tuned to see what, if anything, comes of all that now.
On Long Island, this power shift sours the re-election victories of GOP House members Lee Zeldin and Peter King. They will be relegated to minority party status, while re-elected Democratic colleagues Kathleen Rice, Gregory Meeks and Thomas Suozzi join the chamber's "in" group.
Off Long Island, Zeldin and King will see their New York caucus thin out and Democrats will greet new freshman members such as Staten Island's Max Rose, who defeated the Trump-endorsed incumbent, Dan Donovan.
Upstate, Antonio Delgado and Anthony Brindisi beat GOP incumbents John Faso and Claudia Tenney. But indicted Rep. Chris Collins (R-Erie County) staved off a challenge in his deep-red district.
Dan Janison is a member of the Newsday editorial board.
