Let's see ... DADT was repealed, tax deal was passed, New START was ratified, the 9/11 responder bill has had GOP on the defensive, the DREAM vote reminded Latinos which party stands by them, and big food safety bill was passed. What did I forget?
While not all of this was ideal (particularly the tax bill), it's amazing what even the broken Senate can accomplish in less than three weeks once Democrats and the White House decided to tighten the screws. Rather than look lost and ineffective, Democrats looked decisive and strong. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has never looked more competent.
If this Democratic Party had showed up earlier this year, things may have turned out much differently this November. DADT and DREAM would've helped narrow the intensity gap, the tax debate could've helped better frame the difference between the two parties, and the 9-11 responder bill could've given birth to a million effective attack ads.
Ah well. It's actually nice to see Democrats step up their game. Too bad it's coming just weeks before Speaker Boehner takes the helm in the House.
But keep this up, and we build a nice set of contrasts for the 2012 campaign. The next elections will be epic. The stakes will be enormous. And it gets much easier to rally around an effective and fighting Democratic Party, than the one we had pre-lame duck session.