While it may be a difficult concept for conservative Republicans to digest, the reality is that the only way that our new President, George W. Bush, can successfully govern, is to recognize that “compassionate conservatism,” must evolve into a mainstream political agenda. The path to success is truly through the middle, and not around to the right. It is not going to be very easy for the Republicans to restrain themselves.

After all, for the first time in half a century there will be a Republican president and an arguably Republican-controlled Congress. At least nominally that is. Closer observation reveals a different story. The “Republican-run” Congress is really an illusion.

In the House of Representatives, the Republicans hold the slimmest of majorities, and one that requires strong party discipline to control.

Further, Republicans are led by the likes of Tom DeLay and Dick Armey, neither of whom probably shared their toys as children, let alone how they play with other political parties as adults. Their statements thus far lead this writer to believe that they learned nothing from the lessons on Bill Clinton, who leaned too far to the left in his first years as President, and paid the price, losing control of Congress for his party, or their own Newt Gingrich, who then led so stridently to the right that he helped the Democrats and Bill Clinton retake control of the political agenda, steering the country back to the center.

The Senate is an even more interesting matter. Now evenly divided, at 50-50, it will take complete party control and the vote of Vice President Cheney to attain a majority. But that does not really tell the whole story. Under Senate Rules, it actually takes 60 votes to override a filibuster and get things done. The Republicans only have 50 votes. Among those 50 Democratic votes now sit many newly elected Senators who are significantly to the left, including New Jersey’s Jon Corzine and New York’s Hillary Clinton, our lasting Democratic revenge for the loss of the presidency.

Republicans should read the writing on the wall. Five of their senators were defeated in 2000; three by women.

Although it must have really pained them, and although they did not agree to it without a fight, a few weeks ago Senate Republicans agreed to a power-sharing arrangement with the Democrats that equalized committee assignments and staff. Hardly radical, but certainly a recognition of the fact that only through bi-partisanship can anything be accomplished.

The President needs to remember that he has just “won” the closest election in American history. He did not win the popular vote. A recent Zogby poll reveals that half of those responding say the United States will remain politically divided, making it hard for George W. Bush to accomplish a lot. The electorate is nearly evenly divided. The results were indecisive.

The fact is that neither party has been given a mandate in this election. The only “mandate” is that both parties must work together, pursuing an agenda of moderation. The conservative legislative goal of educational vouchers was soundly defeated in several ballots across the country, which should be sending a loud message to Washington.

When the President recently introduced his educational reform package, vouchers were still a part of the legislative proposal, but no longer a centerpiece. That is how it should be.

If President Bush wishes to address the pressing issues of our time, educational reform, Social Security and tax cuts, he must recognize that he enters office even weaker than Bill Clinton came in, a fact that the Republicans made their mantra year after year, referring to his lack of legitimacy and of a mandate.

Based upon his record as Governor of Texas, Bush is generally a moderate. That will serve him well, if he really wishes to bring change to Washington. He must resist the pressure from right wing Republicans to act “immoderately.”

Early indications now reveal that he may in fact be much more conservative than he led us to believe he was during his campaign. We saw this for example in his decision in his first day in office to cut federal funding to international family planning groups that support abortion services or counseling abroad.

That decision sent an alarm to many moderates, family planning and women’s groups, and immediately diminished his political capital with a major segment of the population. We never saw that side of George W. Bush’s “compassionate conservatism” in his presidential campaign. I sincerely hope that we do not see much more of it, but I fear that we have been victims of false advertising.

Failing to heed the advice of the power of moderation will really not offend the Democrats in the least. Rather, it is exactly what they want. A right-wing, out-of-touch political agenda will unify Democrats, making them appear more reasonable to the American people and making it even easier for them to take back Congress in 2002.

February 4, 2002