Democrats face test of power

Washington - Barack Obama's Democrats are basking in their longed-for monopoly on the US government, but now face the responsibilities and pitfalls of power as they drive a sweeping reform agenda.

Obama's emphatic win in Tuesday's presidential election, twinned with expanded majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives gives Democrats their first stranglehold on Washington since 1994.

Democrats have an ambitious agenda of getting US troops home from Iraq, middle class tax cuts, overhauling foreign policy, providing healthcare to all Americans, tackling climate change and weaning America off foreign oil.

But the clutch of deep crises afflicting the United States, including the worst financial meltdown since the 1930s, the threat of a deep recession and two foreign wars may put severe curbs on their room for maneuver.

"To govern is to choose, we have to chose our priorities very carefully about what is achievable and what can be done in the best possible way," said House speaker Nancy Pelosi on Wednesday in her first post-election remarks.

"I believe that the aspirations that people have for themselves that they have pinned on President Obama will recognise that it will take some time to get much of this done."

President-elect Obama's team will be conscious of the danger of overreaching or of implementing an overly radical agenda, and the way Obama interprets his mandate could be key to his 2012 re-election hopes.

Clear lesson

History provides a clear lesson.

After two years of disarray and drifting to the left, Democratic president Bill Clinton suffered punishing loses in the 1994 'Republican revolution' which put constraints on the rest of his presidency.

"I think that the Obama administration will have a pretty good recollection of recent history and probably is very familiar with that being something that ended up happening," said Andrew Dowdle, a political science professor at the University of Arkansas.

One key relationship that will likely help define Obama's early years in the White House will be that with Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Pelosi was a strong backer of the Illinois senator, but now both of them control rival centres of power in the government - which was specifically set up by the founding fathers to dilute any one person's hold on ultimate power.

Though Democrats are in firm control of the House, their coalition is not a monolithic block, but is made up of many different interest groups.

A key role will likely be played by the "Blue Dog" Democrats - members of the House from conservative districts, whose own political futures depend on blocking radical liberal policies by some of their colleagues.

'I don't think he will overreach'

Obama could send signals that he will not unleash the kind of sudden change that would shock swing voters by courting moderate Republicans in Congress and by appointing prominent Republicans to his administration.

"I think Obama is smart enough to understand incremental change and reaching across the aisle. I don't think he will overreach," said Dan Shea a political scientist from Allegheny College, Pennsylvania.

"There is going to be a push to reach far - I don't think that is his style, I think it will serve him well.

"I think he understands that the country is moderate, maybe even moderate to the right.

With a handful of seats still decided, Democrats were set to increase their previous majority of 36 in the House by around 20 seats, according to television projections.

Democratic power will not be completely unchecked. Though they are set to make five or more gains in the Senate, the party will likely fall short of the magic 60 seat threshold in the 100-seat chamber needed to thwart Republican delaying tactics.

Mitch McConnell, by default the most powerful Republican in Washington, promised to work with Obama in the minority.

"I congratulate President-elect Obama and will work with him on behalf of the American people," said Republican Senate minority leader McConnell.

- AFP