When Bill Clinton and the Democrats stormed to power in 1992, their anthem was the 1970s rock ditty "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow." In the aftermath of their crushing defeat in November, Democrats today are humming a different tune, that of the 1960s surf classic Wipeout. And you have to go back even further than that--to 1952, to be exact--to truly understand the magnitude of the catastrophe that befell the Democrats. That was the last time Republicans, sporting big grins and "I like Ike" buttons, won the House and Senate. When the 104th Congress began its rule, the Republican party became king of the Hill, thanks to angry voters who turned the election into a search-and-destroy mission. The GOP easily won the Senate and seized control of the House by grabbing a mind-boggling 52 seats. After two years of watching him struggle, voters bellowed "Time's up," opting for a divided government. The ascendant Republicans and their Sunbelt Democratic allies can now supplant Clinton-style activism with their conservative agenda--a hard-edged vision of limited government. "We will not only be able to kill bad legislation, we'll be able to dictate the flow of legislation," crowed Representative William Paxon, now chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. At the time Clinton had to come to terms with sharing power with some of his least favorite people: Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and Speaker Newt Gingrich. Many top executives (an overwhelming 85% according to a Newsweek magazine pole, Nov. 1993) rated Clinton's performance as fair to poor. The genetic code of the Republican party is to create an environment that is more conducive to business. For Republicans, the immediate goal now is to hold their position as the majority in both houses of congress and win control of the White House. They want to cut taxes, restrain spending, and be more innovative in delivering services to the people. they have uncorked dramatic in...
