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Last update: January 3, 2001
Welcome to a new era of Republican leadership
 By Erik Hromadka
As President-elect George W. Bush met with top business leaders,
41 new House members and 11 new Senators were sworn in, the Fed
cut interest rate by the largest amount since 1992 and the stock
market soared.
That's not a bad way to welcome a new era of Republican leadership!
Now that the holidays are over and the last election cycle is
officially history, it's time to turn our attention to the future.
Issues on the agenda for the coming year include taxes, education,
social security, health care and campaign finance reform. Foreign
policy will also test the new administration from Europe through
the Middle East and across Asia. Steady leadership from President
Bush and the unique combination of experience and innovation
in his administration portend good things for the country.
I'm predicting that energy policy will be one of the surprise
issues which shapes the coming year. From the shortage of home
heating oil and natural gas to the New Economy strains on the
West Coast's electric grid, there's a new dynamic taking shape
in the energy industry.
Innovative thinking and leadership may ease tensions between
environmentalists and industry leaders to encourage greater use
of new and re-newable energy sources as a viable way to meet
increased demand.
On a political note, the earth moved below the establishment
last week when the 2000 census figures were released. Population
shifts since 1990 will now translate into a shift in political
clout from northern Midwest states to the south.
Arizona, Georgia, Florida, and Texas each gained two congressional
seats while California, Colorado, Nevada and North Carolina picked
up one.
New York and Pennsylvania each lost two seats in Congress while
Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Ohio,
Oklahoma, and Wisconsin lost one.
Analysis by Rasmussen Research indicates if Bush won exactly
the same states he did in this past election with the new Electoral
College counts, he would have won the Presidency by 18 electoral
votes, rather than by one.
How those new districts will be drawn will be the subject of
intense debate in state legislature this spring.
Also on the political Internet front, expect some serious analysis
of what worked and what didn't in the last political cycle. While
some 200 internet companies closed shop in 2000 (most in the
4th quarter) there's no question that technology is here to stay
and will have a big impact on politics in the future.
After the razor-thin margins that Republicans won in 2000, expect
to see an electorate that is far more engaged and volatile in
2002. That presents a host of new opportunities for Republican
campaigns and candidates who understand how to tap the "wired
voters" as a key group of supporters.
All this predicts an exciting year... and I look forward to sharing
it with you.
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