And no one can do that better than Nancy Pelosi. Then she can retire or her detractors may continue. But NOT UNTIL. No one knows how to wend a party's way through the difficult and danger-fraught Congress. We need her experience...badly...right now. Plus the Rs are scared to death of her...notice their venom.

It's like attacking the firefighters when they come to put out your house fire because one is ugly, short, or the wrong color or whatever.
Our Democatic "house" has been on fire for two years and we've had to stand by and watch it burn with outdated equipment. New equipment, the newly retaken House of Representatives, is here...let it through.

(sorry if I mixed my metaphors)

But at less than 60% (D), it's hard to say that the House has been given a mandate. I'd have made the same statement when the (R) took over the House. Most elections that tend towards "mandate" territory tend to be about regression to the mean. Instead when "we" lose (whoever "we" happens to be) it's always because "we" had weak candidates, Americans are idiots, the process is rigged; whenever "we" win (same stipulation) it's always because "we" are superior, Americans finally have come to their senses, and we've overcome the nefarious dark forces that conspire against "us" (or the process was fair, at most hindered by random, trivial errors).

I've said for decades that Americans like a divided Congress. That makes it essential for the two teams to work together. I figure that's the actual mandate. The whole "what unites is is stronger than that what divides us" stuff spouted by each winning team but immediately tossed under the nearest large motorized vehicle, coupled with "let us all work together in the spirit of true cooperation--so just fall in line between us, your superiors, and let the adults drive the car ... we'd say 'thanks,' but what's obligatory doesn't deserve gratitude."

I just want us to say "we're gonna fight them every step of the way" to each other.

back in the ugly days of the Contract with America which was cover for make America White again.