In which Madam Speaker informs an electorate that just handed her the worst midterm beating in decades that the 111th Congress was actually pretty darned amazing. Among its amazing feats: “Restoring fiscal discipline” to government by passing pay-as-you-go rules, which were, of course, actually ignored when inconvenient and which helped bring us the second largest annual deficit in American history this year. The largest deficit? Last year’s, of course.

Now that the amazement has subsided, it’s time to heal. Here’s a passage from a section entitled, I kid you not, “Republican ideas welcome,” which is sort of like the British circa 1783 welcoming colonial ideas about American independence:

Democrats will continue to put forward innovative ideas, engage in entrepreneurial thinking and work to create the jobs for middle class prosperity. Republicans and Democrats must work together, with President Obama, to prepare for our nation for the 21st century while creating clean energy and infrastructure jobs. As we go forward, we welcome Republican ideas about job creation.

Though they elected a new majority in Congress, Americans did not vote for the special interests. They voted for jobs. Democrats remain committed to fighting for the people’s interests, not the special interests.

While the election is over, the urgent needs of the American people remain. Over the past several days, I have spoken with my Democratic colleagues about where we go from here. I have heard from Americans across our country who are relying on us to continue our fight to create jobs, hopefully in a bipartisan way, and move our nation forward.

Fun footnote: In her laundry list of accomplishments, ObamaCare isn’t mentioned until the sixth paragraph, after student-loan aid and their small business bill. Apart from a passing reference to it near the beginning, she devotes precisely one sentence to it.

For your amusement, via Newsbusters, here’s Shep Smith betraying a bit of annoyance that a figure as accomplished as Pelosi has to endure anonymous sniping from Blue Dogs who lost because of her agenda. Read this piece by Matt Bai at the Times to cleanse the palate after that. Like Bai, I’m really curious to know how, since the Blue Dogs are such a burden to American progressives, the left plans on recapturing Congress and pushing through the next round of Great Society II legislation without them. The obvious strategy, to install a more centrist leadership to appeal to purple districts, is a nonstarter thanks to Pelosi and the new true-blue liberal Democratic minority, so presumably the plan is just to wait until the GOP controls government and hope that the public gets sick of them sooner rather than later. Works for me.