• Power means temptation. In 2006, Republicans lost their majority partly because of scandals. Their minority status has since been a moral safeguard of sorts, because smart crooks don’t bribe politicians who lack the ability to do anything. When Republicans gain committee chairs and the capacity to pass bills, they will suddenly find lots of new friends offering favors. They will also be tempted to demand such favors as the price of doing business. But sooner or later, bad behavior brings political ruin—or worse: The last time Republicans were in power, Duke Cunningham’s “bribe menu” helped land him in prison, where he still sits.
• Power means frustration. Right after their 1994 takeover, House Republicans underestimated obstacles in the Senate and overlooked the little matter of the presidential veto. “Even if you pass something through both the House and the Senate, there is that presidential pen,” Mr. Gingrich wrote in “Lessons Learned.” “How could we have forgotten that?” Republicans talk about repealing President Obama’s health-care legislation. He would surely veto a repeal, and there is practically no chance that Republicans could muster a two-thirds majority in both chambers to override the veto. What would they do then?
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