US Senate faces radical changes

Senator Jeffords' decision has tilted the balance

By US specialist Jonathan Marcus

Democrats on Capitol Hill are preparing to take over control of the Senate, following the defection of Senator James Jeffords from the Republican Party.

Either the White House and Congress do business together or there will be legislative chaos

The Democrats will not take control of the Senate until early June, after the Memorial Day recess.

But Senator Jefford's decision to quit the Republican's ranks promises to change the whole face of government in Washington.

It signals that for President Bush, the honeymoon is well and truly over.

His allies no longer control the upper house, which they have dominated since 1994.

Key issues

In practical terms the Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle becomes the majority leader.

The chairmanship of key committees must now be renegotiated. And President Bush can no longer be assured of getting key elements of his legislation adopted.

This could have an impact across a whole range of issues from environmental policy to missile defence.

It may be customary to speak of President Bush's policy on this or that subject, but actual US policy results from an accommodation between a president and Congress.

So in one sense there has been a radical realignment. But Congress is still very narrowly balanced; with Senator Jeffords' vote the Democrats only have a majority of one.

'Legislative chaos'

Either the White House and Congress do business together or there will be legislative chaos.

In the United States party alignments are much less ideological than in many other political systems and there is considerable scope to build coalitions to back various measures.

But that means governing in a more centrist manner. After his disputed election victory President Bush chose a more aggressive conservative stance.

That in a sense contributed to Senator Jefford's departure. And his defection also raises serious questions about the conservative political direction of the Republican Party itself.