Another Senate race has been decided. Republican Ted Stevens, the   felonious Alaska Senator was defeated by former Anchorage mayor  Mark Begich. This ends Stevens 40 year Senate career that began with appointment in 1968. This also means that the Democrats have 58 seats in the U.S. Senate. With two Senate races in Minnesota and Georgia still undecided there is a chance that the Democrats can win a filibuster-proof 60 seats in the Senate.

For those voters who are troubled by one party control in America this is a frustrating development. This is not to say however that Ted Stevens should have won. He has very clearly abused his position by directing pork barrel money to Alaska and felony charges aside he has been far to close to oil companies in Alaska. But it the danger of a one party system is clear. Removing the balances that were built into the U.S. system is a dangerous exercise. When the Republicans had single party control dangerous legislation was manhandled through to the President. The Democrats have an even larger margin regardless of the Minnesota and Georgia election results. Hopefully the Democrats will wield their power more responsibly than the Republicans did.

This election was a chance for the Democrats to prove that they are a change from the usual way of doing business in Washington. If the Democrats can control this much power responsibly America will be able to overcome the challenges that it faces. If they don’t we will end up with more of the same we have come to expect from politicians.