This last Tuesday might have been an historic election in our country and state. Time will tell. There are a number of different possible outcomes concerning the election. We could see a return of some sort of fiscal sanity—like ending the runaway deficit spending along with egregious expansions of government. We could see this, but remember if President Obama and the Democratic Senate went along with this it would mean repudiating their past “accomplishments.” We could see some sort of stalemate. This would be best for Obama I think (of course, I always enjoy the government doing nothing just so it spends nothing). Complete stalemate would give Obama something to run against in 2012. This could easily happen.

On Tuesday night, I was struck by the fact that much of the future of our county depends on humility. Right now, humility is a lost political art. It is lost because of the shock troops on the extreme edges of the right and left. What should have happened after the elections is a good dose of humility for Obama and the Democrats. They pushed through unwise proposals using politically tawdry means (buying off Senators and faking promises on abortion). President Obama could, I believe, still be a successful President—or at least a two term President, if he learns the lesson of Bill Clinton. Clinton got hammered at the polls in 1994, so he, a masterful politician, moved to the center, worked with Republicans and passed balanced budgets. He was rewarded with a second term. I fear that President Obama will not show humility. It seems that he thinks that the problem is that people do not understand what he is trying to do. The problem is actually just the opposite. Other Democrats keep talking about how they really need to market themselves better. Again, assuming that if people just understood the ideas they would fall in line. Again, they are missing the message. Humility is in order. The American people have spoken.

On the Republican side, however, I also see pride, but perhaps a glimmer of hope. Some of the Tea Party Republicans sounded almost triumphal on Tuesday night. The drums were sounding and the chorus of “no compromise” was being sung. I understand the feeling, but would caution against the tone. The Tea Party rightly remembers the “compromises” of the Republicans after 1994 and they do not want a repeat performance. The real key to the good that came out of 1994 was the humility that the Republicans showed as well. They worked together with President Clinton to balance budgets, and reform welfare. Clinton, shrewdly took credit for the passage of this Republican ideas, the Republicans could have postured instead of working with Clinton, but they did not. They were humble. They must be humble again if they want to actually govern. I did see a ray of hope in the words and actions of incoming Speaker Boehner and from incoming Florida Senator Rubio. Both sounded notes of humility.

Here’s hoping that true leadership and humility takes residence in Washington soon.