So we once again have a functioning senate, no longer a prisoner of Harry Reid’s theory of government – if you do not like a bit of legislation, you can keep it – keep it from the floor, keep it from debate, keep it from a vote. That proved to be a ticket to the minority, as disgusted voters decided in favor of a change they can believe in.

Mitch McConnell, leader of the new majority, has restored traditional procedure. Bills are debated, amendments offered and voted on, and if already approved by the House of Representatives, the bill lands on the President’s desk. That was the fate of the bill giving Obama and any president for the next six years “fast-track authority.” That means Obama can complete five years of negotiations of his 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in the next few weeks, setting rules for a claimed 40% of world trade. Sometime this autumn the pact goes to congress for an up-or-down vote, no picking the deal apart to appease special constituencies.