Yesterday's astounding victories for Republicans in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives should produce more than a mere transformation of the power structure in Washington and widespread changes in the domestic political agenda. With the Congress firmly in the hands of a new, conservative majority, the most dramatic changes of all may be seen in the role the legislative branch plays in the formulation and implementation of effective defense and foreign policies. The Center for Security Policy welcomes this prospect and the electoral changes that make it possible. In particular, the Center believes that the results of the mid-term elections should clear the way for dramatic course corrections in a number of areas in which it has been actively involved over the past few years. The Center for Security Policy and the blue-ribbon Coalition to Defend America of which it is a part look forward to working with the legislative branch to accomplish this urgent task.
Corrective action is needed on both scores.
Similarly, Administration initiatives in the arms control arena should receive far closer scrutiny than has be the case in recent years. They served notice that what the Clinton Administration has in mind would represent such a substantive modification. As a result of yesterday's outcome, the Administration would be well-advised to cease and desist its efforts to negotiate such modifications. The prospect that such ideas might be subjected, at last, to thorough, balanced hearings in a Republican Senate should prove most therapeutic. The new Congress will have to engage in no less rigorous oversight of other dubious Clinton foreign policies .