No, I don't think effective change can occur in one election cycle because you will continue to have districts re-electing people, just because they bring home the gravy, to hell with everyone else. Other times, of course, you have people fed up with bad behavior and they boot out the rat (i.e., Daschle).
I've looked at the Republican Platform and I would say, the values stated are conservative values, not moderate, not left of center. So, why do they constantly bend over for the Rats (who do not do the same when they are literally in power)?
I think in the Senate we have a very ineffectual Majority Leader...and since he pretty much sets the agenda, or at least the rest of the GOP doesn't seem to fight him much..
I think he should be held accountable quite a bit...and even though a lot of freepers blame Bush for not imposing himself on the Senate and House...
Bush really does beleive in the separation of powers, even though the Congress doesn't believe it...and so I think he expects them to do their jobs..while he does his.
Remember, President Bush was espousing a Constitutional Amendment for marriage being between one man and one woman...but I didn't see the Congress doing their part to carry the ball down the field.
He has stated that he is against using fetal stem cells with government money for research...and Frist basically stood up in front of the world and told him "too bad"...
There is enough blame to go around...but, there is definitely a disconnect between the voters and Washington, and between the POTUS, and Congress.