Democrats’ Rise Has Pluses, Say G.O.P. Centrists « Thread Started on Apr 8, 2007, 8:43am » --------------------------------------------------------------------------------Democrats’ Rise Has Pluses, Say G.O.P. Centrists read at source> http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/07/washi ... f=sloginBy RAYMOND HERNANDEZPublished: April 7, 2007WASHINGTON, April 6 — If the Democratic ascendance on Capitol Hill was supposed to usher in dark days for Republicans, it is hard to tell from talking to moderate ones like Mike Ferguson, who represents a suburban district in central New Jersey.As the new Democrat-led House rushed to complete its business before adjourning for spring break this week, Representative Ferguson was marveling at the many bills that had been passed in Congress’s first 100 days, including one that would make it easier for unions to organize and another that would increase the minimum wage.“Under the Republican majority, those bills would have never gotten to the floor,” he explained before heading back to his district. “Now they have been brought to the floor, and I’ve voted for them.”