Carl Leubsdorf

Texas and Illinois are the poster children for what's wrong with congressional redistricting. In Illinois, Democrats did a number on Republicans; in Texas, Republicans are doing it to Democrats. And both did it in part by diluting the voting power of their growing Hispanic populations, especially in major metropolitan areas like Dallas, Houston and Chicago.

That could run them afoul of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, designed to protect the voting influence of minorities.

Up next: presidential candidate Rick Perry?

Don't rule it out.

To be sure, Perry has disavowed interest in going national.

Amid all of Washington's bitter partisanship, one area has emerged where Republicans and Democrats are working together to produce a common result.

It won't cut the deficit or guarantee Americans health care. But it would shorten the 2012 presidential primary season and prevent a repeat of the 2008 cycle, when candidates spent the 2007 Christmas holidays bashing one another in Iowa and New Hampshire.

When legislation is as long and complex as the health-care reform bill finally nearing Senate passage, critics from both the left and right can inevitably find some legitimate areas for criticism.

In essence, conservatives think the massive measure goes too far in terms of extending Washington's reach and costs too much. Liberals feel it doesn't go far enough in curbing insurance companies and contains too many compromises.

Like many previous congressional leaders, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are better known as inside congressional players than as compelling national leaders.

They epitomize the less attractive aspects of the modern legislative process, raising vast sums of money to protect their incumbent members and making deals to get the necessary votes on crucial issues.

Republicans are celebrating two high-profile electoral successes Tuesday; Democrats are licking their wounds. But the results and dynamics revealed long-term problems for both national parties.

For the Democrats, diminished enthusiasm among independent, young and minority voters raises questions whether the coalition that elected President Barack Obama will help the party fend off significant losses in next year's more important mid-term congressional and state elections.