Day of civility before the battle begins

It was a surreal experience to see the world's most powerful legislature, the United States Congress, transformed into a giant kindergarten for the day.

The public queued outside in hopes of witnessing the ritual changing of the guard, the swearing-in of the members of the 112th Congress. But it was in vain; inside the Capitol, the families and friends of the new members had pride of place, seated in the gallery and the chamber where the outgoing House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, played with a young grandchild on her knee.

Pelosi was gracious in defeat. She introduced her successor, the perma-tanned Republican John Boehner who refrained from triumphalism in his speech, before swearing in the House Representatives while holding a mock giant gavel.

Before he joined Pelosi on the dais, Boehner could be seen mopping his eyes with a hanky as he gently wept.

"I'm still just me," he said as he surveyed the chamber where he received a standing ovation.

Boehner has been crying in public since the Republicans' victory in the November mid-term elections, in which they gained 63 seats to seize control of the House of Representatives. One of Boehner's daughters, seated with her sister and mother in the gallery, was fighting back the tears herself. It was surely a historic moment, but it was like watching a dress rehearsal for a big event. Most of the speakers fluffed their lines. Even Pelosi seemed unsure of herself.

Vice-President Joe Biden, who swore in the Senators, provoked some nervous hilarity when he forgot the number of the first resolution that he had just introduced. It was, of course, number one.

It was a day of civility but probably the last such day in the Congress, which is the most bitterly divided in a generation. The anti-government, anti-tax Tea Party movement has a place in the Congress for the first time and its influence has already been felt within the Republican Party.

There is speculation that the party could become the hostage of the Tea Party radicals, and Boehner is under pressure from the young Turks in the party under the new House majority leader, Eric Cantor.

Today, the new House is to start proceedings with a reading of the constitution in a three-hour exercise. Then it's down to the business of cutting government spending - starting with Congress' own budget - and attempting to roll back the reforms of the Obama presidency.

"Nearly one of 10 of our neighbours is out of work," said Boehner, a former salesman. "Healthcare costs are still rising for American families. Our spending has caught up with us and our debt soon will eclipse the entire size of our national economy. Hard work and tough decisions will be required of the 112th Congress. No longer can we fall short ... The people voted to end businessas usual, and today we begin tocarry out their instructions."

At the top of the Republicans' wish list is to repeal the healthcare reform, an act which would be more symbolic than real because the Senate and President are certain to reject such a measure. It also remains to be seen how the US public reacts to a Congress bent on revenge and partisanship, having voted for an end to gridlock in Washington and for solutions to the economic crisis.

Meanwhile, with the national debt standing at US$13.9 trillion ($18.3 trillion) and mounting, President Barack Obama does not want to be caught fiddling while Rome burns. He has returned to Washington from holiday with a "jobs, jobs, jobs" mantra.

In the dying days of the 111th Congress, the President received a significant boost as the "lame duck" session defied expectations and ratified a nuclear arms treaty with Russia on which he had staked his credibility, and repealed the ban on gays serving openly in the military, which was one of his campaign promises.

Only months ago, Obama was accused of being out of touch with the mood of the country. Now it will be up to Congress to prove that its new members have their fingers on the pulse.