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They reported the restoration is "long over due."
Earlier this week, the American people---the owners of the Capitol, commissioned a group of people to begin a different kind of restoration on the inside of the Capitol.
A newly elected majority in the Senate and an expanded majority in the House of Representatives have been hired to carry out a restoration in the halls, meeting rooms and in the policies that flow from the most powerful center of government in the world.
When the Dome restoration is completed next year, we know what it will look like.
The bigger question is what should the internal restoration look like? And how great a part did evangelicals actually play in hiring these new public servants and creating the job description?
The Washington Post reported last year the U.S. Capitol Dome was beginning a 2 year, $60 million restoration.
They said it hasn't been done since 1960 and due to age and weather, the Dome has "more than 1,000 cracks and other 'deficiencies'."
Earlier this week---to be exact, Tuesday, the people who own the Capitol---the citizens, also decided to restore the internal part of the Capitol. Although it is a different kind of restoration, it is in great part for the same reasons---cracks and "other deficiencies."
So what should the internal restoration look like?
The president essentially blew off the election this week as no big deal---the kind of thing that happens every mid term election. That thinking would be one of the many deficiencies that need to be restored.
The president explained to the press this week, "In fact two thirds of voters that chose not to participate in the process [voting]"...are "urging" his agenda to be enacted.
That's an insight into why there are leaks in the roof.
Even the president's own progressive people and press know better. It was a tidal wave, not a mid term ripple.
Senator Mitch McConnell, who will likely become the new Senate Leader, says he is not opposed to an outright repeal of Obamacare if possible, but "vows" a "sustained effort to dismantle the law piece by piece" in any case.
We will see.
McConnell says the Keystone XL Pipeline will happen.
When asked if the Senate will now hold hearings on the IRS scandal, McConnell said "you can bet on that."
There is not a greater advocate for conservatism, both social and fiscal, than Jim DeMint.
DeMint, a Christian, a former U.S. Senator, a Tea Party member and President of the Heritage Foundation is saying, "Not so fast."
While he agrees with much of the conversation and plans, he reminds all of us "Although dozens of politicians were replaced with fresh faces on Election Day, the losers don't have to vacate their offices for two more months. That means they can keep on voting in a 'lame duck' session of Congress."
"Be careful," he says.
Rather than "lame duck," DeMint prefers the term "Zombie Congress."
"Those people," he says, "are those unhappy senators and representatives who have been voted out of office, yet stagger dutifully back to Washington for a month or so before Christmas break."
"Tis the season when they are most dangerous," he says.
He is calling on Americans to be vigilant in watching our newly hired employees, a.k.a., public servants.
A significant feature in the "restoration" is who contributed heavily to the hiring.
It is very clear that Republicans must have the active support of social conservatives to win elections.
A CNN Poll reveals that nationally over 1 in 4 voters---26% were white evangelicals, and 78% of them voted Republican for the House of Representatives.
Plus, 58% of those who attend 1 or more religious services per week voted Republican.
In several of the most important key Senate races such as Arkansas, Kansas and North Carolina, the Republican candidate could not have statistically won without the Christian vote.
Example: In North Carolina, over half---55% of those who voted for the winner, Thom Tillis, go to church at least weekly. Of those, 63% were evangelical. Tillis could not have won without the Christian vote.
The same is true with Joni Ernst's win in Iowa. Same thing in Georgia with David Perdue.
Conversely, Republican Scott Brown, who openly supports abortion and calls himself a liberal on social issues, lost in New Hampshire.
Republican pediatric surgeon Dr. Monica Wheby, a Republican and outspoken advocate for abortion and same-sex "marriage" lost miserably in Oregon, only getting 38% of the vote.
Why vote for a "Republican progressive" when you can vote for a Democrat? Nobody did.
The picture of a restored Congress is being painted amid promises to "work with the Democrats, compromise and be bi-partisan," etc. That's sounds great on the surface, especially if you are in the minority.
But that is not the job description put in front of the newly elected politicians by the conservative Christians who elected them.
Social, moral issues are directly linked to the current conditions of our country. Immorality, not lack of jobs or a bad economy is destroying this nation. And Christians understand that.
We sincerely pray those whom we have elected understand it as well.
We've got to get it right spiritually and morally before there can be true restoration.
And on a purely political level, no one summarized it better than Rush Limbaugh:
Republicans were not elected to govern. How can you govern with a president that disobeys the constitution? How can you govern with a president that is demonstrably lawless when he thinks he has to be? The Republican Party was not elected to fix a broken system and to make it work. The Republican Party was not elected to compromise. The Republican Party was not elected to sit down and work together with the democrats. The Republican Party was not elected to slow down the speed the country is headed to the cliff, and go over it slowly. The Republican Party was elected to stop before we get to the cliff. And that's the mandate.Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Informed. Be Prayerful. Be Blessed.