Blunt Promises "Tempting Alternatives"

Democrats are promising a better-run Congress in January with more collegiality and civility and less secrets.

The New York Times previews what's being promised by both sides.

"After chafing for years under what they saw as flagrant Republican abuse of Congressional power and procedures, the incoming majority has promised to restore House and Senate practices to those more closely resembling the textbook version of how a bill becomes law: daylight debate, serious amendments and minority party participation," writes Carl Hulse.

But Missouri's 7th District Congressman Roy Blunt says the G.O.P. will play some political hardball along the way.

"The opposition leadership said it would take the opportunity to put forward initiatives that could be potentially troublesome for newly elected Democrats in Republican-leaning districts who within months will have to defend their hard-won seats," writes Hulse.

''There are going to be days when we will offer alternatives in ways that are going to be very appealing to Democrats in districts the president carried just two years ago,'' said Representative Roy Blunt of Missouri, who will be the second-ranking House Republican in the 110th Congress.