The Republicans have also begun doing to Democrats what Democrats did to Republicans for half a century -- cutting them out of both the information and influence loop on legislation. The Medicare legislative process is a prime example. Over the last few months, when ranking Democratic Congressmen and senators have spoken before vital trade associations, they have been unable to tell their audiences the status of Medicare legislation for the simple reason that they have been cut out of the negotiations. On the other hand, key Republicans have been able to provide up-to-the minute insights into the decision-making that can make or break whole industries.

Eventually, notwithstanding any old sentiments or friendships, these trade associations were forced to do business with the only party that is currently in business in Washington -- the Republicans. (That dominance is strengthened by the assumption of all political players that the GOP will control the House at least until after the next reapportionment in 2010.) That is the significance of the AARP decision to cut a deal with the GOP on the Democrats' signature issue of Medicare -- and why the Democrats howled with agony at the sight. It's not just the AARP. As Michael T. Heaney of the University of Chicago has written in the Washington Times, 14 of the top 25 health care-related grassroots trade associations ended up doing business with and supporting the Republicans on Medicare. Only six opposed, and most of them were unions such as the AFL-CIO, AFSCME and the United Auto Workers. (The unions will be the last interests to leave the Democrats.)

Power is, of course, never complete and always changing. But as the Republicans continue to peel away more and more pieces of the remaining Democratic influence in Washington, more and more Democratic senators and Congressmen will feel compelled to work with, and vote with, the Republicans on legislation. Crumbs are better than starvation. The remaining loyal Democrats will sound ever more shrill and thus unfit to govern -- pungent adjectives being the last resort of a minority party. So, the political center of gravity in Washington will continue to shift toward the Republicans. And, the longer this process continues, the harder it will be for the Democrats to regain power -- as the Republicans have learned by their bitter experience of the last half century. But Republicans should not forget that of which the Romans used to remind themselves: Sic transit gloria mundi (The glories of this world are fleeting).