What are we to make of the 2014 mid-term elections now that the political dust has settled? Mostly what we’ve heard so far is a bunch of hooey.

For instance, numerous analysts have pointed to the Republican dominance in the elections as evidence of the diminishing role of the Democrats nationally. And Democrats themselves largely have bemoaned the results and wondered if there is a future for the party as currently constituted.Now if any of that sounds familiar, think back — way back as far as the presidential election of 2012 — when Barack Obama was re-elected and Republicans launched an orgy of self-criticism in an effort to find any remaining relevance for their party. The words they used then are almost exactly what we’re hearing from Democrats in the wake of 2014 results.

So let’s forget the notion that the Democrats are now irrelevant in the nation’s politics. They still control the White House and they have enough presence in the Congress — especially the Senate — to maintain a balance against the GOP majority. The business of governing will require two parties, although we await evidence that Republicans will use their majorities to accomplish anything. Remember — the Tea Party is still looming, and unprincipled zealots like Ted Cruz can and likely will cause trouble for Republicans, and indeed, for the entire country.

The election was a costly mess: a record $4 billion spent overall. In a declaration of near lunacy, a pair of Wall Street Journal analysts have concluded that the $4 billion was actually not all that much because it merely reflects the growth in the size of running the government. In their words, if government were smaller, people wouldn’t spend as much much to get into a position to run it. Historically that doesn’t wash; we’re spending much more because the Supreme Court permits unlimited spending. A notion that the size of government determines how much people want to be part of it is patently nonsense.

So, is the conservative philosophy now ascendant nationally? On the surface, I suppose so. But underneath, I’m not so sure. A number of ballot initiatives backing more progressive causes prevailed, including additional states legalizing marijuana and raising the minimum wage. And I’m not convinced that the Republicans have put together any sort of national constituency that can win the White House in 2016. When voter turnout gets larger as it will in a presidential election year — with more African American, Hispanic and women voters — Republican chances go down given the party’s abandonment of those categories.

Bottom line? We’re in for two years of difficulties governing this country. Republicans haven’t shown any interest in abandoning their goals: less regulation for businesses, less regulation of energy programs, less attention to the middle class and continuing efforts to do away with the existing core of Medicare, Medicaid and Obamacare. It’s a miserably selfish program focused almost entirely on the well-off. It’s also a shame. Many people in this country want something better; sadly, some of them voted this year to maintain the very same gridlock they profess to dislike.