CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Elections have consequences, both nationally and locally. While the re-election of President Obama was not the overwhelming endorsement he might have hoped, it was a strong enough statement by American voters that they have confidence in him and his approach to governing.

Even with high unemployment and the lingering effects of the Great Recession, Democrats gained seats in the House and Senate at the expense of some very high profile tea party endorsed candidates. Moreover, the overwhelming majorities of African-Americans, Hispanics, and women who voted for the president sent Republicans a clear message that they were headed in the wrong direction.

Obama came to office promising to work with the other side to get things done, but over four years it became clear that the other side would not work with him. That is, they were pleased when he endorsed their proposals, but they would not compromise to accept his. As we enter the second term, many have pointed out that fundamentally nothing is different: We still have a Republican majority in the House, a Democratic majority in the Senate and a Democratic President.

But something is different. The Republican minority is fractured, no longer an unbending wall. For the first time since the nail-biting passage of the Affordable Care Act, I am feeling hopeful that progress on solving some of the country's thorny budget and deficit problems has a chance.

I am no expert on internal Republican politics, but two things give me hope -- the passage of the last minute "fiscal cliff" deal and the passage of disaster funding for victims of Hurricane Sandy. While the lead up to the vote on the fiscal cliff included a replay of the failed "Grand Bargain" negotiations between House Speaker John Boehner and the president, in which House Republicans could not say yes to anything that included a rise in tax rates, in the end, a majority of Senate Republicans voted for the rise in tax rates on the wealthiest Americans, and Boehner allowed the bill to be voted on despite the fact it did not have the support of a majority of House Republicans.

This is not the way he and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell did business in the past. Since we have not heard anything about rebellion in the House ranks, one must assume that they are resigned to playing the role of dissenters, not obstructionists for the time being.

But what about threats not to raise the debt ceiling or to shut down the government? I said I felt hope, but I don't have a crystal ball. My hope is that the threats are just that, threats. In the end, as they did for the cliff and on Hurricane Sandy, they will, in the end, do what needs to be done. There are enough Republicans in the Senate, and, it seems, about 50 in the House, who, given the opportunity, will vote with Democrats on legislation that moves the country forward.

But as President Obama reminds us, Congress won't act unless we demand it. Unfortunately, I have not found that encouraging my representative, Republican Shelley Capito, to support balanced tax and spending legislation made any difference. She voted against the tax increase on the wealthiest Americans and has voted with the Republican majority 91 percent of the time, the same percentage as Paul Ryan, chosen by Mitt Romney as his running mate, to satisfy the right wing of his right wing party.

Another consequence of the election was the deepening of West Virginia's shade of red. West Virginians have overwhelmingly rejected Mr. Obama in two elections.

Once a bastion of union supported Democrats, West Virginia voters re-elected Republicans Shelley Capito and David McKinley (who voted 87 percent with Republicans) to the House, deposed consumer protection giant Daryl McGraw in favor of a Republican lobbyist, and nearly gave Republicans a majority in the state House of Delegates.

With Jay Rockefeller's retirement announcement and Joe Manchin's propensity for making news by speaking out against the president's proposals, hope for a better day in West Virginia politics is waning. I fear we will have to experience something like Wisconsinites, Ohioans, and Michiganders have at the hands of Republicans before voters here realize that, given the chance, Republicans will stomp on the rights of working people and protect corporations that despoil the environment and ignore health and safety of workers and communities.

All politics is local, community organizers say. It's time to organize in West Virginia and warn our fellow citizens of the dangers we face from Republicans while pointing out the improvements Democrats are making in peoples' lives. We need to support the Democrats who remain and unseat the Republicans before they have a chance to take root. Elections are important.

Epstein is a retired teacher, musician and writer.