The future — that vast expanse of hopes and dreams — was once reserved for restless Americans out to improve their lot. There were going to be bigger houses, faster cars and better paying jobs in a peaceful world. The fall of the Berlin Wall gave rise to the prospect of widespread prosperity well into the 21st century.

The Democrats officially ceded the seat of their fallen hero — a seat they had held since the late Ted Kennedy’s brother occupied the White House — when Vice President Biden administered the oath of office to Republican Scott Brown last week. Brown’s arrival in Washington sounds the death knell for the dreamlike demands of President Barack Obama’s liberal base. Gone are the days of health care optimism and cap and trade consensus. Silence reigns where there were once cries for a second stimulus and righteous calls for a New York City civilian trial for Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

My first days as an intern on Capitol Hill were marked by the unheralded tasks familiar to any newcomer to the House of Representatives: sorting mail, distributing faxes to aides and answering phone calls from district constituents. As expected, many of the conversations were dominated by the everyday concerns of middle-class citizens struggling through an economic downturn. What surprised me, however, was the volume of appeals insisting on more Medicare protection, expanded health care coverage or increased security to stem the flow of illegal immigrants.

On Tuesday afternoon, hours before his televised address at West Point, President Barack Obama wisely acknowledged, “None of this is easy. I mean, we are choosing from a menu of options that are less than ideal.”

Over the last year, my roommate and I have embarked on a crusade to run to the farthest reaches of the metro area. We began with modest adventures of four to five miles. With Forrest Gump-like zeal, we decided to run some more ­— and more, and more, and more. Last Monday night, we journeyed east through the city and into other parts of Maryland. Our destination was FedEx Field in Landover,  nearly 14 miles from campus. Along those many miles, I was reminded of the depth of this city’s poverty and urban decay. While the discouraging sights of that run will remain with me for a long time, there’s hope for a better future.

Political columnists and pundits tend to overreact to electoral developments and their significance in relation to future contests. I cannot say I am free from such journalistic sin. Yet, in the wake of Tuesday’s off-year elections, I am here to sound a warning before every network and print news outlet engages in the perennial debate over who is up and who is down in the political sphere. I am only afraid I speak too late.

The possession and transfer of marijuana were deemed illegal in the United States with the passage of the Marijuana Tax Act in 1937. For the “reformers” it was hailed as a great accomplishment.

Pursuing a perfect label for Pakistan’s political environment is an infuriating and futile ordeal. The nation’s political atmosphere is a toxic field of upheaval and uncertainty.

The time is ripe to discuss the 2012 election. While roughly 1,140 days is not looming per se, whispers of potential match-ups will surely dominate Washington in the coming months.

As summer turns to fall here in our nation’s capital, the bloom is off the rose for President Barack Obama. The administration is at the mercy of an unpredictable Congressional majority.