Murkowski Over Miller: So What?

I suppose I should be happy that "mainstream" Republican (or former Republican, that is) senator Lisa Murkowski was able to muster enough votes as a write-in independent candidate to defeat Palin-endorsed Tea Party Republican Joe Miller in the Alaska U.S. Senate race. But how much should I really rejoice, anyway? It seems that for the last two years, Republican senators have pretty much consistently voted in a straight block against ANYTHING on that legislative body's agenda in a cynical attempt to delay and obstruct the duly-elected majority Democrats from being able to claim any credit for accomplishing anything. It didn't seem to matter whether the GOP senator was an ideologue like James Inhofe or a moderate like Richard Lugar. It was in essence a two-year "block party" for all concerned. Murkowski may have been personally inclined toward being a moderate, but she still followed the party leaders' directives and contributed very little of a positive nature during the last two years. So I don't see how her reelection will make much of a difference during the next two as well. Of course, sooner or later the Republicans will regain a Senate majority...and then they'll expect the Democrats to work with them. Yes, Lisa Murkowski will then once again be on the Senate floor proposing legislation and doubtlessly criticizing the Dems for being obstructionists! So I guess I would eventually rather have her in there instead of Miller, who strikes me as being of the same ilk that George Wallace was in the sixties and seventies. Only the targeted demographic scapegoat groups have changed from blacks back then to Mexicans, Muslims, and gays now.