WHAT DID DEMOCRATS WIN?

What did Democrats actually win in the midterm elections?

Now that the euphoria has died down, Democrats need to be honest with themselves. Winning Congress wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Control of the purse strings over the next 2 years means nothing. The money is already earmarked. Conservative Chief Justices are all in place. Controversial appointees are all confirmed. And the president can veto his way right to the finish line.

Control over investigating the president is the only real power the Democratic Congress has remaining. And that can be big, as we've seen.

Clinton's Opposition Congress managed to impeach him. Without their stunning success at effectively disabling a sitting president over lying about a private, consensual affair, the Republican legacy would have been barely discernable. Instead, the Clinton impeachment positioned Republicans to take the White House in 2000.

The Republican majority in Congress taught us that, in a closely divided country split along ideological lines, impeachment is the tie breaker in the general election. And they were willing to stoop to ridiculous ends to achieve their objectives.

There is no doubt Gore would have easily won both the electoral and national vote had the impeachment of Clinton been considered "off-base" by Republicans -- in other words, if Republicans had thought like Democrats. Without that impeachment, Bush would have been remembered as the nominal governor of a mediocre state and Republicans would have wandered the political landscape for a total of 16 years.

Instead, a national tragedy unfolded.

While some Democrats are still dancing in the endzone, others are realizing that Democrats have won what Republicans wanted them to win: an unwinnable war. Democrats historically pick up the wreckage of failed Republican administrations--administrations that loot the treasury, rob the schools, and get rich off the military industrial complex. Then Democrats hobble on uncomplaining, without retribution. It's enough to make you puke.

Some argue that the Democratic sweep in the midterms strengthens their presidential chances in '08. Dream on. Our undeclared front runner, Hillary, can only count on 37% of Democrat votes in a general election, and is seen by most as a polarizing figure. Barack's numbers are well below Hillary's. Edwards, our least controversial candidate, is barely on the radar screen among registered voters and Kerry, Gore, Biden and others have less chance of winning than OJ Simpson.

So who are we trying to kid? When Democratic candidates still lose by a few hundred votes in Florida districts in 2006 (where there were 18,000 undervotes in the Democratic-leaning precincts) -- and there isn't a civil war in this country --how do you think things will go in '08?

It must really be quite humorous (and a bit puzzling) for Republicans to figure out why the Democrats keep falling for the same old crap.

Congressional Democrats need to start the impeachment process and start it now. Unlike the last impeachment, this one is legitimate. If not for impeachment, what would discourage future presidents from stealing elections, bankrupting the country, and trumping up wars to cover their tracks?

It's the only real power Democrats won. President Bush will pay lip service to bi-partisanship, and then veto anything that denies him his legacy. No miracles will be turning this country around in the next two years. Bush is quite content to blame the loss of Iraq on Democrats.

What Democrats did win in the Congressional elections is the power to play the Republicans' game. As with Clinton's impeachment in 2000, Bush's impeachment will likely be the determining factor in '08. Democrats cannot reach the high way without the access ramp of hardball politics.

"It's the impeachment, stupid." If you don't believe me, go back to the 2000 election (when we also had all the issues on our side), and play it again without it. You can be sure Republicans have replayed it and are now holding their breath praying Democrats will act like Democrats -- and not impeach.