Reply #45: Maybe that's a little pessimistic.

[nodular]

The Blue Dogs are projecting 44 members for their caucus. The Progressives are projecting 70, according to a recent DU post. It seems to me that the other Democratic caucuses are in between the two, but generally on the left of the spectrum.

I think the Blue Dogs will pick a few key issues they feel they can get a compromise on from the leadership and get some legislation they actually want, stake out a small number of other issues where they feel they have to remain in opposition regardless of external factors (because these issues are too central to their core beliefs), and go along with the leadership on everything else.

A simple majority can pass legislation in the House, which the Democrats should now be able to do. In the Senate, the Republicans can filibuster if they have 40 votes. Everything that passes the Senate will probably require Republican cooperation.

Of course, it is unlikely that anything can be veto-proof at this point. here, Bush's reluctance to veto things should work in the Democrats favor. Presumably, he will be the vetoing more frequently, but I believe he will also try pretty hard to find things that he can avoid vetoing.