Stage set for new US Congress

All is ready for the battle of the 108th Congress to start

By Justin Webb BBC Washington correspondent

Politicians are in Washington for the new session of Congress, under the familiar dome of the Capitol Building which dominates the city scene.

The stunning architecture of the home of the US Congress has been given added lustre by a sprinkling of snow.

House Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi says her party will come out fighting

Everything is ready for battle to commence at the 108th Congress.

Last November's mid-term elections ended with Republican Party control of both the Senate and House of Representatives, as well as the White House under President George W Bush.

The new leader of the Democrats in the House, Nancy Pelosi, has already thrown down the gauntlet.

"Our big issue is the safety and soundness of the American people; the soundness of our economy and the safety of our people - that would be our priority as we go forward," she said.

'It's the economy'

Both sides agree that the economy is the dominant issue, at least at first, a point underlined by President George W Bush's plans for more tax cuts, outlined on Tuesday.

[The economy is] what people are worried about and Bush knows people are worried

Anna Greenberg
Democrat pollster

Anna Greenberg, a Democrat pollster, says her party will take up the battle by playing on a widespread belief that the Bush plan aids only the well-off.

"No-one talked about [the economy] in the election in a way that you will see it played out in the debate that's going to happen in Congress now," she said.

"But it's the subtext and it's what people are worried about and Bush knows people are worried about it and that's why it's the first thing he's going to do."

Troubled opposition

But the truth is that the battle on the economy and indeed on all other issues is difficult to predict, partly because the Democrats are in such dire shape and at the moment are so lacking in direction.

Over the next six months, there's going to be a lot of shake-up within the Democratic Party

Frank Luntz
Republican pollster

Frank Luntz, a Republican pollster, said Democrats had not yet been articulate in their opposition to the president.

He said the Democratic Party was in bad shape, comparing it to Britain's Conservatives who have suffered two landslide election defeats.

"They're looking for their voice and they don't have it yet," he said.

"My guess is, over the next six months, there's going to be a lot of shake-up within the Democratic Party and - as the president puts forward initiatives - they will coalesce around some around sort of opposition.

"But you can't tell what it will be because they don't know themselves."

Iraq wild card

Students from Washington's American University - studying to become political campaigners themselves - disagree about much as the new session of Congress gets going.

Bill Frist will lead Republicans in the Senate, where they have regained control

But there is cross-party agreement in the group that Iraq is the great wild card in this political season.

They believe the Democrats could seize the initiative if the president falters.

One student said: "We're on the verge of where I think it's very important for the Democrats and the Republicans to work together.

"But I think with a Republican leader and basically all three sections of the American Government being controlled by the Republicans, I think that's going to energise the Democrats as well."

For both parties there is much to play for in this Congress and much to lose.

The Republicans are certainly in a dominant position in theory, but in practice the nation's politics are in a complicated and unpredictable pickle and will be until Iraq is off the agenda.