A week ago yesterday, Americans changed the balance of power in the Legislative Branch of our government.  However, the Representatives and Senators that we elected do not take over until January 2011.  Of course, that means that we’re stuck with the comedy team of Pelosi and Reid for one last session:  affectionately known as a “Lame Duck” Congress.

With any luck, this final act of desperation may turn out to be short and sweet for the American people.

Even though the Dems have a list the size of the Magna Carta of proposed legislation that they want to cram down our throats, ala the Stimulus Bill and Obamacare, after the shellacking we just handed them, they don’t appear to be in any mood to participate in a no holds barred cage match over their wish list.

The Republicans, for their part, know that the folks back home are watching,to see if they learned anything from the rebuke of  Beltway Elite politicians in the Midterms.

The session, which begins Nov. 15, will be mostly about tax-and-spending issues.  But there also are legislative battles waiting to be fought ranging from giving seniors $250 Social Security special payments to repealing the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy against gays serving openly.

They’ll have at it for a week and then break for Thanksgiving.  These turkeys will return after the holiday, but on Dec. 1, the bums that America kicked out have to vacate their offices. If Congress is still in session, they will be moved to the basement where they will only have cubicles.  Sweet! 

This drop in prestige makes it very unlikely that lawmakers will still be around by Christmas Eve, as they were last year when they were shoving Obamacare down our throats.

A spokesman for one of the dearly departing said that his boss will be around no matter where his office is located.

Josh Taylor, a spokesman for outgoing Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, said:

We’re here to finish business.  That’s our commitment to our district.

Everyone on Capitol Hill is saying that the House will only be in session for two weeks, but nobody can tell you why.

According to a senior Republican House aide:

I think it’s one recognizing the reality that what the House passes has to get through the Senate, which is still bollixed up.

This aide thinks that  Congress will probably find a way to avoid a government shutdown when a stopgap spending bill expires Dec. 3 and to address the looming expiration of the Bush tax cuts on Dec. 31. Taxes on income, investments and large estates are set to go up, while the $1,000 per-child tax credit would be cut in half and couples would lose relief from the so-called marriage penalty.

The GOP aide said it’s possible Congress won’t reach a consensus in time to extend the tax cuts. Republicans want to extend them for all Americans while President Obama wants to cap them at $200,000 for individuals and $250,000 for families.

A senior House Democratic aide told FoxNews.com that Democrats plan to consider bills on food safety, child nutrition, appropriations, emergency Social Security payments and taxes.

A spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader “Dinghy” Harry Reid said there is no list yet of what items will be considered. Of course, Reid promised Hispanics that he would bring up the DREAM Act for a vote in the lame duck session before his re-election victory.  The DREAM Act would grant conditional legal status to some illegal immigrant students under certain conditions.

Reid also told labor officials that he would repay their mobilizing the voters by bringing up the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, a bill that would set minimum standards for state collective bargaining laws for firefighters and police officers.

Reid’s lackey said that Reid, before the election, began the procedural process on three bills: the natural gas and electric vehicle bill, the paycheck fairness act and one on food safety. But the spokeswoman said the other items, like the Bush tax cuts, and unemployment benefit, still need to be discussed among the White House and leaders in both parties.

Uh huh.  I would love to be a fly on the wall during those discussions.

Reid’s spokeswoman said getting the items passed depends on Republicans.

These are all items important to Harry Reid.  We’ll need Republican support.

I wouldn’t hold your breath waiting on it.

Especially after San Fran Nan throws her little party today celebrating her accomplishments as the leader of the most unethical, tone-deaf, Elitist bunch of Jackwagons ever to slink about Capitol Hill.

The soon-to-be Former Speaker of the House (Thank you, Lord) has problems of her own.  Defeated Democrats have sent a letter asking her to step aside in her quest to be Minority Leader of the House.  Health Schuler and other “Blue Dogs” also want her to step aside.  They know that as long as she’s leading them, House Democrats will never return to power.

The Republicans are loving this.  It’s their job now to allow the Dems to implode.  They also have to block, by any means necessary, any legislation that might actually have a chance to be pushed through in this short Lame Duck Session.  Their time will come in January.  Just hold the line until then.

And pass the popcorn.