The big battle this week in the Congress will be in the House of Representatives, which is set for a vote on an economic stimulus plan developed by Democrats.

The $825 billion dollar plan could still see some changes before that House vote, but as of now, Democrats don't seem interested in making many changes to bring on Republican votes.

House GOP Leader John Boehner and others have made it very clear that they think the plan spends too much money and doesn't ensure that money goes to programs which will get money into the economy straight away.

Even Democrats have been grumbling a bit about the latter point, worried that most of the money seems to be going to fill budget gaps in federal agencies, rather than for projects that will create jobs straight away.

Back in the Bush years, bipartisanship was usually defined by the Bush White House as any bill that had the support of at least one Democrat.

For now, the Obama White House may not be getting much more than that.

Regardless of what happens this week in the House, the big fight still looms in the Senate.  There Republicans can create a bit more of a roadblock by using the rules to slow action.

But just think if the Democrats only had 53 or 54 votes instead of 58.

It might be a much different ballgame.

That's why elections have consequences.

Stay tuned.