In case you had any doubt that elections matter...
- Chance that a Republican Congress would set an Iraq withdrawal date: zero.
- Chance that a Republican Congress would investigate political firings of US Attorneys: zero.
- Chance that a Republican Congress would investigate FBI abuse of National Security Letters: zero.
- Chance that a Republican Congress would investigate the pressuring of government scientists to downplay global warming: zero.
Whether you agree with these actions or not, it's pretty clear that the November election changed the relationship between the White House and the Congress pretty dramatically.