Democrats are beginning to make plans for their takeover of the House after the November elections. John Fund explains why it is not a done deal, while this piece examines the impact the '06 election might have, or not have, on the '08 election.

Conservative behavior will drive this election. The Liberals are fired up and will, no doubt, show up at the polls in large numbers. Some middle-of-the-road voters, or swing voters, have grown so sour on the current Administration, mainly due to the war in Iraq, that they will also show up and be inclined to vote for the opposition party. But, if Conservatives also show up in large numbers, then the GOP has a chance to keep control of the House. This is why Karl Rove is making it his mission to generate Conservative turnout. Can he succeed? Only if the GOP-led Congress and the President begin addressing their concerns. Stop the pork barrel spending. Pass a real immigration reform bill that cracks down on our porous borders and puts real resources into our border security agencies. That would be a good start.

In the end, though, the GOP is at the mercy of how Conservatives feel about their performance when election time comes around in November. If the GOP can turn it around in the next six months, they can at least limit their losses. I, for one, am still undecided. Would we be better off, especially looking ahead to '08, to give the American people a taste of how the Democrats would run things? Would it not be instructive to watch Speaker Pelosi in action? Stay tuned.