[Platapus]

This graphic only illustrates that Congress votes on several different issues at the same time.

BTW the Democrats only have a majority in the House of Representatives (53%)

The Senate is tied

49 Democrats and 49 Republicans with two independents Bernie Sanders and Joe Lieberman.

Independent of which party has the actual majority, there are offices and positions that must be filled by the "Majority Party". Therefore the Senate has adopted rules for the selection of the Majority Party, when there is no clear majority of seats held.

It is important to recognize the difference between being the Majority Party and having a majority in Congress. The two are different.

For the purposes of designating which party would be the Majority Party one of two methods are used.

In the 110th Congress:

1. If any of the independents agree to caucus with one party, and that caucusing would bring the number to the simple majority than the "majority" goes to the caucusing party. In this case since Senators Liberman, and Sanders agreed, at the start of the 110th Congress, to caucus with the Democratic Party, The Democratic party is the Majority Party in the Senate.

2. If the Independents decide to caucus with neither party, or split their caucus to bring the numbers to 49+1 to 49+1, the Senate would be tied. In this situation, since both parties are tied, the political party of the President of the Senate (Vice President of the United States) would determine which party would be the Majority Party. In this case Republican.

If Senator Liberman would stop, or not be allowed, to caucus with the Democratic party we could find ourselves in the 49+1 to 49+1 situation.

So there is a common misconception that in the 2006 elections that the Democratic Party took control over the Congress. This is only true in the House of Representatives as the Democratic Party holds 53% of the seats

It is not true in the US Senate where the Democratic Party holds 49% of the Senatorial Seats. The Democrats and Republicans are tied with each holding 49% of the seats so neither party holds a voting majority.

The 110th Senate is neither a Democratic nor Republican controlled Senate.

With the wacky Senatorial rules it is possible for a political party to be the Majority Party but not have a majority in the Senate.

So when parroting the phrase "The Democratic Congress has done nothing since 2006!" keep in mind that the Democrats still do not have a majority of the seats on the Senate.

So referencing that chart: One could ask, what were the Republicans doing with their 49%???

Pots and kettles, gooses and gandars