They can't do an impeachment, the american people at large would hate it, and it would energize the republicans.
But by announcing ahead of time that they WON'T do it, they are acknowledging that all the stuff they've said the last six years was a lie, because if it was true Bush would DESERVE to be impeached.
Further, it enrages all those people who just gave them millions of dollars and thousands of hours of time making phone calls and walkng door to door, all in the belief that when the democrats won, they would impeach Bush, Cheney,and apparently the entire cabinet except for Norm Mineta.
Meanwhile, Pelosi is assuming she will be speaker of the house, but I don't know how she is positive all the new people will vote for her -- I guess it's a forgone conclusion, but it IS an election of the entire house, and it isn't a coronation. We were going to put Livingstone in the position and something came up and he dropped out, I suppose it could happen to her.
But assuming she is speaker, she's also apparently blocking all "hawk" democrats from having chairs, like Jane Harman (a sane democrat). This will certainly upset quite a few people with seniority, and should make independents think twice about democrat leadership.
It isn't easy running the country -- we saw the republicans botch it up pretty good the last couple of years, and I don't know if the democrats CAN do it worse but I have trouble imagining they will do it BETTER.
Amen to your well written and thoughtful post.