One of the great things about running the US House during an election year is that the party in power can pretty much dictate what issues are going to be dealt with on the floor, leaving the minority party to throw verbal grenades about what the voters supposedly want.

We are heading into an interesting time along those lines in the House, as Democratic leaders hope to cram a lot of work onto the floor before Memorial Day.

At the top of the to-do list in May is extra money for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, known by the Congressional shorthand, the War Supplemental.

The "Supp" as it is called in the hallways of the Capitol is sure to attract a lot of attention, not just because it will offer a sure fire way to argue about the war, but also because it may be the best way for both parties to try to add on legislative extras.

Many Democrats want to see money for a second economic stimulus plan attached to the War Supp, but Democratic leaders aren't sure as yet what their plans will be.

Next week could see the House vote on the over $100 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan, along with $70 billion in other money for military operations. 

Also on the agenda this month, housing legislation, a major farm bill that's been in negotiations for months, and possibly measure relating to gas prices, which would be a surefire exercise in election year fireworks.

While Democrats wait to see who their standard bearer will be in November, Republicans in the House have been trying to make sure they stay on the same page as John McCain when it comes to legislative action this election year.

McCain aides have met separately with GOP lawmakers in both the House and Senate, trying to make sure his various ideas aren't submarined by Republicans in Congress and vice versa.

A number of GOP lawmakers who couldn't stand the thought of McCain getting the nomination now admit that he may be the only one who can win this year from the Republican side - and they say the more coordination within the party, the better.

Now, while I mentioned above how this is a great time to be in the majority in the House, this is not a great time to be in the majority in the Senate, as election years often result in more guerilla tactics than usual by the Senate minority, right now, the GOP.

I was thinking today about what we might expect from Republicans in coming weeks and I figure maybe someone will start with a resolution condemning the actions of William Ayers and the Weathermen bombers from the 1960s.

Just the start of the election year fun in the Congress.