What will the Democrats do?

Democrats will be running the show when Congress convenes in January. They come into power with many promises -- from the seemingly straightforward, such as raising the minimum wage, to the more complex and nuanced, such as addressing U.S. policy in Iraq and dealing with a broken immigration system.

The incoming leaders of the U.S. House have released a list of priorities for their first 100 hours in power. Among them: improvement of the Medicare prescription drug program, ethics reform, a cut in interest rates for student loans and a rollback in subsidies for "Big Oil."

But the newly elected also will face important unfinished business -- namely major appropriations bills left by the outgoing Congress.

While expectations are high, few think Democrats will easily win passage of any measures that are particularly controversial.

This is especially true in the U.S. Senate, where Democrats hold a bare majority, 51 of 100 seats, but will need 60 votes to force consideration of legislation. Moreover, President Bush can provide a check on Democratic efforts through his veto power.

Here's a look at what's ahead for the new Congress.

Associated Press, Washington Post, Bloomberg News