POWER-SHARING ISN'T BEST IDEA FOR WINNERS

State senators in Jefferson City, Mo., have a power-sharing deal that is likely to become something of a museum piece, thanks to the realities of politics.

For the first time in 54 years, Republicans have a 16-15 majority. But there are three vacancies, and special elections to fill those vacancies are set for later this month. At best, the GOP hopes to wind up with a 17-17 tie with Democratic senators, which is why there has been so much attention focused on power sharing.

There are plenty of other questions for Missouri's senators too. For example, if the Senate is evenly split, how do you account for the constitutional requirement that the final vote on final passage of all bills must be by a majority of elected senators? Sure, the lieutenant governor, Democrat Joe Maxwell, has constitutional power to break ties in the Senate, but he is not an elected senator.

Missouri Supreme Court judges might as well start dusting off their law books if it comes to that.

So, for now, the state's senators have agreed to a historic arrangement that gives the chamber two presidents pro tem -- the top officers in the Senate. But that won't last if either party gets at least 18 seats, a clear constitutional majority of elected senators.

The Senate chamber, much like its counterpart in Washington, D.C., is known for its manners and its attention to courteous formalities.

But politics is politics.

Look at the U.S. Senate, which is, until Jan. 20, controlled by Democrats. Senators are split 50-50, but Vice President Al Gore continues to have the right of presiding and casting the tie-breaking vote. Once George W. Bush and Dick Cheney are sworn in, the new Republican vice president will serve the same purpose.

In the meantime, Democrats are making the most of the situation, crafting decisions that will be good for less than two weeks. Among those decisions are a lot of noisy plans for confirmation hearings on some of Bush's most controversial Cabinet appointments.

These are the same Democrats who, when it appeared the Senate would be evenly split and Republicans would control the White House, were champions of bipartisan cooperation. And power sharing -- except for the few days they have a vice-presidential majority vote.

When in come to running government, power sharing is the least likely path toward any real achievement. There is only one winner in every contest, and leadership comes from calling the shots. Democrats know this well. Republicans are learning fast.