WASHINGTON -- President George W. Bush, who played the war and terrorism and yellow-alert cards to win the casino jackpot in the midterm election, is now in position to ram his conservative agenda through the GOP-controlled Congress.

Or at least that's the conventional wisdom. And you can be sure that the demoralized Democrats are in for a long, cold political winter.

While Bush was careful not to gloat, he made it clear in his news conference Thursday that he feels the Republican victory has given him a strong mandate for his legislative proposals.

He was asked at the session if his pledge to work with Democrats meant that he would be "governing more from the center and taking fewer cues from the conservative arm of your party."

He denied taking "cues from anybody," adding, "I just do what I think is right ... And I ran on a political philosophy. I'm not changing my political philosophy. I am who I am prior to ... the election... It's just who I am and how I intend to lead this country."

Fair enough. He feels he does not have to make any concessions on his conservative goals. But he may be in for a rude surprise if the Democrats, dazed and confused as they are now, wake up and realize they still have some power left.

On a number of things -- some tax and budget matters, some points of order and, of course, cutting off filibusters -- Bush and his Republican lawmakers will need 60 votes in the Senate to prevail. And so far they have a majority of only 51.

High on Bush's agenda is legislation creating a vast homeland security department and making his 10-year, $1.35 trillion tax cut permanent while adding other tax breaks for investors. He also wants approval of his right-wing judicial nominees like Charles Pickering of Mississippi and Priscilla Owen of Texas.

And he continues to insist that we need to drill for oil in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, ban certain late-term abortions, and give faith-based groups a bigger say in federally funded social programs.

Bush also told reporters he still wants to see Social Security partially privatized so that workers can invest part of their payroll taxes in the stock market -- an idea that has been a nonstarter over the last two years.

However, he pointedly did not put the issue in his original list of top priorities Thursday, and he may not push hard for it.

Still, some powerful Republican lawmakers haven't given up despite the corporate scandals and the gyrating stock market that have robbed millions of workers of their life savings.

I had thought those developments would have given Bush's radical plan a decent burial.

As for the Supreme Court, there are predictions that Chief Justice William Rehnquist will step down now that he is assured of a Republican White House and Senate to pick his replacement on the Supreme Court.

I fear his and perhaps other resignations will pave the way for arch-conservative Justice Antonin Scalia and jurists with similar views to take over the high bench. Then woe unto supporters of legalized abortions and other civil rights.

The president said he is planning a new package of measures to create more jobs. But his permanent tax cut idea and more tax breaks for investors will only make the rich richer.

So what will the Democrats be doing to cope with such an agenda?

Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.Dak., said after the election that the president's emphasis on 9/11 during the campaign precluded Democrats "from having the opportunity to break through with the issues that we wanted to talk about the most-- the economy, education, health care."

Daschle insisted that the party would continue to "fight for the things we believe in, and he vowed, "We're not going away."

Well, let's hope not. Maybe the Democrats have learned that they brought about their own debacle by saying "me too" and rolling over for Bush on so many issues during the campaign. Maybe now they will stiffen their rubbery spines and fight back.

What's wrong with tying the Senate up in parliamentary knots to fight off the Bush proposals that are simply dangerous ideas?

If the Democrats don't do it, Bush will get his way completely, and that worries me.

(Helen Thomas can be reached at the e-mail address helent@hearstdc.com)