it is a political win for the president because it has been on his agenda for a long time. it is a signature issue for him, a tactical win because republicans said he wasn't going to get it. it is a save the world win because if you care about, oops, it's the nuclear end of the world you care about treaties like this getting passed. if the senate ratifies the start treaty tomorrow it caps an astonishing period in american political history. for the last two years, democrats have held the white house as well as big majorities in the house and senate. the record of achievement in that time, even in the face of unified at times totally random republican opposition, republican opposition even to things republicans had proposed in the first place, unified republican opposition to their own ideas? their track record even in the face of that is historic. whether you agree or disagree with what democrats have done in the first two years of president obama's presidency, they have freaking done it. the fair pay act for women, expanding children's health