Alert: Dems Grow Ovaries

The Bipartisan Blues



First verse:

Woke up dis monin'

And all de R's was gone

Walk out te chamber while I was sleepin'

All time cryin' for a bone


Chorus:

A bone, dey cry, a bone

Gib us a goddam bone

Gib us spyin' 'n lyin' 'n denyin'

We keep tryin'

Gib us dat goddam bone


Second verse:

No, sayd da Dems

No way today

Jes go way

No mo playin' yo way

Jes go way


And so, dey did. All ob 'em.

Okay, so it may not win a Grammy but I felt today (and starting yesterday) that finally, finally the mist was dispersing and congressional Democrats' basic intent was beginning to be clear.
They had set up the Republicans for three big losses, Shrubya was left sputtering for the second day in front of the cameras, even promising to postpone his trip to Africa if only, if only, House Democrats would see their way clear to give their approval to the Senate surveillance bill and include retroactive immunity for telecoms that helped him practice illegal wiretapping of Americans.
If not that, at least extend the current bad surveillance bill, he pleaded, or something much worse than 9/11 could happen. That was a lie, of course.
The Dems refused to take up the bad Senate bill, they ignored another extension of the current operating legislation after Republicans inexplicably joined with a few Dems to reject extension the day before. It will expire, but there are provisions in the new and old laws that do not prevent surveillance already in place, and only requires, heh-heh, a warrant to initiate new ones. No free pass for AT&T or Verizon this time.
And then, to top it all off, the Dems — and three Republicans — gave leadership permission to sue Harriet Miers and Josh Bolten for contempt of Congress.
That was the final blow for the R's, who walked out in protest. The two contempt measures passed anyway.
The netroots — progressive bloggers and commenters — have been railing for many months against Democratic leader for their cowardice, their go-along attitude towards the minority party, their fear of the fearmongers.
But maybe it was in the plans all along to let it build to this drama.
Anyway, today my head is exploding in joy and gratitude.
Congress is now in recess for 12 days.