More on the Supplemental Capitulation

Still mad. And now it's officially passed and awaiting the president's signature. And the supposed reason why? Because they were afraid if they didn't pass a bill that the President would rake them over the coals for it over the Memorial Day weekend.

The justification that this is a victory for the Democrats is, rightly, not passing the laugh test. This isn't red state country where our leaders can make things so just by wishing hard and spinning fast enough. We expect accountability here. Mr. Reid can claim all he wants that this bill is not a blank check. And his reason for doing so is, apparently, the benchmark provisions inserted by Mr. Warner. But, as far as I can tell, those aren't mandatory and can be ignored by the President – even without a signing statement. But that's okay because it's not like he willfully contradicts the legislature all the time.

The impression we're left with is that the Democrats caved in and gave the president everything he wanted. Maybe not the one that knowledgeable policy wonks who follow all this stuff the way some people follow the important things, like sports teams are going to hold but the one that's going to filter its way into the non-political programming. Where it really matters.

I'm relieved that I'm not the only voice asking why, exactly, are the Democrats are so afraid of Mr. Bush? This is a man who goes on television and says he's credible because “he reads the intelligence reports”. Who goes to a press conference and tells the reporters there that questioning his policies puts their (non-existent) children in danger. Who has an approval rating approaching the margin of error which falls every time he opens his mouth. Why does any consider him a threat?

I say let him go on the attack over benchmarks and timelines and troop withdrawals and everything else the public's been shown to approve. Let him try and defend his policies by thumping the bully pulpit harder and stomping his feet and holding his breath until he turns blue. Let him give everyone a glimpse into the alternate universe his bunker apparently rests in. And then remind people that this is the man who's supporting our troops by extending their deployments and denying them raises of a few dollars a month. And who's the only one to blame for their not being an appropriations bill. He's the one who wielded the veto pen. He's the one who took us to war. He's the one responsible.

Yes, he'll criticize you for that. But he's the opposition, if he's not criticizing you, you're probably doing something wrong. And when his only resort is trying to work the refs the way he's been doing lately, that means you're doing something right. But, oh well, I guess we'll find out if our Congressmen and women have the stones when September comes.