Washington Betrays Us

Another disgraceful week in Washington, and plenty of disgrace to go around. Even Roveless, the Bushites once again outmaneuvered Senate Democrats, shifting attention from the Republicans' despicable betrayal of U.S. troops when they blocked the Webb-Hagel bill to provide longer if not adequate leaves for combat troops between deployments, to phony outrage over the headline to a newspaper ad.

Democrats looked in even more disarray when they once again lost a vote to impose timetables to end the Iraq war, with even fewer Democrats voting for it this time than the last time similar legislation was offered.

The only "bright" spot in Washington was in the House, which hasn't done much but at least hasn't been successfully jerked around by the White House. There some 70 members have signed a pledge not to support funds for Iraq not tied to ending the U.S. occupation, perhaps because they're more attuned to the growing anger in their constituencies about the inaction on stopping the war.

But that's not much. The Democrats in the Senate can't be entirely faulted for failing to pass legislation, since they don't really have a working majority, especially since obstructionist Republicans have made 60 votes the bare necessity for avoiding fillibuster on anything they'd otherwise lose on. But they most definitely can be faulted for being outmanuevered, and failing to make the issue the Republicans who are betraying the troops and the rest of us.

Bushite Republicans are once again literally getting away with murder. The Senate leadership looks inept, as do the Senators who are running for President. They ought to start proving themselves by leading the Senate. They might at least make the Republicans and their betrayals the issue, not to mention (as Keith and guest said tonight) going after the GOP candidates for avoiding each and every opportunity to debate before black or Latino audiences.