The incestuousness of Washington politics never ceases to amaze me. The pathetic sight of Congress members, co-equal in authority under the law, lining up to get the autograph of a president that lied to them about the need for war and directly responsible for the death of thousands of Iraqis and American soldiers, is de rigueur in DC.
With all the bon homme in the chamber one could expect easy passage of the hundred hour agenda into law. Wrong. Take note of the latest Senate vote on the minimum wage increase passed by Ms. Pelosi and her House colleagues. Forty three Republicans, in lock step with their master, voted against the modest increase without more tax breaks for the proprietary class they represent so well. Only five Republicans voted with Democrats. You have to admire their party discipline or niggardly souls. Their block sent the wage bill back to committee where it will be held until the tax bills are voted on in the House where they must originate under the Constitution. Nice try, Senator Kennedy. I will not say I told you so. More tax giveaways are not the way to balance the budget (another of the Charlatan's professed goals) but the poor need the extra $2.10 an hour. Putting a cap on CEO deferred income is a good idea for balancing the Republican's tax cut demands.
Residents of Delaware might ask were their two Democratic Senators were when the vote to end debate on the legislation was taken. Clearly, Senate Democrats are still 6 seats shy of a working majority since 60 votes are needed to invoke cloture under current Senate rules. Instead of self-congratulations they should be planning how to achieve that majority in 2008. So far the Senators' performance only rates a C for more of the same.
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