The Joke's on You and Me

Back in sixth grade, I remember being terrorized by a bully, for what must have been a week or so, and 40 years later, I still remember the frustration and impotence I felt. But I'm an adult now, and I know how to react to bullies. Generally, they're weak and pathetic individuals who continue bullying when others give in, but who back down when challenged by strength. Bullies are into external power plays to make up for their own lack of internal strength. It's a behavior born of weakness and pathology. As a parent, I believe that this description of bullies and how to deal with them is more or less well understood now. It's something we all deal with at one point or another in our kids' lives.

So why don't our elected representatives know how to treat those bullies George Bush and Dick Cheney and all their minions in the Senate? I intend no disrespect here for the office of the President or Vice President, certainly, but I do intend a full measure of disrespect for the two individuals whose small, fear-filled minds have dragged our country down so far. But kicking George Bush and Dick Cheney is pointless, they'll be gone in less than a year! (besides, go ahead and Google "worst president ever" and see for yourself - what could I possibly add here to the 500,000 or so search results?)

No, I'm here tonight to kick Harry Reid, who should have done a much better job at managing this lame power grab supported by the same old tired game of fear-mongering we've grown so used to over the past seven years. What on earth are those guys afraid of??? How does this still work for Bush???

Froomkin continues ...

"Congress is prepared to extend current law - the Protect America Act - by any length in order for Congress to complete the in-depth analysis and negotiations necessary for a long-term law broadly supported by the American people. If the President chooses to veto a short-term extension - as he said he would this morning - the responsibility for any ensuing intelligence collection gap lies on his shoulders and his alone."

Weak, Weak, Weak ...Harry, Harry, Harry ...

Scott Horton blogs for Harpers: "If things proceed on the course now set by the Bush Administration and its brainless collaborators, and the national surveillance state is achieved in short order, then future generations looking back and tracing the destruction of the grand design of our Constitution may settle on yesterday, February 12, 2008, as the date of the decisive breach. . . .

"The Constitution was defeated yesterday, and it was defeated by a fateful coalition between brain-numbing fear tactics and money and the resources that money buys."

On that last point, I concur that we lost a significant battle, but disagree that the war is lost, not yet - it's not too late for the House of Representatives to weigh in and stop this fool's rush to give away our civil liberties. Please check out this good article as well and then let your Representative know how you feel, if you support the Rule of Law and the Constitution, like I do.

I hate writing about this stuff, but it's important...