Don't look now, but I think maybe the Democrats won one...

Remember FISA? Remember how the sky was falling and we were all gonna die at the hands of 'terrists' and evil doers because our Democratic representatives all secretly hate America and want to negotiate the terms of our surrender to al Qaeda? That's what the more deranged wingnuts say, anyway, and if repetition equals right, then they nailed it...[/snark]

Via the prolific Steve Benen, we learn that the GOP is quietly retreating from their quest to repeal the Fourth Amendment, and hoping no one notices as they shift from fearmongering about terrorism to fearmongering about taxes.

Fine by me - the process of civil discovery is our best shot at finding out just how far these criminal bastards went. There is a prayer of that being disclosed so long as the telecoms aren't immunized.

The War of the Words

The president appeared at Fort Irwin yesterday and attempted to push the meme that the Democrats are intent on “accepting defeat” in Iraq.

It was yet another attempt to apply pressure to recalcitrant Democrats who insist on conditions for continued funding of his vanity war. "The clock is ticking for our military" said Bush. He insisted that as long as his war funding bill is delayed by Congressional insistence on timelines and benchmarks, the troops are being placed at risk.

DNC Chairman Howard Dean shot back

"The Democrats in Congress have passed a bill that fully funds our troops, provides the resources they need on the battlefield and the care they deserve when they return home," Dean said. ". . . Our troops, their families and the American people can no longer afford an open-ended commitment to keep our troops in the middle of a civil war."

Americans (who, by a 7:3 ratio, oppose this war) would be well advised to heed Dr. Dean's words and remember that the Congress most certainly did pass a funding resolution, and it only needs the president’s signature, and if he vetoes it, cutting off that funding will be on his head, and his alone.

Congress can’t go wobbly now, not with his head on the verge of exploding (I admit that I was disappointed that he didn’t just go ahead and completely melt down during the presser a couple of days ago).

If he vetoes the war funding bill, then Congress should send back another one, still with benchmarks and timelines, this time tighter ones, and repeal his tax cuts as well, with a nice little note explaining that this is how they will be paying for it all.