A Thoroughly Discredited Congress Gets Ready for Christmas
Democrats Bow to Bush's Demands in House Spending Bill
Billions Trimmed From New Requests
By Jonathan Weisman Washington Post Staff Writer Thursday, December 13, 2007; Page A03
House Democratic leaders yesterday agreed to meet President Bush's bottom-line spending limit on a sprawling, half-trillion-dollar domestic spending bill, dropping their demands for as much as $22 billion in additional spending but vowing to shift funds from the president's priorities to theirs.
. . . The agreement signaled that congressional Democrats are ready to give in to many of the White House's demands as they try to finish the session before they break for Christmas -- a political victory for the president, who has refused to compromise on the spending measures.
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Swept away. In a mudslide of congressional fear and with moral purpose and election promises caving in around their grasping little ears, Congress has just punted a $1 trillion budget.
And to whom have they given up the ball downfield? To an FDR, a Truman or a Kennedy? No--to a lame duck president who holds the lowest approval rating in modern history.
Merry Christmas.
If a roasted Christmas duck was no more lame than Bush, it would fly off the platter and migrate for the winter in Mexico.
The entire machinery of government in America is so broken that its primary responsibility has become leaking money and caving in to the politics of fear and greed.
Bush will fly down for his next-to-last presidential Christmas in Texas, knowing that all he need do is point a popgun at the head of Congress and they all fall down.
Soft on terrorism--pop! Failing to support our troops--pop. Giving aid and comfort to our enemies--pop.
Fidgeting to leave on holiday, they'll spit up $1 trillion, carved exactly as he likes it. The white-meat of war funding on this side of the platter, dark-meat of cut-back programs over there--next to the rich dressing of profiteering and privatization.
Halliburton and Boeing served first, Blackwater ladling the gravy. The two Mikes, Chertoff and Mukasey, bringing more champagne up from the cellar.