A Weak-Kneed Congress

As Congress readies itself for the holidays, its Democratic members will return to their districts and states bearing meager evidence of their shallow triumphs. This year, as Terence Samuel of The American Prospect puts it, the story is that

"for what seems like the gazillionth time, they have capitulated to the White House on important priorities: They voted more money for the Iraq War this week; they allowed Michael Mukasey to be confirmed as attorney general even though he was ambivalent on the issue of torture; the illegal warrantless wiretapping continues, and nothing they have done has had any perceptible impact on ending the war in Iraq. They have lost dozens of votes on Iraq from cutting funding to lengthening leave time for soldiers. So despite the tough political climate in which President Bush finds himself?he has a 28 percent approval rating in some public polls he has consistently been portrayed as the winner while Democrats continue to wear the loser tag."

But one need look no further than the Wall Street Journal's editorial page to take in their smirking pleasure at the Democrats' failures. The Journal believes, of course, that

"the dysfunction amply shows that Democrats are attempting to govern with an agenda that is too far left even for many in their own party, never mind the country."

So what does "too far left" (and therefore, presumably, "crazy") mean? How about ending the Iraq war. A Rasmussen Reports poll found "that 57% of Americans would like to see U.S. troops brought home from Iraq within a year." Those are hardly crazy, wild-eyed, far-left numbers. (Polling data in Iraq reveals an even stronger view on US troop withdrawal: nearly half [47%] want an immediate withdrawal.)

Yet the Democratic-led Congress has given in again and again. They gave in by confirming Michael Mukasey as Attorney General, and now get to taste the first fruit of that tough and uncompromising vote.
And illegal wiretapping? As Samuel says, that continues unabated. It is but another in the laundry list that is Democratic capitulation.

All in all, a remarkably strong showing by the congressional majority.