Democrats have control - and what now?

Hello fellow liberal-minded Democratic voters! So you managed to populate both houses of Congress with the so-called opposition to President Bush.

Now watch how they perform. Will they exert enough pressure on the executive branch to desist from pursuing the disastrous Iraq campaign? We have already seen them exchanging pleasantries with Bush at the Democratic retreat. They were honored by the visit of the Commander, Decider and what-not in-Chief (shall I say Fuehrer?) and behaved politely - like children in school.

Can we count on them to reverse the hemorrhaging of American wealth and moral influence around the world caused by the current administration?

I really doubt it. Too many of them have already cast votes in the past for the war effort and will be afraid to change their mind and risk challenges in future elections where their opponent could come in with fresh past - untainted by war votes. They have already invested their career in the success of the Iraq undertaking and cannot bring themselves to admitting that this investment has to be disposed of with a loss.

And all this when they have a perfect case for impeachment of the president which is practically constructing itself in the Libby trial. Robert Scheer writes this.

Quoting Scheer:

"Cheney, like some Daddy Warbucks cartoon character of old, has been so blatant in his corruption of the nation's second highest office that we seem to have become inured to further revelations of his evil influence. Instead of being shocked, we are more likely jaded by even more examples of the man's use of his office to persistently undermine our democratic heritage. Too bad he wasn't cursed by an overactive libido."

All this is happening because you, oh my liberal voter, have been too nice to your representative granting him/her your vote in exchange for what? For collusion with the administration leading the country down the path of catastrophe through its imperious attitude toward the world and lies towards the American public.

How about standing up and stopping the administration from war with Iran? Here is what James Fallows writes on the subject:

Fallows also points out the logical error constantly being utilized by both sides - namely the statement that success in Iraq is important and at the same time our commitment there is not open-ended - is a contradiction.

Will you Democratic voter finally do something about your weak-kneed representatives? I have already done something - I threatened their seat in Congress by voting Libertarian.

The Character of Poles

Here is a thought about the character of Poles.

They are 50% catholic and 50% anarchists. Somehow they can reconcile these two attitudes - alas - to no great effect. Because they are mutually in check.
Anarchism keeps them from doing things that would be horrible (like Nazism) but Catholicism keeps them strangely disciplined so that they don't do things that would make them great. Of course their Catholicism is of the docile institutional kind - like a child's asking the parent for approval without questioning why he is isn the family. So Poles will not foster a spiritual revolt in the Church.
Anarchism is on the scale of personal liberty without appreciation of the social value of individual liberty.