You didn’t have to be a rocket scientist – or a senator, or a genetic researcher – to figure out that, since Gee Dubya used his first and at the time only veto on a stem-cell research bill that came out of a Republic Congress, he was going to veto any similar bill coming out of the Democratically controlled 110th Congress. Not to mention the fact that he said he would veto it – there’s that, too.

So – why, on a question of life-and-death importance to millions of Americans, is Congress willing to force George Bush to go on record as opposing stem cell research – and, consequently, every Republic senator who opposes overriding that veto to similarly go on record as opposing it – but is not willing to force George Bush and the Republics to go on record as opposing an end to the funding of the occupation of Iraq?

I don’t get it.





Look, I’m pulling for the Dems in Congress as much as anybody. But when your team insists upon pursuing a losing strategy while another, much more viable strategy is available to them – especially one that just so happens to be The Right Thing To Do – it becomes increasingly frustrating to sit by quietly and watch them set themselves up for failure.

And make no mistake: I am not just talking about short-term failure in Congress, getting any substantive part of the so-called "Democratic agenda" passed out of both houses. I am talking about failure at the polls in November 2008.

If the Democrats in Congress do not take clear, decisive actions to distinguish themselves from their Republic counterparts , they will lose in November 2008.

This they can only do by repeatedly forcing Republics to veto, and uphold the veto of, significant Democratic measures passed by the Democratic majority in Congress. Democrats must then use these vetoes and votes to uphold them as cudgels with which to mercilessly pummel Republics between now and November ’08.

And the most important issue with which Democrats can pummel Republics? Well, duhhh -

It’s the occupation, stupid!

Thomas conveniently lists the sum total of all laws successfully passed by our 110th Congress so far this year, bills that have been signed by the president. As of this writing, that list consists of a whopping 37 bills. Of those 37 bills, no fewer than 17 are along the lines of this:

A bill to redesignate the White Rocks National Recreation Area in the State of Vermont as the "Robert T. Stafford White Rocks National Recreation Area".

To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1300 North Frontage Road West in Vail, Colorado, as the "Gerald R. Ford, Jr. Post Office Building".

To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 152 North 5th Street in Laramie, Wyoming, as the "Gale W. McGee Post Office".

To designate the United States courthouse located at 555 Independence Street in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, as the "Rush Hudson Limbaugh, Sr. United States Courthouse".

A bill to designate the Federal building and United States courthouse and customhouse located at 515 West First Street in Duluth, Minnesota, as the "Gerald W. Heaney Federal Building and United States Courthouse and Customhouse".

To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 5757 Tilton Avenue in Riverside, California, as the "Lieutenant Todd Jason Bryant Post Office".

To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 60 Calle McKinley, West in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, as the "Miguel Angel Garcia Mendez Post Office Building".

- stellar accomplishments all, no doubt, but perhaps not quite what the American electorate had in mind for the First 150 Days Of The New Democratic Congress. Let’s see, there was some other stuff here, too . . .

To provide for the construction, operation, and maintenance of an arterial road in St. Louis County, Missouri.

Okaaay, yeah, there was that. And, umm . . .

To amend title 18, United States Code, to strengthen prohibitions against animal fighting, and for other purposes.

- a burning issue in the 2006 campaign, as I recall. Let’s see, what else, what else . . . Oh,yeah! There were these two!:

To amend the District of Columbia Home Rule Act to conform the District charter to revisions made by the Council of the District of Columbia relating to public education.

and,

To suspend the requirements of the Department of Housing and Urban Development regarding electronic filing of previous participation certificates and regarding filing of such certificates with respect to certain low-income housing investors.

Riiiight, right-right-right. Now I remember - that’s why I spent all those hours on the phone during the weeks leading up to last November’s election. Uh-huh.

Well, to be fair, there was one thing that did get passed and signed, amazingly:

A bill to amend chapter 35 of title 28, United States Code, to preserve the independence of United States attorneys.





Unfortunately, as important as that was – and thank god it passed - that was more than offset by - THE VETOES:

Making emergency supplemental appropriations for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes.

Uhh, yeah. And,

A bill to amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for human embryonic stem cell research.

Now – let’s ask ourselves – and be honest here - just exactly how many substantive bills do you think will come out of this Congress and be signed into law by this President?

How much of the "Democratic agenda" will survive this administration?

What do you think the voters will be looking for in November 2008?

Since when is capitulation "pragmatic®"?

(Also available at My Left Wing)