Reply #6: Another "shoo-in" that wasn't [View All]

[gratuitous]

The Bolton appointment and SS reform were going to be slam dunks for Bushy. All over but the shouting. No sense even trying to get in the way of the Bush political juggernaut; you were just going to get crushed. Bush had earned something for the first time in his life, some political capital, and by the Christ, he was going to spend it.

A funny thing happened on the way to the hoop for these slam dunks, though. Democrats and progressives banded together and fought. We fought hard, we fought together. The media laughed, said we were a bunch of losers. George Bush had a man date, couldn't be stopped, and all the political pundits said it was a waste of opposition time. Better to keep your powder dry for something that really mattered, because Bolton was going to be the UN Ambassador, sailing through to confirmation and those private accounts would be in place by the beginning of 2006.

I have a crazy idea. Bear with me. Why don't we fight against the Roberts nomination? The administration hasn't produced his full record, and the Senate committee is punching in the dark, hoping to hit some hot button that will expose this ideologue-who's-not-an-ideologue for what he is.

The White House nominated Roberts for a lifetime position in one of the most powerful jobs in the government, and is withholding crucial documents about his record. They're saying, in effect, "trust us." Well, this administration hasn't earned any trust. In fact, they've betrayed the trust of the American people time after time on matters large and small.

Let's fight the Roberts nomination. It seems to have worked pretty well so far, this being an opposition party that actually opposes bad ideas and bad policies and bad proposals. Why not try for three in a row?