Profiles In Cluelessness

image credit: New York Times - reduced by Cujo359

The Senate Democrats disgraced themselves today, voting 80-14 in favor of a bill that gives President Bush a blank check in Iraq for at least another six months. They'll most likely cave then as well, since the same dynamic will be in play, mainly that they have a weak majority (shored up by the despicable Joe Lieberman, which is to say they're standing by themselves mostly), a leader who says stupid things that he can't back up, and general spinelessness and brainlessness among the rank and file. The House Democrats did somewhat better, at 280-142.

Except for Joe Biden, all of the Democratic Presidential candidates voted against the supplemental bill. It's a silver lining, albeit a pretty thin one. Add that to the silver lining I found yesterday and eighty cents, and you can afford a small cup of coffee at any McDonald's.

Why is this a disgrace? Because there was no need to pass this bill now. President Bush is the one who wants to continue this war - he's the one who needs the money. The Congress appropriates that money, and with the public becoming increasingly negative about the war and our chances for any meaningful success there, he's the one in the hot seat. Yet the Democrats, as Digby observed yesterday, can't seem to grasp this basic concept. They can't seem to muster up the courage to do what's right, even when it's clear that ending the war is also a popular notion among the people they represent. Even as politicians they suck. Oh, and Christy agrees, as does Keith Olbermann, and I bet you could find lots more by clicking on those links on the lower left of this blog. Me? I'm too depressed right now. What this says about our country is pretty appalling, and I'd rather not think about this for a day or two to see if I have any optimism left.

Meanwhile, in Iraq, people are dying faster than ever. The New York Times featured a terrific story yesterday about an American squad in Iraq that was searching for those missing soldiers. I was going to write more about it, but I'll just say it's terrific, and there's video at Crooks and Liars. I'll warn you that it's pretty tragic - that's one of the wounded in the picture above. Read it to find out the sorts of things that our soldiers and their Iraqi counterparts are going through these days.

And be sure to thank the Democrats for putting them through another six months of it.

UPDATE: Jane Hamsher has a thing or two to say, as does TRex. TRex gets the last word, because at least he still can summon up a sense of humor:

P.S. DO NOT CALL AND ASK ME FOR MONEY. Then it really is over. Ask your damn mother for some money. And tell her I'm sick of doing her goddamn job.

Late Late Nite FDL: We Don’t Love You No More

Right now, online porn looks like a better investment.

UPDATE 2: (May 25) I take that back - Jon Stewart gets the last word.