November 14, 2007

A Pitiable Place in History

This from the Huffington Post: What Is It Like to be a Democrat -- by David Bromwich

On Thursday night, the Senate voted to confirm Michael Mukasey as the next attorney general.

The 53-40 majority included all the Republicans present and six Democrats who crossed over. Love of power, privilege, and punishment express the soul of the Republican party today.

The Democrats are a sadder story. When you have given up this much, what is there left for you to be?

Four Democratic senators were not present to cast a vote: Biden, Clinton, Dodd, and Obama. One of three Republicans who did not vote was John McCain.
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Obama, Clinton, Biden and Dodd had declared their opposition to Mukasey earlier in the week. They could not find the time to leave their campaigns for an election a year away, to show up for a vote more critical than any they are likely to see for months. Nor did they use this occasion for a major statement.
Click here for the complete text.
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So, now I'm at a loss. No one among the available candidates stood up against torture. So, who can I stand up for in the primary?
Of course, I'll vote against the Republican -- whoever he may be. But, once again, I will not be voting for anyone, come next November [unless Edwards gets the nod -- since he's not a Senator at the moment, he couldn't have voted.]

But-- so sad that this is what our country has come to.

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