Smackdown – NYT style

The NYT published a scathing editorial of Congress today, that slammed both sides of the aisle.

If you were one of the Americans waiting for Congress, under Democratic control, to show leadership on the war in Iraq, the message from the Senate is clear: “Nevermind.” The same goes for those waiting for lawmakers to fix the damage done to civil liberties by six years of President Bush and a rubber-stamp Republican Congress.

The Democrats don’t have, or can’t summon, the political strength to make sure Congress does what it is supposed to do: debate profound issues like these and take a stand. The Republicans are simply not interested in a serious discussion and certainly not a vote on anything beyond Mr. Bush’s increasingly narrow agenda.

WHAM!

Democrats and Republicans who oppose the war have a duty to outline alternatives. Those who call for staying in Iraq have a duty to explain what victory means and how they plan to achieve it. Both sides are shirking an obligation to deal with issues that must be resolved right now, like the crisis involving asylum for Iraqis who helped the American occupation.

Seriously, what the hell are these guys doing? And by these guys I mean both Republicans and Democrats. The Republicans seem content on running in 2008 with Iraq center-stage, only they’re on the wrong side of debate. If they continue like this they are setting themselves up for a catastrophic defeat in 2008.

And the Democrats are still acting like a minority party. They’re acting like the polls are against them, or like they weren’t given a clear mandate in 2006. Just do what we put you there for! Don’t worry how it’s going to get spun! No one is listening to the President anymore! The President knows this, that’s why he sent a General to do his job for him. He thought maybe we’d believe a sexy guy in a uniform. Even that didn’t work. Stand up and fight!

[via DailyKos]