Democrats Take Senate; Concession in Virginia Completes Midterm Sweep

Today it's been officially confirmed that the Democrats have, indeed, taken control of the US Senate with the news that George Allen has conceded to Jim Webb, his Democratic challenger.

So Nancy Pelosi hopped off to the White House for her first meeting with George and Dick.

Bush, as you know, has promised that we are entering into a new era of bipartisan politics. And then we hear this:

But even as he was extending courtesies to his new partners, Mr. Bush was demanding action on several contentious measures before the Republican-led Congress disbands next month. The president renominated John R. Bolton to the post as United Nations ambassador and asked Congress to complete work on a bill authorizing domestic surveillance by the National Security Agency, both lightning-rod matters for Democrats.

One has to wonder if Bush realises the new political reality around him if he thinks he can push to legalise one of his most illegal activities just before the Democrats take the reins.

This very proposal is the antipathy of bipartisan politics. He knows full well how the Democrats feel about his administration ignoring FISA, and for him to ask that the Republican Party quickly legalise this scheme before the "evil" Democrats find out what he's been up to is simply unacceptable.

It is nothing less than a last minute scramble to cover his ass before the Democrats take power and hold him to account for indulging in activities that a federal court has already told him are both unconstitutional and in violation of criminal law.

Indeed, Bush will now try to get Congress to vote on a surveillance scheme that Bush has repeatedly refused to describe to anyone in any great detail. How can Congress vote to legalise something when Bush refuses to even specify what it is that he is asking them to legalise?

It really is a sign of how punch-drunk and desperate Bush is that he will even attempt to fly this particular kite.

The Democrats need not fear the charge of "obstructionism" for refusing to go along with this blatant attempt to hide the levels of illegality that the Republicans have been practising. Indeed, I would argue that most Americans are sick of this kind of behaviour and it was for this very reason that the Democrats won in such huge numbers.

Pelosi is no pushover and I'm hopeful that she will treat this last desperate attempt to sweep things under the bed with the contempt it truly deserves.

The Dems were elected to hold these people to account. I sincerely hope they do so.

Click title for full article.

tag: Bush, Pelosi, eavesdropping, FISA, surveillance, Congress,