The Bolton confirmation

I almost never try to watch the Senate in (in)action. It is so boring and so slow. I don't understand why anyone would try to make a living like that. But they do, and I guess they think it is important. They just stand around for hours. Today, however, I happened to turn it on because of the Bolton hearing. Luckily I happened to tune in at just the right time. So I actually watched for a while. I thought that Biden and Shays were wonderful, passionate, well-informed, determined to challenge Lugar and his Republican committee that obviously wanted to railroad the confirmation through without any further delay. Kerry was good also. Boxer got in her two cents as well. The one who I think saved the day, however, was Republican Voinovich. After listening to Biden, Shays, and others he announced that he was not prepared to vote on Bolton without further information. Hegel then indicated he, too, was not very satisfied. So without any vote Lugar was forced to put off the hearing for at least a couple of weeks so that further information could be forthcoming. A small victory for Democrats, but a victory nonetheless. I have no idea if Bolton will ultimately be confirmed - but I know he shouldn't be. It was interesting to note that it took almost two hours to get them to vote on a two hour delay. Our government inaction (ha ha).

I note with no satisfaction that Dick Cheney still exists. He apparently came out from under his rock to give a speech for the ten year anniversary of the Oklahoma bombing. Bush was apparently too tied up with his futile lies about Social Security. It must be hard for them, this constant competition over who can lie the most, the fastest, the most frequently, etc. Cheney wins hands down when it comes to the most outrageous lies. Bush probably wins the the dumbest.

The slimy bug eliminator still manages to escape his comeuppance. I'm still betting he eventually goes down. But I am an incurable optimist (not). This current Republican bunch is certainly a fine group of utterly unprincipled dishonest characters who have vowed party over principle, party over people, party above all. With such feeble Democratic opposition they just keep on getting away with one outrage after another. Look for the "nuclear option" to come next.