Will wonders never cease

Just days after Sen. Joe Biden (D-Big Wet Wimp) said John Bolton's nomination could not be stopped and that Bush could probably get away with refusing to supply demanded information relation to the nomination, CNN was able to report that

Senate Democrats will not allow a vote on President Bush's choice for U.N. ambassador unless the White House hands over records of communications intercepts Bolton sought from the secretive National Security Agency, Minority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday. ...

The Senate fell four votes shy of the 60 needed to cut off debate on Bolton's nomination in May after two Democrats on the Foreign Relations Committee urged their colleagues to hold the issue open.

Reid is now saying no info, no Bolton.

In fairness to Biden, I should note that he was one of the two who were urging votes against cloture - but still, the whole thing gets me (and gets me down). I mean, it's an amazing thing that the Dims haven't caved yet, which is good on general principles, but why in hell is this, of all places, where they find a vertebra or two? The US's reputation at the UN as an unreasoning, narrow-minded, self-interested, insular bully is so well- and fairly-established that someone who combined the negotiating skills of Henry Clay, the brains of Albert Einstein, and the spiritual authority of St. Francis of Assisi could not undo it. Frankly, as much of a jerk and boob as he is, Bolton could hardly damage the US's standing any further than Bush has already done.

But this is where the Dummycrats have chosen to take a stand. Meanwhile, they let reactionary judges pass right through to lifetime positions on the federal appeals courts (while, dumbfoundingly, claiming victory) because they didn't have the stomach for a real fight and now apparently are going to raise no more than a symbolic fuss over the nomination of Rep. Christopher Cox (R, What Else?-CA) to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. Cox, a "free-market conservative," would replace previous Bush nominee William Donaldson, who pissed off corporate interests by not being sufficiently pro-business. Cox would give the five-member board a majority of members opposed to regulatory controls.

This, too, is an area where the outcome is a lot more likely to have a real impact on people's lives now and in the future than John Bolton screeching at UN delegates. And again it's an area where the Dims folded their hand without even attempting to play their cards: All they are looking for in return for letting Cox sail through is "assurances" that the White House will not stall on nominating two Democrats to the remaining two seats.

By tradition, the White House often accepts recommendations for the Democratic seats from the Senate Democratic leadership.

And we all know how important long-standing Senate tradition is to the GOPpers (cf. "filibuster").

So reactionary judges get lifetime positions, agents of Big Business are in charge of the SEC - but BY GOD, WE'RE GONNA NAIL JOHN BOLTON TO THE WALL, YESSIRRE!

We are so screwed.