The mouse bares its teeth to the cat

The Huffington Post reported yesterday that in a speech to the National Press Club,

Majority Leader Harry Reid issued a dramatic ultimatum to President Bush: either sign an extension of the Protect America Act (which sets conditions for the administration's warrantless surveillance) or "there will be no wiretapping."

He said if Bush charged the Senate was refusing to move the bill, "it's disingenuous, and it's not true." He also blamed Senate GOPpers for blocking majority-supported amendments to the FISA "reform" bill, amendments which would improve it or more exactly make it less bad. (I said that last part, not Reid.)

So even though the bill should be killed, not amended, I'd still say good for him for showing some backbone and it's about time and hooray and all that except for one thing: We've been down this road more than once and we've always crashed into the same wall. The Dems talk tough, they say "accept this or else," they bluster and fume, but when King George says "forget it," they get red in the face, shuffle their feet, and mumble "okay."

So pardon me for being skeptical, but if once burned is twice shy, then repeatedly burned is I'm not enough of an idiot to touch that again until after its been thoroughly doused with water.