...that Dubya does NOT "fully understand" -- obviously an ever-expanding list.

Here's a novel idea -- why not see what the U.S. Constitution says about the powers of Congress? Here is verbatim text from Section 8, which delineates its powers (excerpted, of course, to provide the most relevant sections):

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The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas, and offenses against the law of nations;

To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;

To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years;

To provide and maintain a navy;

To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;

To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the consent of the legislature of the state in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, and other needful buildings;--And

To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.

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Doesn't take a Constitutional scholar (which is lucky, since they're obviously a scarce commodity in this administration) to realize that CONGRESS *DOES* HAVE ALL THE POWER AND RIGHT TO END THE WAR IN IRAQ THAT IT NEEDS.

End of story.

So, the only people who have a clear read on a situation are those who have no personal stake in its outcome? And if you DO have a personal stake of some sort in a given situation, then your opinion is obviously biased and unreliable -- almost pitiable?

Interesting.

How DO these White House flacks look at themselves in the mirror every morning? Say, there have been reports in the news about the use of brain scans as "lie detectors", based on clear changes in brain activity when lying versus when telling the truth -- wouldn't it be FUN to try this on some of these spokespersons?

I'll bet the brain of the average hired gun working in the White House press office doesn't work exactly the same as the rest of us!

It isn't a haircut, or book club, or anything else that's already been suggested. Just look at the broadcast schedule for public television (WETA, Channel 26), and you KNOW what the conflict is!

12:00 PM Reading Rainbow

12:30 PM Teletubbies

1:00 PM Big Comfy Couch

Teletubbies was ESPECIALLY interesting -- here's the description of today's episode entitled "Numbers":

"The Teletubbies watch some children learn about the number '2'. A magic cloud with magic powers, rains special magic flowers all over Teletubbyland."

Rumor has it little Georgie has been looking forward to learning all about the number '2' since he became President!

...John McCain acknowledges that the REALITY of his heavily guarded visit shows that Baghdad is in no way, shape or form SAFE for a "stroll in the market", he should be hammered with question after question by the media challenging his statement.

It's hard to imagine anything that crystallizes a disconnection with reality any better than this. He forfeits his right to be taken seriously until and unless he DOES recant. NBC's coverage of his visit, showing McCain's protective vest and armed soldiers surrounding him as he walked through the open air market, brings this to mind: "Who are you going to believe? Me, or your lying eyes?"

As for me, I believe my eyes, Sen. McCain.