It doesn't matter how many of our stalwart people on the hill are in the boat with George or refusing to get on board....the boat sailed, people. And it's riding the crest of the "surge" already.

When Bushco finally gets around to saying it's going to do something, you can bet they've already done it. So it is with this misguided, misnamed maneuver. Redeployed, stop-lossed and extended (but hardly fresh) troops are already on deck in the Middle East. And as the Boy King pronounced this weekend, he doesn't care what anyone says...he's going ahead. Except he's already gone.

The biggest problem with our Congress isn't that they're wimps, it's that they insist on playing by the rules in the extreme just to protect their pensions, while Bush has never played by the rules. It's a difference in political expediency and the troops and the American people aren't on anyone's "to do" list.

The best this governing body can do is stop pussy-footing around about procedural niceties and vote counts and take this President down with a little old-fashioned passion and force. It's time to get tough with this "my way or the highway" bully. He's gutted the Constitution and the Rule of Law. Why is Congress so worried about being absolutely, positively, excrutiatingly sure they have the right to do something before they do it? Waiting for a sign from above? Sorry...according to Bush, the great Almighty is not your daddy.

For those of us who are sick to death of death...and worry about death, and guilt about non-death, and thankfulness for each day our kids are still alive when it's their right to be alive...DO SOMETHING. TURN THE TITANIC AROUND. NOW!

The biggest problem with the religious right's mission to obliterate democracy and install a totalitarian theocracy (definitely fascism)is the reluctance of anyone to take on religion as anything other than pure and good.

It's what they count on. It's what the Bush administration has counted on in their efforts to recruit and pander to the Christian conservatives. Along with the argument that "if you don't support the war in Iraq, you are a traitor", there is the even more insidious "if you don't support the agenda of the Christian right, you are a godless heathen and a degenerate."

For the most part, we've allowed them to get away with it. Even Michelle Goldberg admits her reluctance to tackle these people head-on. All you have to do is see the way the popular evangelists live to know they are not "of the people". All you have to do is listen to Dobson rail about his political views and how he owned the White House, to know that these people are avaricious, political animals who are willing only to exploit, not to uplift. And whose own moral code allows them to commit the very "sins" they are determined to root out of the rest of society. Thank you Chris Hedges...for having the courage to preach the gospel of truth loud and clear. It's about time.

Bush, Biden, Kagan, Generals, Congress et al, can debate all they want about a surge, but the reality is that they are not talking about fresh, rested, trained "top of the line" new troops to go in and kick some insurgent butt. They are talking about stop-loss and extended tours, accelerated rotations and curtailed training. The "additional troops" are the same troops who have been risking their lives and wearing down their physical and mental strength for four years.

This is the reality. It's time someone started talking about that, rather than pontificating about "how many" troops we should send in.

In an unprecedented move,(the nearest thing was active military publishing a full page letter in the NY Times during the Vietnam War), a hefty group of active duty military (including senior officers) have signed an "appeal to redress" to Congress asking to bring troops home. They did this at great risk. The military believes in retribution not only for failing to toe the line, but for questioning it, even in the face of overwhelming evidence that suggests the contrary.

No one knows the reality or futility of this charade better than the boots on the ground. If the most invested and dedicated of the people associated with the war in Iraq say "get out"...the White House should be listening rather than trying to save Bush's failed "legacy" at the expense of more troop lives.

The agenda the newly minted Democratic majority has outlined for it's "debut" is a good solid take on the things that are impacting the quality of life for average Americans. The same things that the Republican majority have had on their list of "not gonna happen", because they have been representing corporate America. We're making progress..or at least we've switched to the track that runs to progress.

Activists need to give them a chance to do their job. On domestic policy. On Iraq. On everything. However, it was wrong of Walter Shapiro to interpret Cindy Sheehan's interruption of Rahm Emmanuel as "blaming the Democrats" for the state of things. I don't think anyone is blaming them. Everyone, however is concerned that they get the message loud and clear that they need to listen, and act. Face it, in the recent past, apart from Jack Murtha, they have been less than courageous in taking a stand. So yes, activists need to remind them and put their feet to the fire.

But no, Cindy Sheehan and others shouldn't interfer with their efforts to bring change by in-your-face distractions. It's counterproductive.

And finally, no, no, Mr. Shapiro, wanting to make sure your voice is by the people with power is not the same as "blaming them." Bush and his cronies should be so lucky!