I'd call what McCain did much worse than "absurd."

He took an issue that was reaching a flashpoint, used his hard-earned (to say the least) and unique credibility on the matter to command effective ownership of it... and then promptly ushered in one of the most shameful actions an American Congress has ever committed.

Your criticisms of disappointing behavior by the Democrats are most worthy. As Lambert, my estimable fellow fellow at Corrente, often makes the point, one of our highest callings -- maybe the highest -- is to make Democrats feel the heat when they sell out the Constitution, much like the GOP base puts the screws to its party leaders to give them the theocratic and xenophobic red meat they crave. (Our bases have rather different basic interests, eh?)

But if we think there's a special circle in Hell for so-called progressives who cave in to and enable the GOP's authoritarian madness, there must be one, too - and at least as hot -- for the self-appointed consciences of the Republican Party who seize rare opportunities for moral authority... only to reenact the Lucy-with-the-football trick.

McCain's support for the Military Commissions Act is one of the few betrayals comparable to Colin Powell's eating his objections and selling the war to the American public and media, and to well-meaning (it seems), handwringing Arlen Specter's bottomless cup of capitulation.

What a hero against torture McCain is!

He grandstanded about it for three days, taking the reins on the issue. Then he promptly signed onto the Military Commissions Act which gave Bush infinite power to torture, to decide what constitutes torture, and to suspend the centuries-old fundamental law of habeas corpus.

All hail the moderate maverick McCain!

The Democratic Party's motto could well be "What part of lesser of two evils don't you understand?"

But the fact is, less evil is less evil. Without the Repubs we've had these past many years, torture and getting rid of habeas corpus, etc., etc. don't become part of the American equation.

Yes, there is a disappointingly small difference between the parties these days, but the difference still exists and it still matters.

In many votes, the vast majority of Dems vote for the right thing, but too many Blue Dogs / Bush Dogs pee in the pool. And, as this piece and the linked ones point out, Dem leadership has been deeply derelict in its duty.

So, what to do?

Go to actblue.com and learn about and support as best you can primary challengers -- Democrats who act like Democrats. The alternative is to abstain or vote for vanity candidates next November, which is a vote for Bush's Third Term and a return to the Rubber Stamp Repub Congress. As Poppy Bush used to say, na' ga' do it.

Shorter Joe Klein: "Democrats are beyond reproach, so long as they act like Republicans."

See this concise, little ad: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvTp0PYVLZA

I think the two key phrases of this election are, or should be...

1. Darcy Burner's "More and better Democrats"

2. moveon.org's underused "Bush's Third Term"

We may literally not be able to afford another term of Bush (in the guise of Giuliani, Romney, Huckabee, etc.).

Yet there is little we've seen in the past year that says "more Democrats" without "better Democrats" is the cure for what ails us.

Given what the Repubs have done with absolute power these past two terms, I'll be damned if I'll do anything but vote (D) next November. But in the meantime, I'll work hard to see that the best possible names are on the other side of that (D).

It's called "equivalation":

http://correntewire.com/equivalating

He-men like Bush and Cheney shouldn't be allowed to weigh in on sissy issues like the environment, health care, and gay marriage.

Given that you've posted almost 2,000 comments on Salon alone, perhaps you think there's some value in the written word?

It's always cute to turn the tables with a little equivalation. Greenwald calls turncoat Democrats worthless, so it's "clever" to say he's worthless, despite the fact that he's quickly become one of the leading voices on the essential issues of 21st century America, debunking much of most pernicious mis- and disinformation coming out of the Beltway, and putting many powerful liars on the defensive.

I do hope there's more substance in your other letters.

Thanks for choosing activism over the increasingly popular "they're all the same" despair.

A couple of places you'll want to check out...

The Open Left blog is highly focused on the Bush Dog issue:

http://openleft.com/frontPage.do

Blue America highlights the Democratic wing of the Democratic party, and helps you find worthy candidates to support:

http://www.actblue.com/page/blueamerica08

At my own stomping grounds (Correntewire), we're all ears, all-the-time for suggestions on how to get there from here. For example, my blogmate Chicago Dyke got me to toss a few bucks at Mark Pera.

http://www.correntewire.com/got_5_give_it_to_mark_pera