God, I feel for the kids whose lives we adults so uncannily manage to screw up.

First of all, get thee to a child psychologist! Personally, I can't believe that such a self-evident statement even needs to be made, but I guess some folks prefer to rely less on professionals and instead to seek analysis of their life's most complex difficulties from distant writers. Go figure.

Secondly, I think this party deal is an idea more interesting and effective in concept than in execution. Yay! Dad's a mom! Yay! Grandma's dead! Yay! The cats have all gone away! Let's have some cake and discuss what you're thinking! Yay...

How about just acknowledging to themselves and to the child that this kid's world is now a scary mess? Then reassuring her, constantly and repeatedly, that mom and... well, other mom, still love her and cherish her and that NOTHING will ever change about that. At least then, however unstable her little world appears-- and it looks to me on the verge of getting more unstable before it gets less so-- the kidlet can know that her universe encompasses a steady, unmoving rock that she can cling to and find solace upon.

Once she understands that, she'll probably be ready for some cake. And maybe a new kitten.

My first take was to sympathize with LW, being put upon and made uncomfortable by such difficult people. Upon closer examination, I found myself becoming increasingly irritated with someone who seems to have remained friends simply because it's easier than laying down the law to Ms. Pushy. My irritation was then compounded by the fact that not only does oddly spineless, yet curiously judgemental, LW seem to enjoy acting as a carpet for others to tread upon, she now seems compelled to inflict this drama into the the presumably placid lives of her innocent and unsuspecting in-laws! Sheesh!

Hey, I know that when I expend my valuable vacation time, I always prefer to do so in the company of pushy, wilful types and their silent, Asperger afflicted spouses... Yeah, right. If I were the in-laws, I'd tell them all to remain at home and proceed to enjoy those idyllic evenings on the porch in drama-free peace.

This little exchange typifies for me-- and I suspect, most of America-- the modern day Democratic Party. Speak out, make a stand and then duck, cover, mealy-mouth and backpedal when the (inevitable) right wing sponsored uproar ensues. Just like this new "compromise" on Iraq funding which, despite all the Democratic bluster that's come before and flying in the face of polls showing overwhelming public support, once again gives Shrub exactly what he wants.

Jesus H. Christ in a handbasket, why can't the leaders of my party grow a spine? Why can't they just speak the obvious and painful truth, stand up for what's right and then-- for once-- NOT back away from it? And certainly not APOLOGIZE for it!

Not since the infamous "peace in our time" agreement has political leadership shown such a lack of astuteness or an apparent inability to stand tall when faced with an obdurate foe. They were elected with a mandate to end this bloody, foolish war and they have wilted at a time when the polls show they have the support of the majority of Americans. I am ashamed of my party and they should be ashamed of themselves!

How about below the belt? Because that's exactly where these simpering, ineffectual cowards-- elected with a mandate to do something about this quagmire/fiasco and still enjoying the support of the majority-- have socked it to the American people.

Keith's got it just right in my book and how sad that he's one of the few to call this shameful retreat from principled representative democracy exactly what it is. Would that Salon were just as clear and just as on point with this issue!

This is SUCH a way more important story than the Democrats complete betrayal of their electoral base with their cave-in on Iraq funding! Thanks for posting it! When can we expect to hear similar important and juicy tidbits about Paris Hilton's jail time?

Jesus Christ, what a shell game. I expect better from Salon.

Shrub probably can't be forced to end the war, true.

But neither should his woodenheaded persistence in continuing the fiasco be ENABLED-- Which is precisely what the majority of Democrats in Congress have now done.

And by dismissing this moral cowardice with an "oh well" or condoning it with an "I guess they just couldn't do anything else" you now give them cover to abandon moral principle and knuckle under again and again and again.

And in the meantime, American kids are dying in our name and Iraqi kids are being killed in our name and-- to steal a better man's phrase-- the grapes of wrath are growing ever heavier for the vintage.

But that's okay, because did you hear that Condi got some boos at a baseball game?

Good Christ, I weep for my country that this is the nature of our opposition to the power and hubris that stalks this land.