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Glenn -- It seems to me that your strong views on the Congress's role in curbing executive power and your dismay at today's Joe Lieberman vote (both of which I, in my gut, share) might be at loggerheads.
Look at it this way: Suppose, as Rachel Maddow and I and a million others think, Lieberman suddenly evinces zeal and dedication in investigating the White House. To the extent that this shines disinfecting light on the executive, this is good, n'est-ce pas?
So, somebody has to do it. Lieberman or Akaka? With Lieberman, the Dems have some political cushion; Obama is popular, Congress is not. But now Reid can say, "Hey, it's not us harrassing President Obama. It's Joe Quisling running amok. He's not even a Democrat, and face it, he had us by the balls. We need that 60-vote majority." Dems can have their cake and eat it, too.
Nobody is more revolted by Joe's sanctimonious mug than I am. And we're all wary of Joe's priorities, whether regarding Middle Eastern policies or indulging his personal piques. But even so, somewhere (Robert Heinlein?) I learned the adage:
"There are two things to do with an enemy. Kill him, or make use of him." The latter just might be better statecraft.
