Roland Out The Barrel

If I may be so bold as to inquire of the Democrats as embodied by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: Are you done looking stupid yet?

Here they have conservatism on the ropes, exhausted, clinching at every exchange. The GOP is now almost small enough (as Grover Norquist might say) to drown in a bathtub, but instead of preparing a smooth and successful transition to the Obama presidency, Reid has chosen to insert himself into Illinois state politics.

Just last Sunday, he was on what's left of Meet the Press, telling David Gregory that the Senate gets to seat whomever it so pleases. Said he just wanted to make sure that the man appointed to fill Barack Obama's Senate seat, Roland Burris, isn't tainted by the running scandal that is Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevic.

This is pure hubris, arrogance unchecked, as if grafted straight from the scaly livers of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. That's all. Nothing to see here...

Reid immediately had to fend off charges of racism from Black-Panther-turned-lawmaker Bobby Rush, and he's been pussyfooting hard ever since California Senator Dianne Feinstein broke ranks and supported Burris. In the meantime, the Land of Lincoln remains under-represented in the Senate.

And for what? Blagojevic (execrable as he may be) has not been indicted, has not been impeached, and has every legal right to make this appointment. For his part, Burris will have to face the electorate in 2o1o, and the people will be the final arbiter in the matter. It's nothing new for him since he's been winning statewide elections since the 197os.

The Republicans obviously hope to make a comeback in a couple of years, and Reid's brand of fecklessness is exactly the sort of wind that fills their sails. An opportunity to gain vital legislative momentum is being wasted amid the Burris tussle, a fact that seems to be lost only on the Democrats.

The nation may indeed see some dramatic changes in the Congress next election, only it won't be Republicans regaining power (we've learned our lesson, thank you very much). It will be new liberals replacing old ones.

With the average age of a U.S. Senator at a near-zenith of 63 years, this transition will seem natural to all except those whose shirts will be so unceremoniously unstuffed.

pH 1.o9.o9