Checks and balances are supposed to be built-in moderators in the American system of government. Right now they have practically no impact: the three branches of government are in Republican paws and so is the Fourth Estate, the media. Now it seems that even the last remaining shreds of power to slow down our rapid slide down the theocracy slope will be removed, and the remover is Senate Majority Leader Frist (of the cat-torturing fame):
Senate Majority Leader Frist today is expected to give his blessing to a GOP plan to dramatically change the Senate's voting rules -- effectively eliminating Democrats' ability to filibuster President Bush's judicial nominees, aides said Tuesday.
Democratic leadership sources warned that a move to reduce from 60 to 51 the number of votes needed to end a filibuster of judicial nominees would be considered a declaration of war by most Democrats, could further weaken the position of the chamber's shrinking population of moderates and almost certainly would create new obstacles for the GOP's agenda.
During a closed-door meeting of the GOP Conference today, Frist will inform his colleagues that while the so-called "nuclear option" of changing Senate rules will be reserved as a last resort, Republicans will no longer tolerate Democratic efforts to block Bush's nominees to the federal bench, an aide to Frist confirmed.
This plan is to be kept on the back-burner and to be brought out only if the Democrats won't cave in otherwise. That's how politics is done now. Meanwhile, in the NiceGuyLand, the establishment lint Democrats (who stick to the conservative polyester in the wash) tell us that we should make advances at the fundamentalists and to stop fretting over the last election as this is so very bad for the country. Could they please tell me how exactly what they are doing is good for the country (unless ones idea of a "country" is something along the lines of the Soviet Union, a one-party state of some renown)? And could they tell me what it is that Republicans are doing that is based on considerations of the country rather than their own pocketbooks, bibles and their party?
Ok. I am a little angry. Probably the healthiest feeling to have right now.