They're Baaaack: Prelude To A Persian Affair and A Liberal's Flirtation With Tough Love.

Is Summer over already?

Yes kids, Congress is back. And I'm beginning to wonder what the living hell good it does anyone. Besides throw the little people their minimum wage crumbs, pass watered-down-why-did-they-even-bother-ethics reform and pass the 9/11 Commission Recommendations that are being completely ignored by the Bush Administration; what has the Democratic led Congress done since they won their majority?

They caved to GOP fear-mongering and continued funding the Iraq Occupation they promised in 2006 to end. Overwhelmingly passed Joe LIEberman's amendment that prohibits Congress from stopping yet another Neocon War of Choice against Iran. Or how about the time they were bamboozled by Trent Lott (R-Why Is He Still Relevant?) into letting a truly vile Bush judicial nominee that had been blocked by committee through to a full house vote.

You see poor fragile Diane Feinstein's ego has been so bruised by the mean old far left that the delicate little flower was talked out of her vote by that swarthy hot tower of manliness, Trent Lott. Leslie Southwick, an anti-gay, anti-union, anti-workers' rights nominee is expected to get enough votes for confirmation unless of course a Democrat decides to filibuster....I know, I know..I can't believe I wrote that either.

Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know the Republicans have been 'obstructionist'...boo hoo. But you know what? Democrats control what legislation and which nominee hits the floor. Between 2000 and 2006 the Republicans kept every bill they didn't like from seeing daylight. There's no excuse.

How will the Democrats finish up the year? By approving another 50 billion to continue the bloody occupation of civil-war-torn Iraq and caving to the GOP on a timetable for withdrawal? Letting Gone-zo & Co. off the hook because going forward will hurt their chances in '08? Continue to ignore the wholesale theft of our national treasury by corrupt Iraq defense contractors? Or, maybe they'll sing backup to the Neocons on their Top-40 hit 'Bomb Iran Bomb Bomb Iran'? Color me shocked, I figured Barack Obama for a baritone but his last solo effort sounded distinctly more Soprano-like. To be fair, The Dems' golden girl Carmela is also singing the same tune.

Last month Bush declared the Iran Military a terrorist organization without so much as a peep from the left side of the aisle. Kids, the time to sell us another war is nigh and the compliant Right Wing Traditional Media is dutifully practicing their pitch as we speak. Which means the overpaid DC bubble-dwelling DNC Political Crapsultants will be advising their clients to play along lest Fox News' Big Bad Basset Hound-faced Brit Hume calls them wimpy terrorist lovers.

I know some will be upset after reading this post. Why am I not beating up on the Republicans? Why aren't I making fun of the last pitiable self-loathing conservative closet case (or stall case, if you will) to get busted for leading a doubly hypocritical life? Why aren't I berating the GOPunditutes over the last burst of verbal fecal matter that flowed from Rush O'Reilly or his blonde half-brother Sean Coulter's mouth? First of all, it's been done to death. And second of all.....they don't matter anymore.

Even with a compliant media, Republicans haven't been able to convince a vast majority of the people their way is the best way for the nation. In fact, just the opposite is true. Polls show that the American people trust Democrats to find a way out of the war, they trust them more on national security, the economy and yes...even 'family values'.

It's time the left side of the aisle realized this and instead of shying away from their liberal moniker, proudly defended those ideals. Being a Liberal Drinker, I have to tell you it hurts when the party that claims to love the same ideals as I, pretends not to know me Wednesday morning after the first Tuesday following the first Monday in November.

Six months or so pass, then the love letters containing envelopes show up in the mail. A charmingly coy electronic entreaty asking me to sign their petition and throw them another 50 bucks pops into my inbox then the next thing you know they are all over me like Fred Thompson on a Viagra binge; promising me the progressive moon and stars as long as I pay a few hundred bucks to join them for a romantic dinner with just us two and 800 friends.

I'm beginning to feel our consituential relationship is one sided. I call and I write. They promise me they feel the same way then go ahead and vote the other. I give and I give and I give. And what do I get? They grant Dubya McTesticle-wires sole power to take away my right to defend myself in a court of law. I'm tired of the broken promises and erosion of our civil liberties. I'm tired of them refusing our liberal surname as if it's something to be ashamed of.

I don't want a divorce the lovable long-eared lugs. But, they've given me no choice. I'm cutting off any candidate currently in government that has not shown me they will fight for our Constitution, work to actually end the occupation of Iraq, restore habeas corpus, and proudly wear our liberal ideals on their sleeve. Sigh, tough love is soooo hard, especially when the only other political fish in the sea resemble creepy Orwellian carp.

Regardless, I'm going to stay strong. But a political support group would sure come in handy at a time like this. And, there just so happens to be one called Cleveland Drinking Liberally, where you can find like minded souls to kvetch with and solace in a frosty brew laced with tears of frustration. They meet this Sunday at or about 6pm at Sullivan's Irish Pub on Madison Avenue in Lakewood, Ohio. If you see a redhead at the bar with a double of whatever's strongest next to a mound of wadded up Kleenex, come say hello.