The Washington climate recalls V-E Day in World War II: hours before the armistice, hordes of refugees streaming westward to the American zone with whatever they could carry to escape the oncoming Russians before the official deadline.
In the same way, Democrats are scrambling to salvage what they can in these last days, and the sight is just as saddening–the President and his wounded cadre struggling to pass legislation before le deluge of Tea Party naysayers.
Extension of Bush tax cuts, with whatever compromise can be reached, tops the list, but less obvious and ultimately more important for the nation’s future is ratifying the New Start treaty on arms control with the Russians, now being held hostage by Sen. Jon Kyl simply to deal “a devastating blow to the president’s most tangible foreign policy achievement.”
Administration officials, Steve Benen of the Washington Monthly reports, have “mapped out in detail how they’re prepared to do exactly what he wants them to do. Even Jon Kyl, with his limited intellect, should be able to understand when someone says ‘yes’ to his demands…Kyl simply cares more about defeating a key priority for President Obama than advancing the nation’s interests.”
What we have here is government-by-spite, a regression to schoolyard taunting and bullying that foreshadows much worse to come.
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