Sickening.

What the hell were Feinstein and Schumer thinking? Here's what Andrew Sullivan has to say:

Every time the Democrats fold on these matters, Cheney tucks a precedent under his belt. Every time they cave into their cowardice and fear, another critical part of our liberty disappears. These precedents are designed to destroy the rule of law and replace it with the rule of a Decider. And they will last for ever, as will the right to torture, because this war is for ever. This is how democracies perish. The rule of law no longer has any party to defend it. The Republicans want no check on the powers of our de facto protectorate. And the Democrats have no spine. We live under the lawless protectorate we deserve. And such lawlessness is always the result when cowards refuse to confront bullies.

Sadly, I believe he's right, and I don't understand why the democrats-who-cave can't see this clearly. Bush and Cheney are archetypal schoolyard bullies. Bullies must be called on their bullshit, or they will go on bullying forever. Every parent and every kid who was ever pushed around in the schoolyard knows this. Why don't they?