Who's watching the watchers?

For those of us who hoped that things would be different once the Democrats took control of Congress, optimism's flame was doused by the donkey-brained titular leadership who once again lived down to their function as loyal opposition and approved George W's latest request for more powers of empire.

The Dems proved more concerned with election cycle appearances than standing up for principles; of course that implies that they have some. Worried that they'd be taken to task next Fall as weak on national defense, they meekly caved in to Prez Bush and passed his version of an update to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that greatly expands the Government's ability to surveil Americans.

It used to be that the Fearless Leader needed to prove probable cause before a court of law in order to tap our wires. Now, the executive with priveleges can eavesdrop at will, using his time-honored justification of preserving national security. With both Congress and the Court abdicating their roles as checks on his unbalanced positions, Bush is gleefully tearing away pieces from our Consitution much as a young lover pulls petals off a daisy. Rather than inquiring after love however, the Misruler is gauging our fear.

At least the Media seems to be catching on to the significance of Bush's shenanigans. Here's a little tidbit from the Dan Froomkin's article Who's Afraid of George W. Bush? that ran in the Washington Post:

Despite his 65 percent job-disapproval rating, Bush was able to cow congressional Democrats over the weekend into granting him unprecedented authority to eavesdrop on the international telephone calls and e-mail messages of American citizens without warrants.

The Los Angeles Times also called the Dems to task for their cowardly abandonment of the people's best interests. Here's an excerpt from their OpEd piece The politics of fear:

That this flawed legislation was approved by a Democratic Congress is a reminder that many in the party are still fearful that they will be labeled "soft on terror" if they don't give this administration what it wants when it wants it. But the party may be equally injured by the perception that it won't stand up for what it believes.

As the traditional mechanisms of accountability are eroded away by the tidal wave of government over-reaction, the onus will fall more and more on we Americans to defend the Constitution and vote out all of these weak-kneed pols. As rife as that demographic is in both parties right now, we may just need to start our own political movement to accomplish anything.

Until then, I'll find solace as always in my music; listening to Watching the Detectives, as the morally defective watch and listen to me. Maybe they also enjoy Elvis Costello?

Watching the Detectives
by Elvis Costello

Nice girls, not one with a defect
Cellophane shrink-wrapped, so correct
Red dogs under illegal legs
She looks so good that he gets down and begs

She is watching the detectives
"Ooh, he's so cute"
She is watching the detectives
When they shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot
They beat him up until the teardrops start
But he can't be wounded 'cause he's got no heart

Long shot at that jumping sign
Invisible shivers running down my spine
Cut to baby taking off her clothes
Close-up of the sign that says "We never close"
He snatches at you and you match his cigarette
She pulls my eyes out with a face like a magnet
I don't know how much more of this I can take
She's filing her nails while they're dragging the lake

You think you're alone until you realize you're in it
Now fear is here to stay, love is here for a visit
They call it instant justice when it's past the legal limit
Someone's scratching at the window, I wonder who is it?
The detectives come to check if you belong to the parents
Who are ready to hear the worst about their daughter's disappearance
Though it nearly took a miracle to get you to stay
It only took my little fingers to blow you away

Just like watching the detectives
Don't get cute
It's just like watching the detectives
I get so angry when the teardrops start
But he can't be wounded 'cause he's got no heart

Watching the detectives
It's just like watching the detectives
Watching the detectives
Watching the detectives