The Gift That Keeps Giving

It wasn't the birthday present he wanted. "Key GOP Senator Breaks With Bush."

Today, as The Decider turns 61....SURPRISE!.... Republican party loyalist and former staunch supporter of the Iraq war, Sen. Pete Domenici (NM) called for an "immediate change in U.S. strategy that could end combat operations by spring." (WaPo)

He joins powerful Republican defectors Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), the leading Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who declared that the "current path" in U.S. Iraq policy is not acceptable; Sen. John W. Warner (R-VA), the former chairman of the Armed Services Committee, who praised Lugar's speech; and Sen. George Voinovich (OH) who sent The Decider a letter calling for withdrawing the troops.

These mutineers are scrambling to get ahead of the wave of citizen protest that is swamping the White House, attempting to outmaneuver Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) who plans proposals to cut off funding and set a firm withdrawal date.

In the meantime, Sen. Ken Salazar (D-CO) introduced a Iraq Study Group measure, and Domenici has already endorsed that proposal along with ten other co-sponsors including six Republicans.

It appears the Senate may at last commute the open-ended Iraq sentence imposed on America by The Decider .... SURPRISE!, our troops will start coming home!

Bush Bandwagon Loses Steam

There's good news.... and since good news is about as rare these days as a non-political Justice Department decision, we'll run with it.

There are a few U.S. Senators who are well-respected by other U.S. Senators, and Richard Lugar (R-IN) is one of them. Up until now, he's been in lockstep with The Decider on the Iraq War. Well, he's now broken ranks. He says the Iraq plan is not working. (WaPo)

And, rather than wait for the stalling September date to hear once again that the administration is going to "stay the course," yesterday Lugar announced on the Senate floor: "In my judgment, the costs and risks of continuing down the current path outweigh the potential benefits that might be achieved..... Persisting indefinitely with the surge strategy will delay policy adjustments that have a better chance of protecting our vital interests over the long term"

Although lauding Lugar's change of heart, in a transparent attempt to look in charge of events, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) plans to force votes on several anti-war proposals although they are expected to fall short of the 60 votes needed.

He thinks that is what frustrated voters want. It isn't. Such voter pandering only keeps the Senate polarized and sends moderate voices scurrying back to party safety.

Instead, the next step should be to get other influential Iraq war voices like Sen. John Warner (R-VA) to join Lugar's, and to get behind a plan such as Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) is putting forward for a federalized Iraq that is currently enjoying bipartisan support.

Maybe voters could propose a deal, if the Republicans get rid the scary Dick Cheney, the Democrats will replace Reid as majority leader. As far fetched as that may sound, Cheney is the subject of the next piece of good news.

There is a GOP plan afoot to oust Tricky Dick. In an article by Sally Quinn in WaPo, she reports that Cheney is viewed by many Republicans as toxic, dangerous and a net minus for the party going into next year's elections.

The showdown would unfold something like this.... senior Republican message carriers led by someone like Sen. Warner.... a la Barry Goldwater who went to the White House and told President Nixon he had to go.... would lay the words on Cheney.

Look for this possible move this summer when Cheney is scheduled for surgery to replace his pacemaker.... after which he may have to leave office amid much regretful fanfare.... doctor's orders don't you know.

The person being mentioned as his replacement is ex-Senator Fred Thompson. Talk about getting a leg up on positioning for the presidential race. We'll find out this summer if Cheney needs to spend more time with his family and Fred is the anointed one.

And, if you can stand it, another piece of good news. "Ex-Aides Break With Bush on 'No Child'."

Even as The Decider urged lawmakers to renew his fatally flawed No Child Left Behind program, his former aides who helped craft and implement his education initiative are speaking out against the law. One aide, Eugene Hickok, now says he always had second thoughts, and feels the lawmakers should step back and "see if there are other ways to solve the problem."

The messages are loud and clear.... The Decider's decisions stink. The Iraq war, No Child Left Behind, even his choice for Vice President have imperiled our country.

Now, if the Senate can just find the fortitude to go against their corporate masters, The Decider's immigration and North American Union schemes can be thwarted, and perhaps the country can start to limp back toward some sort of non-ideological sanity.

A final word, just to prove that nonpartianship is possible. Like Howard Kurtz, WaPo staff writer, a recent remark by the GOP stiletto-mouth, Ann Coulter on "Good Morning America" took my breath away.

Referring to The Decider, she slashed: "We're all just waiting for this nincompoop to be gone."

Amen, Ann. Amen.