While I Was Out -- Don't Be Afraid to Give 'er!

Since being dumped, I pulled an all-nighter, lost my wallet, cancelled all my credit cards, found my wallet in (wait for it) my pants pocket a couple of days later, pulled another all-nighter, and contracted a fantastically wonderful cold, which is still present about six days later. I haven't had a good night's sleep in weeks.

And then this weekend. Still working on the cold, and seeking a really good meal (read = waffles!), I found that my car would not start -- requiring Jump Start No. 2 of the current cold snap. Next day, waiting at a drive-thru, a homeless guy walks up. I start to drive off, and he spits on me.

Thus, blogging has been out of the question--much less a deep analysis of policy. I thought about reading through the FY 2008 Budget, which dropped last week. Then the nurse brought my medication--which, oddly enough, cannot unblock my damn ears. (I much prefer not breathing through my nose to not hearing through my ears. There are alternate routes for air; I can't very well listen to people through my armpits.)

But suck it up we must. The House gets full marks for doing what the Senate seems totally incapable of doing--i.e., anything. We have a resolution to debate! And I love the fact that it is simple and direct:

Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), That—

(1) Congress and the American people will continue to support and protect the members of the United States Armed Forces who are serving or who have served bravely and honorably in Iraq; and

(2) Congress disapproves of the decision of President George W. Bush announced on January 10, 2007, to deploy more than 20,000 additional United States combat troops to Iraq.

So the GOP can't pull a "you really hate the troops, don't you" on those who vote for this thing. But better than that, it is an on-off vote. You like what the President's doing? Vote no. You don't like what the President's doing? Vote yes. The various resolutions in the Senate were dandy and all, but they were so nuanced that they couldn't quite get together on one that they really, really liked. Now the House is going to (likely) pass this one and send it to (yep) the Senate, where they will have something to pass, or at least kick around for a while.

Yes: it's non-binding. But it wasn't until last year when the Dems began to show even baby teeth on this sort of thing. A small step forward is better than three guys in the Senate sleeping through a quorum call any day of the week.

Debate starts tomorrow at 10. Bring popcorn.

And by the way: Hey, Mr. Howard! Yeah, you--the one standing next to the wife of the Prime Minister of Australia. Which would make you the Prime Minister of Australia. Who the hell asked you anything about Barack Obama? Nobody? Figured.

Of course, this is not the first tangle between the States and Down Under. This too shall pass.