"Mass death on the installment plan"

We should be much harder on the Democrats than Republicans. They're supposed to be an opposition party, but do nothing but create pale weak shadows of Republican policy, and do indescribably nutty things like try to out-hawk the most militarily aggressive war party in the planet's history.

This week, Congress voted 351-67 to authorize another $66 billion in "emergency" spending for the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. Among those opposed were Republicans like Ron Paul and Walter Jones, Jr. Among those giving Bush another blank check were prominent members of the Democrat leadership, including Nancy Pelosi.

Still, note should be taken when there is a Democrat who decides to at least pretend he represents his constituency, and who voices articulate opposition to the cynical, corrupt, murderous madness that seems to be a prerequisite for holding positions of power inside the Beltway. This week, that man was Dennis Kucinich. John Nichols describes his stand:

"Mass death on the installment plan. That's what this supplemental vote to keep our troops in Iraq is all about."

Kucinich, who recently [won] a landslide Democratic primary victory against an aggressive and well-funded challenger, argued that, "The Administration went into Iraq without an exit strategy not because they are incompetent, but because they have no intention of leaving.

"We are spending hundreds of millions building permanent bases in Iraq. The Administration recently announced deployment of no less than 50,000 troops in Iraq far into the future. We are looking at the permanent occupation of Iraq.

"And so the long cadence of lies has led to Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo and Haditha, soon to be replaced by more lies and more tragedies. "What can you say when you are watching your nation descend, sleep walking, into something like the lower circles of hell in Dante's Inferno?

"You can say stop it! You can say enough blood is enough blood!

"You can stop it! Bring our troops home!

"You can say no to any more funds for this war! And then we can begin a period of truth and reconciliation about 9/11 and Iraq. Begin the healing of the soul of America."

No, really, a United States Congressman said that. You can look it up.