Disgrace in Washington Today

This is incredible. Can you believe what a field day "Faux News" would have with this if a Democratic Senator had proposed such a motion? But Senators Ted Stevens, Mitch McConnell, Saxby Chambliss and others will undoubtably be given a free pass.

Washington, DC— Democrats today demanded an immediate retraction and reversal of the reported proposal that terrorists and insurgents who kill American soldiers in Iraq may be granted amnesty by the new Iraqi government.
“It is shocking that the Iraqi Prime Minister is reportedly considering granting amnesty to insurgents who have killed U.S. troops,” said Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid. “On the day we lost the 2,500th soldier in Iraq, the mere idea that this proposal may go forward is an insult to the brave men and women who have died in the name of Iraqi freedom. I call on President Bush to denounce this proposal immediately.”
“If they bore arms against our people," said Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, "What's the difference between those people that bore arms against the Union in the War between the States? What’s the difference between the Germans and Japanese and all the people we’ve forgiven?”
Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) likened the granting of amnesty to former insurgents to efforts that earned Nelson Mandela a Nobel prize. "Forgiveness," he said, "has been a major factor in what has been a political miracle in Africa."

Meanwhile over in the House:
"Republican House Speaker Dennis Hastert and two partners turned a profit of more than $3 million on property they accumulated and sold in just over three years near the route of a proposed controversial freeway on the western fringe of suburban Chicago, according to land records and financial disclosure reports released Wednesday.

Hastert spokesman Ron Bonjean rejected the notion that the land, located 5 1/2 miles from the proposed Prairie Parkway route, rose in value because of the highway project. The speaker long has been an aggressive proponent of the highway and helped secure more than $200 million in federal funding through an earmark in federal transportation legislation. The property near Plano, Ill., was sold three months after the transportation bill was signed into law. "

Remember Whitewater??????

And in Hastert's chamber, the majority power is "debating" a non binding resolution asking members to vote if they think the USA will win the war on terror.
"But GOP leaders are trying to make sure today's debate is on Republican terms. The resolution, "declaring that the United States will prevail in the Global War on Terror [and] the struggle to protect freedom from the terrorist adversary," was introduced with unabashed partisan overtones. The rules of debate will not allow the resolution to be amended, nor will alternative resolutions be allowed on the floor for a vote.
Some war opponents -- sensing a political trap -- vowed yesterday not to participate. Five House members -- three Democrats and two Republicans -- held a news conference with a yellow rope tied around their hands to denounce the terms of debate.
"This is nothing more or less than really a charade," said Rep. Walter B. Jones Jr. (R-N.C.), who made headlines in the run-up to the Iraq invasion by changing french fries to "freedom fries" in the House dining room but has since turned strongly against the war.
Rep. Wayne T. Gilchrest (Md.), a usually soft-spoken Republican who has urged his leaders to challenge the White House on Iraq. "To me, the administration does not act like there's a war going on. The Congress certainly doesn't act like there's a war going on. If you're raising money to keep the majority, if you're thinking about gay marriage, if you're doing all this other peripheral stuff, what does that say to the guy who's about ready to drive over a land mine?"
"It was ludicrous," Gilchrest said [about the Resolution]. "It had nothing to do with saving lives. It had nothing to do with the war. It was one-upsmanship against the Democrats."

2500 dead. Over 59,000 wounded. $8 Billion dollars a month.

$4 Trillion dollars in new debt since 2001.

But look on the bright side.... Conservative columnist Robert Novak reports this morning, "Now the religious right is considering appealing to state legislatures to call a Constitutional Convention [to ban gay marriage] under an obscure provision of Article 5 that would allow amendments to the Constitution without congressional approval." Now THAT'S important.