Sounds like the Senate Democrats are standing up to the Repukes!

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/03/politics/03CONG.html?hp=&pagewanted=print&position=

Feeling Left Out on Major Bills, Democrats Stall Others
By CARL HULSE and ROBERT PEAR

WASHINGTON, May 2 — Senate Democrats, shut out of Congressional negotiations on Medicare and other important bills last year, are blocking House-Senate negotiations on other bills unless they are guaranteed a voice in writing the final legislation.

The tactic has infuriated Republicans and contributed to election-year paralysis as the House and Senate struggle to work out compromises needed to make law. The conflict intensified late last week and almost caused a partial shutdown of the Transportation Department.

Senator Christopher S. Bond, Republican of Missouri, said there was a "complete stalemate" over a highway bill because Democrats were blocking the creation of a conference committee to resolve differences with the House. The bill has bipartisan support, having passed the Senate by a vote of 76 to 21.

<snip>

Mr. Daschle's counterpart in the House, Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the minority leader, said last month about the highway bill: "Something seems to be in the DNA of the Republicans at this time. They have forgotten that we are here to work cooperatively to get the job done for the American people. We are not here to draw a line in the sand and exclude one party or another."

I gave up on the Dem senators (especially Tom Daschle - remember him? Don't see a damned thing from him, as he leaves Kerry out to dry) in 2002, when they fell all over themselves to say "me, too" to Shrub. There's a few good ones, and McCain on the GOP side. The rest haven't the guts to stand up against the worst president in American history.

i hope so!