The Stark censure resolution: a vote about nothing that we should ignore.

In case you haven't been paying attention, the GOP is in trouble. Bush is at 25%. Their presidential candidates are not leading in the polls over Dem presidential candidates. It looks like we're going to have some pick ups in the House and Senate in '08. America hates the Iraq War and loves the S-Chip program, with the GOP being on the wrong side of both issues.

So what is the GOP to do? Play their same old same old tired ploys of culture wars and gotcha games. The GOP congressional agenda is essentially bills about nothing. Moveon, Stark? Who cares! Oh, you think you care. Well, that is how Rove's operative descendents are hoping you feel about it. Their strategy is two fold: one, demonize Democrats every chance they get and two, depress the Democratic base with parliamentary games in the Congress. I'm sorry, but I don't plan to engage them in their games, and I strongly urge everyone here to disengage as well.

Look, there is plenty to be frustrated with the Democratic Congress on, as in substantive issues. But come on, people -- this meaningless censure vote (which failed, you know) on Stark is not one of them. Show some resolve on the Big Issues, and chalk up this vote as simple GOP diversion and distraction. A Gilbert and Sullivan production full of sound and fury signifying nothing.

And I'm glad his coach didn't make him.

Go Sox!

Keep your eye on the ball!

And if next season they trade all your best players to the Rockies, well, it's only a game anyway...
and the players will still get their saleries. And the owners will still sell lots of tickets.

If the Republicans were running Congress and Stark was one of theirs, would this even be on the radar?

Seems to me that this explains the exceptionally low ratings that the Democratic Congress seems to get. They really are pathetic.

Look, I'm telling you that people like my folks, who vote in every election, couldn't care less about stuff like this. They care about real things. I'm telling you the GOP is going to pay for all of this silliness in the next election.

Unfortunately, people like your folks (and when they were alive, mine) who didn't have much truck for this sort of foolishness, seem to have gotten rarer.