Our looming constitutional crisis

It's even worse than I thought, according to Mike, Rich, Bryan, and Allah. (Links presented in chronological order over the past 48 hours.)

They see Jack Murtha's "slow bleed solution" as driving us over the brink. What's the ancient Chinese curse? May you live in interesting times? Well, we're cursed.

UPDATE: Hope? The Washington Post reports that Democrat centrists are tacking towards... well, the center, and away from Murtha's looming constitutional confrontation.

House Democrats have pulled back from efforts to link additional funding for the war to strict troop-readiness standards after the proposal came under withering fire from Republicans and from their party's own moderates. That strategy was championed by Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) and endorsed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).

"If you strictly limit a commander's ability to rotate troops in and out of Iraq, that kind of inflexibility could put some missions and some troops at risk," said Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Tex.), who personally lodged his concerns with Murtha.

Chet's my new favorite "Real Democrat." The last Dem to hold that position was Max Baucus when he pissed of the WaPo. Though I gotta say it's been slim pickin's ever since Zell Miller retired.

And note: They're only tacking to center, not rushing, says Allah. And I think he's right. We're not out of the constitutional woods just yet. (Let's see... can I work any more corny metaphors into this update? Nope. I'm done.)

UPDATE: I miss Zell.


"That was a metaphor. Do you know what a metaphor is? I wish we lived in the day when you could challenge a person to a duel!"

Good times.