Broder claims the recent scurrying about in the Senate over the Geneva Convention Common Article 3 is signs of a revolt and a renewed indication of independence by Congress. Hailing this as "the emergence of an independent force in elections", Broder seems to suggest that bipartisanship is blossoming around the Beltway again. Actually, this is nothing more than "coffee-house-smoke-and-mirrors" in a futile attempt to simulate sovereignty from Bush in a heated, mid-term election year.
Alleging super-natural status for Senators exercising their sworn, Constitutional responsibilities with hyperbole such as, "These are not ordinary men", Mr. Broder shamelessly genuflects and proclaims them, "Stars" and "The essence of traditional Reagan conservatism". Padding his assertions with assurance of mention of an authentic moderate, Colin Powell, Broder tries to paint Bush as a pariah and a degenerate among his own party. Essentially, Broder endeavors to elevate a last-minute show of solidarity as dogma that real reform is occurring. Perhaps, in his Grand-Ole'-Party glee, Mr. Border forgot that little line in the Declaration of Independence regarding "that all men are created equal".
If the air around you is beginning to feel stuffy and a case of virtual vertigo has crept over you, it's not the slant of the room or the letters on the page causing it. It's the ever so gentle nudge towards conservatism creating a distinctive lean to the right here. Columnist-in-question, David Broder, affably tries to pander off his preference for the GOP, by claiming this is "the independence party forming on both sides of the aisle". Exclaiming, "The center is beginning to fight back", says Broder, as he then introduces Joe Lieberman as the purported center. While his article loosely hinges on Bush's "extraordinary" rendition of terror detainees, proclaiming Joe Lieberman as a centrist or even as the centerpiece for an article, is less extraordinary and more extraterrestrial.
Just when you think he has scrambled to the right as far as possible, Broder takes one last bound onto center stage with a sniping snippet of things Americans legitimately care about -- border control, stem cell research, a real living wage, and earned citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants. Of course, the inference is that the now ostensibly centrist forming bubble of these once radical-right "Rovians" will roll out the welcome mat to meet their peers on the other side of the aisle and actual accomplish goals that are good for America.
The apropos statement here is simply, "Not buying it." "It" is the notion that a Congress, who for four years has followed Bush as though he were the Pied Piper of Hamelin, now abruptly wants to serve the public trust and form a co-op to move America's agenda forward. Considering the 109th Congress, majority-lead by the Republicans and not too coincidentally Bush's own party, has voted nearly lock-in-step with Bush's every move, any person of moderate intelligence would see this recent scheme of schmoozing as a political ploy and not fair play.
When Broder's "elephants of the center" and their newly decreed independence from Bush actually start doing some of the heavy lift, such as a straight-line bill and vote on a living wage increase, without granting Paris Hilton another trust fund freebie, that would be a sincere showing of "descent respect" for Americans. Preventing a whitewash and re-write of the Geneva Conventions should not be heralded but heckled for it is the first showing of backbone by Congress since defeating Bush and his ludicrous initiative of selling our port's security to the U.A.E. Until then, America is stuck with these political parasites that drain the poor, fatten the rich, and give real bipartisanship and patriotism a bad name.
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You can write and email David Broder at: davidbroder@washpost.com
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SOURCE: Independence
Days, By David S. Broder, Washington Post
