Battered Wife Syndrome

The Democrats in Congress were elected last year because the people wanted them to end the war in Iraq. They haven't done it. The people wanted them to stop the Cheney Administration from their illegal eavesdropping. They haven't done it.

Therefore, the Democratic Congress has approval ratings almost as low as the Cheney Administration, and the Republicans in Congress.

Yet this gives the Repuglicans grounds to bash them, because they aren't more popular. The reason they aren't more popular is because they won't stand up to the Repuglicans they way the people want them to. Their reaction? The Battered Wife Syndrome.

Too often battered women are convinced that it's their fault: If only they would try harder to please him he might let up on the beating. And of course he never does. But that only makes her try harder to please him, which is impossible to do.

The Democratic leadership in Congress are acting like battered women, trying hard not to get beaten up by the Administration and their Repuglican colleagues. But no matter what, the Repugs are GOING to call them unpatriotic, are GOING to accuse them of siding with the terrorists, etc., etc., etc.

Look, this administration is one of the most UNPOPULAR in history, Bush is a lame duck, and the Democrats own a majority of Congress. Why can't they understand they are in a position of strength, not weakness. The only people who really want them to act more like Republicans are the so-called "liberal" pundits like Maureen Dowd and David Broder. So-called "liberals" like Tim Russert and Chris Matthews are despicable in their behavior, parroting Repuglican talking points unquestioningly, claiming that "most Americans" believe the same way they do, in spite of every single poll, including the ones from Fox "News" showing the exact opposite.

So when will the Democratic leadership stop trying to please these people and start trying to please the people who elected them?

I swear, if I were a political cartoonist, I would draw Bush as a lame duck, held up by two crutches, one named, "Pelosi," and one named "Reid."