[mburbank]

Okay, I pretty much agree with you here, and of course Specter is in a tight spot. But I see this as a watershed moment in merian history and it's time for some profiles in courage.

That being said, is it Specters record that makes you think his veering toward the center but not crossing or wielding his committe power more decisively altrusim and Murthas behavior grandstanding? Because, while I may well be wrong, my reading of Murtha, who has always been far too hawkish for my tastes, is very real concern for the fate and the soul of the armed forces, with whom he has been tight for a long time.

I admire Specter and do so even now, but I believe his position as head of the Judiciary committee lays heavy responsabilities. I think the time of brokering deals with tis administration is well past. They do not deal in anything resembling good faith, I don't feel they view congressional Republicans as partners and I think they are actively dangerous to the American way of life.

I have always been a very cranky liberal, but while I disliked Regan and Bush the Elder seriously and didn't care much for Clinton, I never came close to thinking they endangered the American way of life. Perhaps I've grown more hysterical as I've gotten older, but I honestly think this is very, very different from the rest of the politics I've lived through. Nixon got brought up short. The system worked, and we were in nowhere near the the trouble we are now.

I think it's up to Specter and Republicans like him to stand up and say 'enough'. Right now some of them aren't doing anything, and the rest are saying 'come on, cut it out, what are you nuts? Reign it in, pull your5slf together, come on, are you even listening to me?'

Every Congressmans first duty is to the constitution, not to their party.