Or the House, I guess it applies to either one. See, I love my whistlepig (don't ask) very, very much, but he has some...quirks, shall we say, that drive me out of my damn tree sometimes.
Well, join the club, I hear most of you saying--and what the hell does this have to do with the Senate? Mostly, it has to do with the compromise that comes with any relationship, the need to pick your battles, and finding the moments to best make your case. And, of course, recognizing that moment when you have to take a stand, throw down, and let the chips fall.
What is happening to our nation is very serious. It is frightening, and most days I don't know if it is possible to save this country before total collapse. I don't mean to make light of what is happening in Congress with this comparison or diminish how deeply ashamed I am that our elected representatives gave a man who can't decide if waterboarding is torture the highest law enforcement office in the land. But I have been struggling to put their actions into some sort of context that allows me to think of them as something other than spineless, greedy, heartless, uncaring vermin without souls or conscience.
See, my beloved has some sort of weird fear of the dishwasher. Not the sink (I originally thought this might be some sort of water issue), the dishwasher. I've tried to talk to him about this, I've asked if there was some sort of childhood trauma that made it difficult for him to perhaps grab the handle and pull, or maybe to look inside the dishwasher (I've never noticed a fear of the dark, but I was trying to explore all the options). Now, I always try to broach this subject gently, because I don't want to upset him, but nothing I try results in a change in behavior. I've even opened the dishwasher and loaded it in front of him to show him that my fingers remain intact and there is nothing to fear. But the dishes remain piled in the sink. That's as far as they ever get.
It has taken me years, but I have now come to understand that these things simply aren't issues to him. He literally doesn't see it. The only time he ever notices is if the sink is full (there's nowhere to drop anything else). Or, of course, when I go full-on, batshit crazy because I've hit my limit (or, as he likes to call it, one of my "wall-eyed fits"). And when I have one of my fits, it is always a surprise to him, in fact, I can honestly say that he and the dog share that same wide-eyed "What'd I do?" look whenever I snap at either of them. Then comes that slowly dawning expression of comprehension that this is something that is IMPORTANT to me. And I think to myself, "I'm going to try one more time, and then I'm taking a 2x4 to his head".
He just sees things differently than I do. Which is what I'm trying hard to believe is the same problem with the Senate.
Since the 2006 elections, I can't help but picture the Senate with that same wide-eyed "What'd I do?" look every time the hue and cry goes up on one of their compromises (or just as often, capitulations). But I can never picture a look of comprehension following. The truth may be that what they're really sporting are looks of irritation that we the people are paying attention and calling them on their crap, but I don't want to believe these people just don't care about this country or it citizens (although that's certainly how they behave). Once upon a time, they ran for office because they wanted to make this country a better place..didn't they?
Yet the House scuttles an impeachment resolution that is 4 years overdue. And the Senate confirms Mukaskey.
To them, Mukaskey is a figure-head in a job for only slightly more than a year and they can either confirm him or spend a lot of time not confirming him, and what difference does it make anyway, he goes with the next election, right? Putting aside my doubts that there will BE a next election, the question becomes: who comes in to replace Makaskey? ANOTHER guy who can't decide because President (fill in name of choice here) wants to keep all that yummy power and have the maneuvering room to do the same revolting, underhanded things this administration has done? If none of the current Senate crop can commit to a firm NO on this (and really, Joe--dude, what happened to you? I was singing your praises when you were handing all those idiots their asses during the Abu Ghraib hearings. Is it no longer important to you to protect your son?), what am I to make of that? Is there any possibility that they don't know how IMPORTANT this is?
Well, I know. I watched the torture hearings Thursday by webcast, and I'm still upset. To those of us with loved ones who have served or are currently in harm's way, there is no bigger insult, no more overt way to flip off the rest of the world, no stronger guarantee that a captured American will be tortured.
I'm sure phones on capitol hill rang off the hook after that vote (I know my Senator's did) and I'm sure servers are sluggish with all the e-mail--and I'm sure those Senators are looking at each other with that "huh?" face as they realize just how badly they messed up and just how angry we are. But they're going to get something else from me. A hand-written letter. I type more than I write these days, so that's a big deal for me. And I understand its much rarer now and gets a bit more notice. It will be the politest version of a wall-eyed fit I know how to write. It will be concise, and it will be specific. Six letters, one to each candidate for President (who didn't vote) and one to each of my senators (who both voted to confirm, I'm ashamed to admit). I hope to receive more than a form letter from an intern in response, but if that's all that I get, it tells me they still don't get that this is IMPORTANT, and its time to try something else. Like raising money for another candidate and talking said cadidate up to my friends and family. Like making sure everyone knows the record of the current seat holder. Like volunteering my time at a local election office. Like a 2x4 to the head.
Will I accept an apology? Yes, yes I will. But to those of you posturing for the Presidency, it better not be some half-assed apology where you mention to me that the confirmation was going to pass with or without your vote, and there was nothing you could do. Oh, hell no, that won't cut it, not this time. You better tell me you're sorry and you were wrong. You better tell me you believe this country should stand against torture NO MATTER WHAT--there are no exceptions. It's too late for you to vote NO, but you better at least fake some contrition over this or I will do everything in my power to help you lose. Not just the presidential nomination, but your seat in Congress too. If you aren't willing to defend the Constitution--GET OUT. Until I get a satisfactory response, I will work hard to unseat each and every one of you. Because I will no longer stand for "representatives" of any kind that do not represent me. Enough.
On a happier note, I came home this evening to find an empty sink and full dishwasher. Perhaps its time for the next phase of training: putting things away...