It is time, at long last, for Congress to ask: Is the president mad?

This NYT lead struck me as more exhortation than reportage:

"President Bush asked Congress on Monday to approve $196 billion to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and other national security programs, setting the stage for a new confrontation with Democrats over the administration’s handling of Iraq."

If only that were the case. A "new confrontation" -- the implication being that we've witnessed tough confrontations in the past; real confrontations beyond the bedazzlement of swindling stagecraft. Yet "a confrontation" that transcends mere words -- one with meat and muscle on its bones; one with some depth and kick -- remains as what's needed.

But we know the routine. Instead, Democrats will fume and froth. They'll react "with dismay and anger." They'll pound their well-beaten chests and threaten all manner of responsible confrontation. Then they'll fold like a cheap, unraveling suit, just before hurling every penny of the $196 billion at the administration.

We know the routine, we've read the script, we've seen this undignified act. If Congress means to simply lie down, again, then let's just cut right to the appropriations process and be done with it. It was grand theatre before, when there was some smidgen of suspense to behold. The reruns, however, fail to captivate or enlighten.

Yet, it seems to me, this potential confrontation could take on an entirely new script -- courtesy the administration itself -- if only Democrats would seize a bit of the theatrical in presenting the recently tweaked. They don't need to merely go through the same old motions, repeat the same rehearsed lines, and suffer the same frustrations. They could, instead, vastly reframe the war-spending debate. They could do it in a heartbeat, and all they'd actually be doing is saying what you, I, and the world already knows. All they need say is ...

The Bush administration is nuts. Bonkers. Irretrievably demented. There are madmen at the helm. They have put their dementia on public display, and whoever believes Congress should subsidize their insanity is as crazy as they are.

These aren't just words, some sort of demagogic hysteria tailored for political advantage. For there is, in fact, tangible, psychiatric evidence of the executive condition.

Within only the last week, the president signaled with a smirk an infinitely incoherent warning about the coming of World War III -- a global conflagration resulting merely from diplomatic frustration with a second-rate power that poses no grave threat. And we all know the empirical data on the president's signals.

Meanwhile, the vice president was unleashed to reinforce the administration's increasingly overt intent. Said Mr. Cheney Sunday: "The entire international community" -- meaning, of course, the United States alone -- "cannot stand by as a terror-supporting state fulfills its grandest ambitions"; hence the Bush administration is "prepared to impose serious consequences." The latter, needless to say, is spelled w-a-r.

That is, another war -- another on top of the two losing wars in which we're engaged, another trillion, thousands more in lives lost, more international isolation and rebuke, and, doubtlessly, more, if not all, of the Constitution trashed. Yet what staggers the rational mind has been laid out, right before our eyes, with tangible expressiveness and deliberate aforethought.

And if those stated intentions don't square with the clinical contours of definitional madness, I frankly don't know what would. Thus before appropriating one cent for the president's current psychosis, Congress should ask and answer -- openly and with licensed head-candlers testifying before it and confirming the seemingly manifest -- "Is the president mad?"

This is no longer about positioning for political victory in 2008. This is no longer about scoring points with this base or that. This, bluntly, is about rescuing the nation from permanent destruction at the hands of a likely certifiable madman.

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Comments

[JG in MD]

He also smirked at the Dalai Lama. That one gave me cold chills.

[T-rex]

There's a Constitutional provision for exactly this kind of problem -- the 25th amendment. What we need is a Caine-mutiny style declaration of the President and Vice President as incapable of performing their duties, which is absolutely true.

[Maezeppa]

It doesn't matter if he's crazy or not - he does crazy, destructive things. We have to stop him.

[Jennifer]

These people have a malevolent psychosis shoving their deranged lies, fantasies and irrationality down our throats. And they re-inforce one another. We are dealing with a mass psychosis here. How do you de-program 29% of the nation? I've got to re-read John Dean.

[meohmy]

The pResident and vice pResident "of portions" of the United States of America lead with only a "portion of their brain" to benefit "a portion" of our great nation.
It really "Mission Accomplished" with continuous war and unrest in the Middle East as well as constant replenishing of theirs and others cofers.
Cheney says to Bush,"I told you this would be the biggest oil deal ever accomplished. We can steal from the rich resources in Iraq and the poor non-corporate citizens of America. So, we are really war heroes..war is our cover, stealing from the rich AND the poor is our mission." Bush responds," And they called Richard Nixon 'Tricky Dick'..hee hee hee hee.It finally pays off not to give a hoot about the little guy".
Madmen
Citizens of America PLEASE ponder this question. Do we really think they have accumulated all this concentrated power and control over Congress, the Judicial system , the privacy and civil liberties of ALL Americans to just hand in over to another?? I don't think so. The ultimate arrogance is to declare Martial Law.

[meohmy]

Lest we forget, this administration diverted funds from the war in Afghanistan to launch the attack on Iraq. Now this latest "supplemental appropriations request", adorned with rhetoric to aide Darfur and other places is possibly going to also be diverted to launch the attack on Iran. Think about it.

[smchris]

Unfortunately, it is an insanity of our culture. The mainstream media have made much of the public insane. Same with the congress. So the few are free to crank up the war machine for their profit and drive the country into ruin.

[Andrushka]

How long will it take Congress to realize that Bush AND Cheney are malevolent people and that Bush is also a completely dangerous fool fit for the loony bin? Are you waiting for the United States to be completely ruined? There are a lot of saner people out there that have been declared nuts.

[chris matheson]

Can't we come up with a big petition with an overwhelming number of names - and just require that these guys be ousted?

The 2008 election may never happen. Bush has stated that he wants to be dictator. Most people cannot afford another 12 months of this insanity.

[Krashkopf]

Back on 10/2/07 Congressman David Obey, the Chair of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, announced that he would NOT report any Iraqi supplemental funding bill out of his committee unless Bush agreed to significant changes in the Iraq War plan (including a plan aimed at withdrawing all combat troops before Bush leaves office, and, longer home tours for soldiers between deployment to the Combat zones).

I just got off the phone with Obey's home office, and they tell me that Congressman Obey does NOT intend to back down from that position!

Wake up folks, this is Civics 101.

Every funding bill HAS TO come out of the Appropriations committee. As Chairman, Obey has the power to "bottle up" a bill in committee. If he doesn't report out the Iraqi supplemental funding bill - FUNDING FOR THE WAR IS CUT OFF!!!

Isn't that exactly what we Progressives have been demanding?! Everyone who is opposed to this stupid "war" should be calling Congressman Obey's office and showering him with support.

And, why is the media not picking up on this very important story?

Three weeks ago, one of the most powerful members of Congress (a co-equal branch of government) challenged the out-of-control Executive branch. Yesterday, that Executive responded with a funding request seeking to extort another $200 BILLION dollars out of the American people, so that he could "stay the course" in Iraq.

This is the story of a political SHOW DOWN with hugh, Constitutional, ramifications.

Would someone in the media PLEASE cover it?!!!!!

Krash

[epppie]

Why did the Dalai Lama meet with him? I don't get it? Bush may have more blood on his hands than anyone one the planet and Mr. Peace acts palsy walsy with him?!

[epppie]

Congress isn't just co-equal. It is the Primary branch of government.

[psmarc93]

Ok, I'm officially at my wits' end. WHY DOESN'T CONGRESS STOP HIM? I hear they are waiting to win the next election, to gain a greater majority. AT WHAT POINT TO THEY BEGIN TO GOVERN? Why do they think they can or will do more with a greater majority? How bad does it have to get -- how bad will it get under Bush, while they wait? Soldiers are dying. The world is terrified of our dictator. The last election gave them more seats than anyone believed was possible, yet they're ignoring the will of the people that set them there. RISK your jobs, your majority, for the sake of the people!

[type 4]

71% can beat the living shit out of 29%, unless 71% is a pussy.

[banjobailey]

I once heard Robert Kennedy, Jr., say he thought
aabout 95% of the Republicans were corrupt and
75% of the Democrats.
I thought, well, that's about right. We are seeing it in action as ALL Republicans and a defining majority of Democrats continue to steer us over the cliff.
As for Bush being mad, well, so are all the people
who continue to give him every single thing he asks
for.
When the Republicans start petitioning to put
colorful stars on immigrants of color, then, perhaps the media will take pause. After all,
they won't want to have to do their housework and landscaping themselves.

[Perry logan]

Here are some facts about Congress that seem to have escaped attention:

"President Bush's success rating in the Democratic-controlled House has fallen this year to a half-century low, and he prevailed on only 14 percent of the 76 roll call votes on which he took a clear position.

"So far this year, Democrats have backed the majority position of their caucus 91 percent of the time on average on such votes. That marks the highest Democratic unity score in 51 years."
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1728952&mesg_id=1728952
http://public.cq.com/docs/cqt/news110-000002576765.html

Don't let the media rhetoric fool you. The Democrats have acquitted themselves quite well--especially given their bare majority in both houses, and a relentlessly obstructionist Republican minority.

[The Old Hippy]

It is time to realize that since they killed the last honest Senator (Paul Wellstone) we really have only corporate backed puppets who support the crooks who are draining our Treasury into the "Have"s pockets. It is time to remove every member of Congress. They all back Bush and the other crooks. Throw each and everyone of them out of Washington. And while we are at it, put EVERY K Street thug in Super Max.

Up the Revolution.

[Carl Gordon]

Answer: Yes

Yep, there’s deep murmurings reverberating through the DC malarial feverish jungle canopy like them crazy drums and pointy-head pundits that never stop. When I asked (or axed if you’re stupid or have lousy taste in music) somebody if the drums ever stop, they replied, “No. Very bad when drums stop. Then we get bass solo!”.

Okay, bad joke. Anyway, have you ever seen those lists of all the elements in the human body and how much they would be worth if you could cook them down, extract, and sell them? The gist of it is that we're all made of mostly oxygen, hydrogen and carbon with small amounts of stuff like potassium and phosphorus thrown in for flavoring and color, and altogether our component elements are worth a little less than a dollar, assuming you could find a buyer for tiny amounts of easily obtainable elements. Well, we’d have to take a loss on this seven year disaster (don’t know if it’s tax deductible) but it just might be time to accept a tolerable level of loss and throw Boosh, Chainy, the whole Republican congress, and, ah hell, let’s throw in Coulter and her adam’s apple, any employee at Faux, and even Rush (careful, don’t strain yourself – don’t know if it’s covered by rip-off insurance), and see if we can walk away from this disaster of stupendous proportions with enough chump change in our pocket for a twelve pack of Schlitz and a pound of head cheese. Hell, the resultant hangover and intestinal upset would be tolerable if I didn’t have to gaze one more time upon the slack-jawed mouth-breathing Gimp attempting to thrash out some brain dead 3rd graders half-baked glue-inspired “thoughts”.

[Mooser]

Listen folks, if there is an economic slowdown as a result of the sub-prime (Choice? Good?) mortgage implosion, they'll be a raft of unemployed men and women 18-35. You want them sleeping on your couch? War is in the interest of the parents of this nation! Greatest generations aren't made at the Malls of America, but on the beaches of Iwo-Jima and Normandy!

[gmanedit]

There's only a limited amount of oil left and we want to control it, not oil-hungry China and India; and we want to make sure it stays traded in U.S. dollars.

Oh, and they're crazy, too.

[Kaatu Barada Nikto]

Republicans will never pull the plug on Bush because they are dead set against paying higher taxes. It's all about money -- none of these so-called "values" issues counts for anything. America has sold its collective soul for 30 pieces of silver.

[The Oracle]

If Democrats had any cajones, they'd attach certain other appropriations to the Bush-demented, Bush-demanded war appropriations bill.

For instance, tie fully funding SCHIPS to any additional funds for Bush's War...money for our nation's kids, money for our troops put in harm's way by the insane Bush.

And/or, make war funding condititional on rolling back the tax cuts for the wealthiest 10 percent in America, as well as tacking on an increase of a few percentage points in income taxes to make up for the hundreds of billions in lost revenue.

And/or, stipulating that no additional Iraqi War funding will pass Congress until all the documents requested by any member or committee of Congress is received.

In other words, there's any number of ways Democrats could tie up BushCo and the culture of corruption Republicans in fiscal knots, while winning even more support from patriotic, concerned U.S. citizens.

But, of course, turncoat Blue Dog Democrats like Pelosi and Reid will nix any attempt to hold the crazed Bush administration accountable, while letting mad-dog Bush initiatives like the censure of Rep. Stark and MoveOn to be voted on. Who the hell chose these two, and Hoyer, to assume positions of power in the Democratic-controlled Congress?

[FKAY]

NANCY PELOSI IS THE NEW JOE LIEBERMAN

[J.C.]

I have been saying all along that George Bush and Dick Cheney were either working for satan or just plain crazy. Just how much can these illigitimate bastards get away with anyway? I mean what does it take to finally get rid of these election stealing, stumbling, bumbling idiots? And unlike Carpenter's comment above, "I never enjoyed the theatrics the democrats have been displaying in congress"

I say and have said all along "Impeach the bastards and throw them behind bars where they belong!"

What exactly is the problem with the democrats anyway? I mean what does it take to get them to stand up to these lunatics? "I just don't get it" and "I'll never ...ever get it!" The democrats just sit on their hands. They either can't or won't stop all of this insanity;...and mean while the devil plays his fiddle as the world continues to burn.

[jason]

Again, can we stop pretending it matters who/what we vote for? We've been locked into this for most of the past century. It's only getting bad now because the oil is running dry. And with all this shiny new anti-terrorism legislation, there is literally nothing we can do to change things.

Just keep your neighborhoods tight, shrink your economic impact and hope you can convince your local para-militaries that they're members of the community too.

Welcome to the end of Pisces.

[Marc McDonald]

The real debate over the $196 billion in funding will not take place in Washington.
It will take place in Tokyo, Beijing, Taipei, and the other capitals of the nations who are REALLY paying for this war with their massive purchases of U.S. government debt.
Should these nations decide to stop funding our government's debt (and stop propping up our dollar) then the Iraq War will end immediately.
Most Americans are clueless on the subject of how close to the end America's reign as a superpower is (but then our MSM have better things to report, like Paris Hilton's latest lover or Britney's new hairstyle).

[Jimmy Guckert]

And why not ask if Bush and Cheney are mad?

The MSM is full of stories about the "loonie left". When you own the press, you are beyond reproach.