The Die In A Fire Chronicles, Indiana Edition

It shouldn’t need pointing out, but it does: when a single state has two Senators of different parties, and they have a largely identical voting record, one of them is in the wrong place.

Today, Evan Bayh (Douche-IN) retired, saying that “(a)fter all these years, my passion for service to my fellow citizens is undiminished, but my desire to do so by serving in Congress has waned. For some time, I have had a growing conviction that Congress is not operating as it should. There is too much partisanship and not enough progress — too much narrow ideology and not enough practical problem-solving. Even at a time of enormous challenge, the peoples’ business is not being done.”

And not saying a word as to why, when the math is pretty self-evident. His big example? “Two weeks ago, the Senate voted down a bipartisan commission to deal with one of the greatest threats facing our nation: our exploding deficits and debt. The measure would have passed, but seven members who had endorsed the idea instead voted “no” for short-term political reasons.” And does he point out those members? Does he point out that the measure had fifty-three votes FOR, and would have passed if the Senate still had anything resembling majority rule? Ax me.

Evan Bayh is the latest in a long line of notional Democrats who have made a career of po-faced proclamations about how broken the system is, how terrible it is that we can’t come together, while simultaneously sandbagging his own party. At least on the Republican side, the likes of Snowe and Collins and McCain invariably come back in line when it’s time to vote. The Democratic traitor caucus almost never does.

The Democrats have 59 notional votes in the Senate. Since it’s not 60, it doesn’t really make a difference whether that number is 59 or 51. So to hell with Bayh. To hell with Nelson, and Landrieu, and Lincoln, and Lieberman, and Harry “I’m Not A Pussy Because That Would Be Sullying The Good Name Of Pussy” Reid. 53 reliable Democratic votes is a hell of a lot more useful than 59 with an endless load of simpering and whining and Broder-misery.

Message to the President: we tried it your way. We tried all this “come let us reason together” bullshit, we went through five committees with health care, we sandbagged the stimulus package to satisfy the whinebaggers and the Republicans who voted against it anyway – no more. I’m not asking for something more liberal, or more conservative, I’m just looking for SOMETHING – put a bill out there, put the hammer down, and PASS THAT SHIT. At the very least get out there and make people understand why there are dozens of vital positions that haven’t been filled for a year because of the arcane traditions of a body that can’t survive the misuse of those traditions.

It’s time – politically speaking – to burn the Senate to the ground. Now. Nut up, or shut up.

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