It's Not One Party Government

I like how news reports can announce that a deal has been reached on the Patriot Act when the ranking Democratic chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee "has not yet decided" whether or not to support the agreement. With losses on tax policy, Social Security, ANWR drilling, cuts to health programs, and more Republican-led initiatives failing in the Congress in the past several months alone, can't we agree that if the GOP reaches a "deal" on something, it might not actually get through?

I would've waited until Russ Feingold, who's led the fight against the more unseemly aspect of this law, the only man who voted against this law, I'd have waited for him to speak before we live with this "compromise." As I understand it, the compromise sunsets the roving wiretap and library record provisions after 4 years. Personally I'd like to see them excised.