So Much for Habeas Corpus

It's over on Digby's Blog. Once again, the Dems are too petrified to actually stand up for something, even something as simple as "torture is wrong, and Habeas Corpus is right". Instead they hid behind John McCaine, and let him work with the Republicans to create a watered down "anti-torture" bill that, guaranteed, the Bush administration is going to consign to oblivion the second they finish the "don't wanna, not gonna" signing statement that's no doubt being written as we speak.

The weird thing about all this, though, is that the Dems are going to look that much weaker on national security, which is going to hurt them on Iraq... and despite the blather about "running on the economy", there really is no other issue as important.

(Arianna Huffington is absolutely right in mocking the Dems who say that "we've got to keep our eyes on the ball, and the ball is the economy." Somebody needs to sit the Dems down, look them in the eye, and yell "IT IS NOT 1992--STOP PRETENDING YOU CAN AVOID NATIONAL SECURITY AS AN ISSUE" as loudly as they can, as I think that may be the only way they can get the message.)

Yes, Dems, the numbers for Bush on Iraq are improving. So what? That's because he's pushing back, as everybody knew he would. Accept the push, plan out a response, and respond, damn it. This is not ground you can afford to lose. I realize that it goes against your instincts to believe that you can actually have any effect on the polls, and I know that's certainly what's been drilled into your heads by pollsters, but stop and think about your opposition for a second, and how they manage to change perception.

Sure, read the polls, understand them, and keep the data close at hand- but don't ever forget that those are the opinions of real people, and the job of a politician isn't just to react to opinions, but to change them.

Your enemies (and, trust me, they're your enemies- they've said it many times, in many ways) understand this. They've been doing it for decades. Like the guy who wrote the book that inspired my moniker said, your best and only real teacher is your enemy.

It's time to learn, before you get taken to school.