What Republican Mandate?

Dateline: Washington, D.C. The Democrats are not acting like Democrats these days. They are sticking together. They are showing leadership. They are working as a unit. Being in the minority can breed strange bed fellows. Let's examine the Democrats resurgence.

First, the Filibuster. Bill Frist is courting the non-religious Karl Rove and the Religious Conservative Right in his assault on the time honored rule of filibuster in the United States Senate. If Bill Frist is successful in changing the filibuster rule (The Nuclear Option as he calls it), he will afford President Bush the opportunity to appoint 9 judges more to the over 250 judges already approved by both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate. Sen. Frist will win the religious, political and judicial battle, but he may very well lose the moderates of the country in the 2008 presidential war.

Additionally, are there really enough Republican Senators to vote to change the filibuster rules. If there were, the Senate would have voted already. I don't think the votes are there. Neither is the mandate.

Second, What to do with Tom Delay? The erasable and ethically challenged congressman and majority leader seems to have taken a golfing trip to St. Andrews on the credit card of a rather infamous Washington lobbyists Jack Abramoff. The House today, bowing to public pressure, reinstated the previous Ethics Committee rules that will open the way for an investigation of Delay in the very near future. President Bush gave Delay a flight with him to Washington the other day, but there is no love lost between Delay and 43. Is this a Republican Mandate?

Third, Senator Rick Santorum espoused President Bush 43's Social Security Plan throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in a gallant attempt to drum up support, impress President Bush for support in his Senate reelection Bid this year and perhaps in his Presidential run in 2008 and to illustrate to Karl Rove that he is the best conservative to be President in 2008. This whistle stop campaign ended abruptly when Senator Santorum found himself in a 10 point + free fall poll deficit to his Democratic challenger Bob Casey Jr. every time he talked about social security changes to a room full of Pennsylvania seniors. Also, President Bush made "60 stops in 60 days" to drum up nationwide support for his private social security accounts, and he was unceremoniously met with (Finance Comm. Chair) Sen. Charles Grassley's response of, "I don't know," when asked if private accounts would get passed in the Senate this year. Is this a Republican Mandate?

Fourth, When Colin Powell speaks, the US Senate listens. John Bolton in turn is not smiling. He may not even make it out of the Foreign Relations Committee in the Senate. Look for a new nominee for UN Ambassador from the Bush White House. Although, the y may stick to their Nixonian behavior of never retreating. Is this a Republican Mandate?

The US Senate has 55 Republican Senators. That means by majority vote of only 51 Republican Senators, the filibuster is busted, social security has private accounts and the current UN nominee is chopping off ten floors of the UN Building as we speak. The Democrats on Capitol Hill are unified, but they certainly aren't that forceful to stop all of these matters. Is this really a Republican Mandate?