The vote tally on the Start treaty is now posted. Twelve count 'em 12 Republicans voted for it, and in the spirit of the season, let's give them propers: Lamar Alexander, Tennessee; Robert Bennett, Utah; Scott Brown, Massachusetts; Thad Cochran, Mississippi; Susan Collins, Maine; Bob Corker, Tennessee; Johnny Isakson, Georgia; Mike Johanns, Nebraska (interesting, the only one surprising to me; helps give Ben Nelson cover in 2012, no?); Dick Lugar, Indiana; Lisa Murkowski, Alaska; Olympia Snowe, Maine; George Voinovich, Ohio. Kind of amazing. All Democrats voted for. Even Ron Wyden made it back from prostate surgery.
Missing from the list? A certain McCain fellow. He really has now just degenerated completely into being a hack. Who can possibly take the man seriously anymore? You just know he's lying through his teeth when he ladles that praise on Sarah Palin. And as for Start, it's exactly the kind of thing he used to be in the Senate to help put his stamp on.
In truth, McCain has always had a reputation for standing on the sidelines, throwing stink bombs, then sweeping in at the end to gobble up credit. Except on campaign finance and a couple other things on which he genuinely did do the work. But now he's just a complete joke. I can understand if you're a conservative you'd have preferred him as president. But for the rest of us...God forbid.
Meanwhile, this session of Congress...geez. Obama could lose an election tomorrow and still be one of the most active and successful presidents of the modern era. Things are going to get pretty tough again next March, when he and the Republicans start fighting over the budget, but for now, enough complaining, liberals!
