Congress clumsy, but the process may be working

Here's a link to the piece I did last week for antiwar.com. It discusses the sometimes faltering and to many unsatisfactory way Congress has approached the Iraq war. I'm less upset than many. Having worked there (though a long time ago) I think I know a bit about how Congress works (or perhaps more often doesn't). It's helpful to remember that despite the partisan sniping, they are all in the same club, the legislative section of the ruling class. There are genuine dislikes, but for the most part they would rather stay friendly with Honorables from the other party, since even in a polarized times they have common interests in continuing pork and trading support on other favored legislation. So they operate in ways that would seem peculiar in most business and even other kinds of organizations.

The leadership has gone slow for a number of reasons, including not wanting to be criticized justly for leaving the troops high and dry, and because the Democrats are far from unanimous (and less so a few weeks ago) on what they want to do. But even toothless resolutions help to define the permissible parameters of public discussion, and I think I see that happening. As they are stonewalled by Dubya, they seem to get more determined to make it clear that they are not going to be buffaloed by Bush.

It will be fascinating to see how it all plays out.