The caskets and body bags, the broken and torn souls, the billions of wasted dollars and permanently damaged psyches, the entire parade of bullshit continues. We, all of us, have elected and elected once more the worst nightmare the founding fathers envisioned: a monarch. A monarch with a certifiable personality disorder.

Despite all the polls showing two thirds of all Americans want to get the hell out of that wasteland, despite that an even greater percentage of IRAQIS wish us gone, the chimp in chief continues to croak about plans that are working. HIS plans. This in the face of all objective evidence to the contrary.

His running dogs in the Senate (including the corrupt and delusional Joe Lieberman) inform us that he, the Chimp, is the commander in chief, and therefore should be neither checked nor balanced. Lets clear that point up a bit.

The constitution gives the power to declare war to the elected representatives of the people, the two houses of Congress. Once war is declared, the responsibility of deployment and tactical use of the armed forces rests with the President.

It is the difference between strategy and tactics.

Congress has, and has always had the right and responsibility to oversee the conduct of any and all wars, despite the CIC role of the executive. During OUR Civil war, the Democratic congress exercised their responsibility by means of the dreaded (by Lincoln and the Union Army) Committee on the Conduct of the War. They hauled anyone they wished in front of the members and demanded explanations of failures. This included Generals and cabinet members.

These days, that particular responsibility has been reduced to a Republican talking point: “micromanaging the war.”

SOMEONE has to micromanage that nightmare. The Chimp offers only more of the same failure and one-dimensional thinking he has served up so far. It might as well be Congress. Bush is merely doing what he has done his entire life: creating a mess and leaving it for someone else to clean up. Hopefully, it will fall to Hillary, or Barack, or John Edwards, or someone with normal brain function to get us disentangled. Even more to be wished for, the Congress will, in a timely manner, cut off all funds for Iraq, and demand a full accounting of the waste, fraud, and profiteering that has been the hallmark of this administration’s sorry failure to date (including an accounting of Dick Cheney’s offshore accounts). Let Bush veto THAT bill and pay for the bullets himself. Or let him then take the only course open to him, load up the transports, point them westward and save whatever is left of our national pride and ethic.

By the way, some have asked why we are so far into the 2008 primary season so early. I believe it is because we, either consciously or unconsciously, cannot wait to put this insane chapter in our national life behind us.

If Congress has the right to declare a war on terror (whatever THAT means), then it logically follows that they have the power to UN-declare the same war. I fervently hope they do so at the earliest opportunity. They can then turn their energies to issues such as national healthcare, securing our ports and borders, fully funding any and all social programs that actually benefit Americans, stopping the North American Trade Union (Google THAT one), and starting impeachment proceedings against both Bush and Cheney. In my opinion they are both guilty of using the powers of their offices to deceive the electorate, in short, of high crimes and misdemeanors. I did not feel that way a year ago. I do now. Those two miscreants have lied, ignored the will of the people, and profited from the misery and suffering of others. I believe they are criminals and should be tried, convicted, tossed out of office, and then tried in criminal court.

Whether the Democrats have the will to hit the administration as hard and quickly as they deserve to be hit is the question. Of late, they seem to be talking the talk more and more. If they decide to walk the walk, there is hope for our nation. If not, well, I sincerely believe we are finished. Time to move to Mexico…

Once again, thanks to all my Megillah brethren for your indulgence. I welcome any and all comments and criticism.