And So It Begins

Tom DeLay has all but declared open war on debate:

House Democrats will get no projects for their home districts in a huge education and health spending bill because none of them voted for an initial version of the measure last summer, majority Republicans say.

...

"We're doing business as usual," House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, said Friday. "If you don't support a bill, you have no right to say what's in the bill."

The Republicans, of course, insist there's precedent for this. If they cited any, the article fails to mention it.

This is a really big deal, as appropriations are typically handled in a relatively bipartisan manner. The majority party gets the largest chunk of money, of course -- but not every penny. The message is unsubtle: Democratic districts -- actually, dissenting districts (the nine Republicans and one Independent who voted against are also frozen out) -- won't get federal funding. Period.

I have found comparisons to pre-Civil War America chilling, but premature. Things hardly seemed that bad yet, especially with September 11th still looming in America's recent history. No more. The Republican leadership is out to crush all opposition, and is rapidly proving that they don't care how they do it. The Democrats have clearly had enough.

War has been declared. The only question remaining is whether it can be ended before the guns come out.

(/) Roland X
Still Giving Peace A Chance...for now.