No one likes us,

I don't know why:

Even before the compromises began to emerge, the overall bill prepared by the three senators had fatal flaws. It allows the president to declare any foreigner, anywhere, an “illegal enemy combatant” using a dangerously broad definition, and detain him without any trial. It not only fails to deal with the fact that many of the Guantánamo detainees are not terrorists and will never be charged, but it also chokes off any judicial review.

The Democrats have largely stood silent and allowed the trio of Republicans to do the lifting. It’s time for them to either try to fix this bill or delay it until after the election. The American people expect their leaders to clean up this mess without endangering U.S. troops, eviscerating American standards of justice, or further harming the nation’s severely damaged reputation.

Maybe it's the way we think of them. Ya think?

Foreigners don't vote, though, do they? Foreigners are the reason we have terrorism. Foreigners are the reason we have to be "strong" on terrorism. And where do we go from here?

The White House and dissident Senate Republicans reached a tentative accord yesterday on legislation that President Bush said would provide for continued tough interrogations of terrorism suspects by the CIA at secret detention sites.

That article goes on to say "both sides declared that they had achieved their aims." Which tells you all you need to know about the political process in America. The two sides being referred to? The White House, and 3 GOP senators.

Gore Vidal is right. We are a one-party state, with a right wing and a far-right wing. This is not an unusual action. This is business as usual.