George,

When Democrats took control of the House and Senate, I thought that at last the fundamental Constitutional principle of checks and balances had been restored. One of the most important steps taken by Nancy Pelosi (and House Democratic leaders) was to include a provision in the supplemental military spending bill requiring that President Bush get approval from Congress before taking any military action against Iran.

This provision was simply an affirmation of the Constitutional power of Congress to declare war. Now I learn that this provision has been stripped from the military spending bill. According to news reports, this was done at the behest of conservative Democrats as well as other lawmakers worried about the provision's impact on Israel.

And thus concern about Israel trumps our Constitution, and Congress continues to give Bush blank checks rather than checks and balances.

Are there any Democrats with backbones?

David RePass (electronic mail, March 13, 2007)