Stop Me Before I Vote Again

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/06/washington/06cong.html?hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1189084679-0NAg5P1oNhJb9uC4/M+74g

Democrats Newly Willing to Compromise on Iraq

WASHINGTON, Sept. 5 — With a mixed picture emerging about progress in Iraq, Senate Democratic leaders are showing a new openness to compromise as they try to attract Republican support for forcing at least modest troop withdrawals in the coming months.

After short-circuiting consideration of votes on some bipartisan proposals on Iraq before the August break, senior Democrats now say they are willing to rethink their push to establish a withdrawal deadline of next spring if doing so will attract the 60 Senate votes needed to prevail.

Senator Carl Levin, Democrat of Michigan, said, “If we have to make the spring part a goal, rather than something that is binding, and if that is able to produce some additional votes to get us over the filibuster, my own inclination would be to consider that.”

"Newly" is masterful, isn't it?

This word 'compromise' has an interesting meaning in American political discourse. If ordinary people used the word in the same way, you'd get conversations like this:

Mugger: Your money or your life!
Muggee: Can't we compromise?
Mugger: Okay. You give me your money, and I won't kill you.
Muggee: Deal!

Actually this analogy is quite misleading, though, as applied to the Democrats. The muggee, if he's a real muggee, presumably doesn't actually want to give up his money. But the Democrats are always quite glad to give up any faint opposition they've ever hinted at having toward the latest imperial adventure, whatever it may be; and of course they are, if possible, even more servile toward the Israel lobby, which very much wants Uncle to stay in the neighborhood, than the Republicans are.

So they're not getting mugged, any more than a pro wrestler is really getting beaten up. It's all part of the act.