(A thanks to the dude for this)
This is change?: Early signs indicate more of the same in Washington
By: George Ochenski

For the last year, we’ve heard nothing from campaigning politicians except how they are the voices for and instruments of change. Coming from both Republicans and Democrats, you’d think Washington, D.C. would be in a froth of re-invention. But from what we’ve seen so far, there’s very little change in who runs the show, who gets the gold and, unfortunately, who gets the shaft.

Let’s start with this week’s greatest example of no change—namely, the decision by the U.S. Senate Democratic leadership to allow Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., to remain as chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee. Lieberman, as many will recall, is a renegade former Democrat who ran as vice president with Al Gore, lost a Democratic primary for Senate, then won the general election as an independent. He caucuses with the Democrats, but supported Republican John McCain for president against Democratic candidate Barack Obama.

Lieberman is also one of the biggest hawks in Congress and an enthusiastic and unapologetic supporter of the disastrous Iraq War. He has also been a strong supporter of action against Iran, including statements such as: “Bombing Iran has an appeal to it.” If you had to be “for or against” George Bush, Lieberman would definitely be in the “for” category.

So why didn’t the Dems have the guts to give the guy exactly what he deserves, strip him of his chairmanship and leave him wandering the halls with no committees, no power and no podium? Good question. If you believe Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., it’s because the Democrats are “looking forward, not looking back.” Maybe that makes sense to the refined intelligentsia of Capitol Hill, but why would you want to put an avowed warmonger in charge of a committee that has, unfortunately, been far too compliant with Bush’s agenda of shredding the constitution through illegal wiretaps and secretly spying on American citizens? How do we follow a new path when we have the same leader who has so misdirected our steps in the past? How do you convince the world that America has a new approach when the same old war hawks remain in power?

Link to con.