With bigger majorities in both houses and a Dem president in 2009 I wonder if Dems are laying the groundwork for stronger oversight next year. This year I don't see Conyers, Waxman and Leahy or anybody else doing much more now than they already have but a collection of contempt of congress citations and ignored subpoenas might give Dems a stronger hand in writing better law forcing future executive branch compliance.

When you look each case where Bush's people stonewalled congress the last two years taken to it's logical conclusion they'd wind up in court where the Supremes have already said once they won't rule on "political" disputes between the two branches and threw it back in congress's face. Frustrating for us but that's what 28 years of Republican judge appointments and Republican approved Clinton appointments have given us.

Dems won't waste time in this congress pushing stronger legislation because Repubs would use the filibuster for a record 81st time but if we get a
filibuster proof majority in the Senate or have enough evidence to shame some Repub senators Dems might have enough mojo to get legislation thru next year.

Keep in mind it'll be every man for himself in what's left of the Repub caucus in 2009 after we sink their battleship. There aren't gonna be many of them willing to stand up in their lifeboats for the corrupt and discredited Bushies once they're out of power when Bush can't pay 'em off or punish them any longer.

That doesn't necessarily mean we're gonna see a boatload of indictments for past crimes next year. There's too much that needs fixing. But we might see the oversight function strengthened and that will help to make sure another imperial presidency never again raises it's ugly head.

Just as Rove destroyed his own dream of perpetual Repub political dominance Cheney has destroyed his dream of the unitary executive.

That may not satisfy us when they ought to be in prison but killing those twin dreams is the more important goal.