Republican cowboys, "all hat and no cattle."

This week we learned that it is in fact the GOP that has a "pre-9/11 mind-set". Howard blasted the Republicans on their refusal to deal honestly with the issue of port security in the Democratic Party radio address. As usual, when it comes to making a real effort to reform the port security system they wanted nothing to do with it, killing bills by Senator Debbie Stabenow, Senator Bob Menendez, and Congressman Olav Sabo that would give an essential boost to our ports security.

Bush and his cronies hope to mend their shaken partnership and staunch the electoral bleeding with the collapse of the Bush Dubai Ports deal. Despite the Republican Congress making quite a show out of running from Bush on the deal, "They wish they knew how to quit you, Dubya." McCain and the GOP's class of 2008 spent the weekend in a Tennessee lovefest for their embattled President, and the tarnished Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist.

The GOPers' frantic wagon circling couldn't stop the taint of corruption from growing around the White House as Interior Secretary Gale Norton resigned under suspicion in yet more Abromoff fallout and Claude Allen, Dubya's former top domestic policy adviser, was arrested over charges of felony theft.

In Iraq we learned of the brutal murder of Christian peace activist and true American hero Tom Fox, showing that our soldiers and the people of Iraq are not the only ones suffering the consequences of the dangerously misguided "Bush Doctrine." The Bushies seem to only know how to make the horrifying mess in the middle-east worse: Iraq is spinning out of control, Iran seems to be heading dangerously close to war, and Osama celebrates another birthday free from justice.

America can do better, and when the Democrats take back the Congress we will. Please consider donating to the party to make this dream a reality and support the North Country Pioneers in their efforts to restore our American democracy.