Finally! A Hint of a Pulse!

Congressional Democrats have determined that they will launch political warfare against the Bush administration's recently signed Medicare Bill, the one that prohibits importing drugs from Canada, the one that gives all the advantage to private health-care plans and drug companies, the one that pumps up the deficit at a truly breath-taking rate. That Medicare Bill. The one Bush signed before Christmas.

Congressional Dems came out yesterday (Monday), denouncing the arm-twisting that House Republicans resorted to to get the bill passed and vowing to offer legislation to fix the worst features of the bill ... "The proposals would allow people to import prescription drugs from Canada; eliminate tax breaks for health savings accounts; fill in gaps in Medicare drug coverage (the 'doughnut hole'); reduce payments to private plans; and abolish a demonstration project that will require traditional Medicare to compete directly with private plans." (The quote is from the New York Times coverage this a.m.)

Nobody at the press conference mentioned the "Democrats" who voted for the infernal thing and caused it to be passed, especially in the Senate. But some of those guys are retiring, and maybe it's better not to talk ill of the dead.

The Republicans immediately said that Democrats are just sore losers, but clearly they're a little concerned -- as is their Number One Cheerleader, the AARP -- that more people than usual are actually noticing what a pile of garbage this bill is. Another telling quote from the Times story: "The White House, AARP and Congressional Republicans say they know they need to educate the elderly about the new law."

Brace yourself for "education," elderly. Karl Rove style education.