Sunday Roundup

It was another trying week for those of us who prefer our Democrats with vertebrae. Terrified that a terrorist attack that the GOP could pin on them might happen over the Congressional recess, Senate and House Democrats approved a White House-crafted bill expanding the president's ability to eavesdrop without a court order. Thank goodness they won control of Congress in November. "Al-Qaeda is not going on vacation this month," said Mitch McConnell. "And we can't either until we know we've done our duty to the American people." For you keeping tabs on the vacation front, that's Iraqi Parliament and United States Congress, yes; al-Qaeda, no. But hey, the president still needs to get prior approval from two people. One of them is Alberto Gonzales. Feel better now?