The Senate

It's like this, Republicans: You are not the masters of the fucking universe. You can piss and moan and whimper all you want about holding a majority, but the facts are that it's a slim majority, and you owe America the respect of governing it on that basis. You don't have a mandate to run wild over the Constitution and on issues where American opinion is closely divided--or especially, as on the issue of reproductive freedom, markedly against your puritanical course.

When you abuse power, you face consequences. The Republicans have done nothing for six years if not abuse the power of the majority. Recent events have brought to a crescendo the outcry against your corruption and arrogance. Today's events in the Senate are a reflection of that, and are in the finest American tradition of getting a blowhard to shut the fuck up and listen for once. And as far as consequences go? Having to shut the fuck up and listen for once is really not so awful, especially compared to the gravity of your disrespect.

If, Mr. or Ms. Republican, you do not recall Republican minorities in the House or Senate using procedural mechanisms to make noise, to call attention, you need to get better memories. Yours--as they so often are--are badly flawed. Spare us your paternalistic whining about temper tantrums and about Senator Reid's trustworthiness. You act like you loaned him the fucking car and he cracked it up in a drunken stupor. Of course, paternalism and arrogance are about all you have to resort to when your idea of governance is killing the poor and telling those who remain to shut up if they know what's good for them.

And Senators Frist and Lott? Change your fucking panties, you arrogant, prissy bitches. I mean, I know it's okay for you to make noises diagnosing persistent vegetative states from a thousand miles away, or saying it's okay to horsewhip the Negroes, and expect us all to treat you like the dignified, patrician godheads of American leadership that you are. But for now? Change your fucking panties.