You obviously have a different definition in mind of "authorize" than I do, or the dictionary for that matter.

1. To grant authority or power to.
2. To give permission for; sanction.
3. To be sufficient grounds for; justify.

If you want to pretend along with a bunch of spineless Democrats that their vote to "authorize the used of United States armed forces against Iraq" meant something other than it meant, go for it. I'm not buying it, and I don't think anyone else is either.

I've noticed that a major weapon in the arsenal of the Left is the destruction of language, the worship of vagueness, and the separation of words from meanings. Kerry is a master at this, and he's far from the only one.

'I don't know what you mean by "glory,"' Alice said.

Humpty Dumpty smiled contemptuously. 'Of course you don't -- till I tell you. I meant "there's a nice knock-down argument for you!"'

'But "glory" doesn't mean "a nice knock-down argument,"' Alice objected.

'When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, 'it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.'

'The question is,' said Alice, 'whether you can make words mean so many different things.'

'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master - - that's all.'

'Alice was too much puzzled to say anything, so after a minute Humpty Dumpty began again. `They've a temper, some of them -- particularly verbs, they're the proudest -- adjectives you can do anything with, but not verbs -- however, I can manage the whole of them! Impenetrability! That's what I say!'

'Would you tell me, please,' said Alice 'what that means?'

'Now you talk like a reasonable child,' said Humpty Dumpty, looking very much pleased. 'I meant by "impenetrability" that we've had enough of that subject, and it would be just as well if you'd mention what you mean to do next, as I suppose you don't mean to stop here all the rest of your life.'

'That's a great deal to make one word mean,' Alice said in a thoughtful tone.