Thanks, I think, but maybe you didn't understand what I meant. I interpreted Tony's lament to be about the weakness of Democrats at a time when the other party "pisses all over the Constitution". It isn't just knowing the general drift of Tony's sentiments, it's also balancing "pisses all over the Constitution" against the description of Democratic political ineptitude--pissing on the Constitution should weight a lot heavier on the conscience than being inept at politics. In other words, I answered from the perspective of practical politics: The pissers upon the Constitution are doomed to defeat in this election.

When you put in terms of the Imperial Presidency versus "the ideals which made this country great", then sure, it's clear. But Bush isn't running in this election. It's his accomplices in Congress. Subtle difference in focus: Republicans--that is, Republican Congressional candidates--need to be defeated as a group in this election. It's the next election when we have the first opportunity to mount a direct defense against the Imperial Presidency.

Not that a Democratic Congress wouldn't put a serious crimp in the Imperial toga in the meantime. That's why I ended with "horse, cart"...