Who else is there? 95% of the time there are REpublicans.

You tell me Bull.

You didn't tell me you were happy for the sea change in Congressional focus but you still think it critical we pressure Congress on Iraq and impeachment. I would have been with you had you said that.

You didn't tell me that you would still be watching the Democrats to make sure that the sea change in the focus of Congress continued. I would have been with you there.

You didn't tell me it's a good start but we need to go further. I would have been with you all the way if that had been your stand.

You said "Bull."

Some of us worked DAMNED hard and sunk a good deal of money to enact a major change in Congress. I worked hard dividing my time among family, work and making our country better. So I am looking for a return on my investment of time and money.

What did I get? A shift from a Congress focused on protecting polluters, making abortion illegal, cutting taxes for the top 2% of incomes, raises subsidies to oil, and drowning Katrina, to a Congress that raises the minimum wage, cuts subsidies to oil, tries to fund life saving stem cell research, and finally, after YEARS of Congress blocking ANY debate on Iraq, agrees to discuss withdrawal and refuses to stop discussing it.

Fine...discussing it isn't withdrawal, but this sea change in the focus of Congress makes me proud that I put all that effort in.

And you say "Bull."

No. It's not Bull. It's change. Change takes time and lots, lots of work. I haven't stopped working just because Democrats took Congress. I am working to stop corruption within the Democratic Party in Brooklyn. I am working to make the Democratic Party more progressive. And I am working towards a bigger victory in 2008 that will allow the sea change in the focus of Congress to be veto-proof and not have to rely on a 50-50 split in Congress.

And you say "Bull."

You don't expect things to be solved by pols, but you know, most politicians I know are pretty good people. Like my friends Norman Seigel (former head of the NY Civil Liberties Union, now running for NYC Public Advocate...for the third time), Bill Batson (failed run for Assembly) and Chris Owens (failed run for Congress). Had more people who say solutions won't come from pols worked hard for these three gentlemen, we woulds see some sparks flying. There is my friend Devin Cohen (who was a high school friend of my wife's), who wanted to run for judge. No one but the local machine was interested in the race, so he had to bow out for lack of support. Had all those who say they don't expect change to come from pols noticed him, the problematic judicial system in Brooklyn would have one more honest judge come this November. How about...well, I could go on. But all of these fantastic people are just "pols" trying to change things. And I wasted time and/or money on each and every one of them.

And you say "Bull" to the efforts of all of these loyal, dedicated Democrats who are just "pols."

Sorry. To me that is part of the problem, not the solution. When I see those I succeeded in helping elect do some good things, and many of them even take PRECISELY the stand you want on Iraq, I am going to goddamed cheer them on. Rah rah! BEcause they DID something and will keep working to do more.

You undercut them. You undercut me. Or at least that is what I feel when your reaction to a massive change in how Congress does business is "Bull."

The message you send is working class Americans don't matter, stem cells don't matter, the 9/11 commission recommendations (FINALLY enacted) don't matter. All that matters is Iraq.

Fine. That is your choice. Don't expect the rest of us to feel the same.