One of the reasons the Gang of 12 released their so-called "compromise" legislative proposal so late in the season was to catch the benefit of the non-election year environment (where rhetoric has not already been ratcheted up) and to see if they couldn't avoid a massive blog attack.
Turned out they were wrong. They were still on TV announcing their "compromise" and I'd already sent each of my Senators my detailed opposition to several of the proposals (with reasons, numbers, etc.)
The eternal Presidential election campaign we are now into has managed to ratchet up the rhetoric election year or not, and the internet is so fast no politician can manage to get ahead of it.
Uh huh.