[Dolphy]

Iraq, Afghanistan, Tax cuts, De funding of some Abortions, Ban on Partial Birth Abortion and reaffirming the personal right to own a gun - we would never get those under a democrat.

And how much of this would we have if Bush took every issue to the mat? That bill should have never have gotten to Bush's desk leaving him alone to pay a political price. The Dems and McCain counted on disabling the Bush agenda with this issue and Bush rolled, not giving them the satisfaction or political issue they wanted. But how different would those midterm election been had the Dems had this issue? And who is getting hurt the most right now?

[My2Cents]

Your point is a valid one, but the reality is that even a President has to pick his fights wisely. Why didn't Ronald Reagan get rid of the Dept. of Education like he'd promised? Answer: He had bigger fish to fry (tax cuts, and military build-up in his grand strategy to end Soviet communism). My respect for Reagan isn't diminished by the fact he didn't go to the mat on defunding the Dept. of Education.