[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

Thank you, Jumping Jim Jeffords!

No kidding. And with a campaign financed by Republicans, too.

[rdb3]

It is for this reason that I cut President Bush some slack. I'll admit it, I may cut him more slack than he deserves, but, if his first few months in office were any true indication, he would have tons more on the conservative side accomplished by now.

Just that one defection answered the RATS prayers. Control of the floor in the Senate is a trump card. This cannot be overstated. Now Bush gets obstructed in the upper house of Congress at every turn.

[kayak]

Re Jeffords jumping ship: And with a campaign financed by Republicans, too.

That's one reason I am hesitant to be too eager for Miller to change parties now .... the same argument could be turned around and aimed at him since he ran as a Dem, in a campaign financed by Dems.

The other reason I think he serves a good purpose as a Dem is that as such, he can castigate his fellow Dems and not be accused of being a card-carrying member of the VRWC. Criticism from the Republicans is snickered at but criticism from a Dem has some sting to it.