Wouldn't it be wonderful if editors inside the Beltway could write headlines like they do at The Baltimore Sun:

Specter softens stance on NSA domestic surveillance
Senator critical of wiretaps to offer bill retroactively legalizing program

I just have a tiny, tiny concern with how the subhead's formatted. Those italics--Senator critical of wiretaps to offer bill retroactively legalizing program--are just a bit weak. Formatting with a little more impact, formatting that would really put the story across, formatting that would convey the danger Constitutional government is in from the Republicans, would look something like this:

Senator critical of wiretaps to offer bill retroactively legalizing program

Clinton. Blowjob. Impeachment. $20 million.

Bush. Massive lawbreaking. Retroactive legalization. $0.

That's some criticism, huh?

Had enough?

NOTE Here's some lovely, lovely detail on Spector--or, as he likes to be called by close friends, Britney-- and his craven submission to Bush. (What do they have on him, one wonders? Given the scope of Bush's illegal NSA operations, I'd say "everything" would be the short answer.)

[Spector] acknowledged that the bill he is championing would not force the president to submit the National Security Agency surveillance program to review by the FISA court, an intelligence tribunal. But, Specter said, he gained Bush's personal promise that he would submit it if the bill passes in its current form. "He overruled his staff" in making that commitment, said Spector, who met with the president before announcing the deal.

Oh my Fucking God. Leave aside the fact that Bush probably had his fingers crossed behind his back.

"Personal promise"? Personal promise? Are we a government of laws, not men? I know what King George's answer is. And I know what that Arlen Spector's answer is. But what will the American people answer?

UDPATE I just called my Senator, Olympia Snowe, to find out if she supports Specter's bill, S2453, to ask if she supported the bill. The staffer didn't know. I then asked the staffer if "Senator Snowe supports the the principle of retroactive legalization of illegal Presidential acts." The staffer didn't know, but took my mailing address. I guess I'm going to have to call again tomorrow.