The American Taliban

Like many people, I always figured Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist got into the Senate game simply to find ways of increasing the value of his family-owned, for-profit hospital chain (where, by the way, abortion services are available).

Perhaps I was wrong from the start, or perhaps Frist did begin with merely pecuniary interests but has gradually warmed up to the idea of being a modern mullah in a theocratic state.

Or, then again, perhaps Frist is simply signaling his willingness to do anything, say anything, form any alliance, however toxic to fundamental American principles, to get the GOP nomination for president in 2008.

It sounds like Howard Dean and the DNC are ready to make the GOP's contempt for (politically and religiously) independent judiciary a front-and-center issue in the 2006 congressional elections. That's a good thing.

But, of course, one question to keep in mind as we watch Republicans jockey for Bush's job in 2008: At the rate Bush, Frist, DeLay and their pals are going, will there be anything left worth the trouble of governing?