Democrats prepared to wimp out one more time

Updated below:

This paragraph in a page one story in today's NY Times about Bush's efforts to get domestic spying authority and kangaroo courts put me in another foul mood:

Democrats have allowed Republicans to fight among themselves over the issues, and appear willing to allow the issues to come to a vote rather than risk charges of political obstructionism in an election season.

What is wrong with these idiots? They're selling our country down the tubes just to try to hang on to their own cushy jobs. To hell with them.

Glenn Greenwald has this comment on the matter:

What does an opposition party do exactly if it doesn't "obstruct" a weak and unpopular President from shoving extremist legislation down the country's collective throat?