The Jewish morning prayer service ends with the Psalm of the day. Psalm 82 concludes the service on Tuesdays, which is also Election Day in this Country. I find it an interesting coincidence that the Psalm, written more than two millennia ago and admonishes hypocritical leaders who favor the powerful over the poor, is read on Election Day. When I read it, I always imagine a biblical era prophet chastising contemporary Republicans.

The Birnbaum Siddur or Prayerbook reads right to left with the odd pages written in Hebrew while the even pages contain translations of the Hebrew text in archaic King James style English. I choose to pray with Birnbaum when it's an available option, over books with easier to understand English, because I'm used to its liturgical translation. Although I know how to read Hebrew and recite some prayers in that ancient tongue, I understand little of the language and pray mostly in English. Using other English translations throws me off.

Containing just 8 sentences, Psalm 82 is among the Bible's shortest chapters. Below is the Birnbaum version of the Psalm.

Securing the votes in Congress to pass real immigration solutions into law isn’t going to be easy. The next President – no matter who wins – will need to lead his own party first to get it done.

Senator Obama would surely have an uphill climb, even with a Party Platform that favors comprehensive reform. But, given an enforcement-only Party Platform and the policy positions of most Republicans in Congress, Senator McCain may need to scale a brick wall to bring his party on board!

Nevertheless, both candidates continue to talk about reform (at least in Spanish).

THIS is what we worked so hard for in 2006.

Democrats in the House voted down more funding for Bush's Iraq Quagmire today. And in the process, when a Texas Republican started spewing right wing talking points, Rep. David Obey of Wisconsin smacked him down.

Here is the long overdue smackdown of Republican Bullshit in the House:

Have no illusions. The funding proposal will be back and probably will get passed in some form. Let's hope, though, it gets passed in a form that aims for withdrawal, not more surges. Slowly, the Democrats are re-learning how to have a spine.

I HAVE AN ANTI-OBAMA E-MAIL TO SEND OUT TO GET IT CIRCULATING, BUT I NEED E-MAIL ADDRESSES TO SEND IT TO. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, EMAIL ME AT HIPPIEISME1979@AOL.COM AND IN THE SUBJECT LINE TYPE INTERESTED AND I WILL SEND IT TO YOU. WE NEED TO GET THIS OUT THERE.

It may still be too early to be certain, but there are definite signs that Democratic leaders in Congress may have found themselves a spine.

First, the House passes a bill to continue funding the occupation of Iraq -- but only for a short while, and only under the condition that we end the occupation of Iraq sooner rather than later. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has promised to follow suit.

Then, the Senate Judiciary Committee votes along party lines to report out a FISA bill that doesn't contain retroactive immunity for phone companies that violated our privacy. (The bill passed by the House doesn't have immunity either.)

Meanwhile, Congress is sending appropriations bills to the White House that are destined to be vetoed.

Is it possible that Democrats have finally realized that they can win? Do they finally get the fact that

Yesterday, Congressional Democrats formally surrendered their hard-won initiative to George W. Bush. Take cover, for the fallout could hit anywhere.

Congress passed supplemental funding for the continued occupation of Iraq without any kind of provision for withdrawing our troops – ever. To their credit, most House Democrats voted against the bill. Most Senate Democrats, however, chose not to stand up and be counted; two-thirds of them voted to give Bush exactly what he wanted.

Meanwhile, Democratic leaders also surrendered the high ground on ethics, dramatically watering down a lobbying reform bill en route to final passage. Gone is the provision delaying the “revolving door” from working for Congress or the White House to lobbying Congress or the White House. Also gone are disclosure requirements for lobbyists who went through that revolving door.

Apparently, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have forgotten how they came to power.

The Progressive blogosphere is resonating today with outrage over the decision by the Congressional Democrats to give Bush a war supplemental spending bill without withdrawal deadlines.

The New York Times:

Congressional Democrats relented Tuesday on their insistence that a war spending measure set a date for withdrawing American combat troops from Iraq. Instead, they moved toward a deal with President Bush that would impose new conditions on the Iraqi government.

The decision to back down was a wrenching reversal for leading Democrats, who saw their election triumph in November as a call to force an end to the war. It was the first time since taking power in Congress that the Democrats had publicly agreed to allow a vote on war financing without a timetable for troop withdrawal.

But even so, many Democrats, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, indicated that they would not support the war money, meaning that a significant number of Republicans would have to sign on to ensure the plan’s approval.