Congressional Republicans think everything is great and there's no work to be done nor problems to be addressed. Everyone got a job that needed one. Last night, free health insurance policies were issued to everyone in the U. S. that didn't have health insurance, the environment was swept clean, we no longer have to import foreign oil, and our soldiers are all home from Iraq.

Apparently, the Polyanna Syndrome which George Bush contracted the same day he decided to attack Iraq, has now spread up Constitiution Avenue to the Congress.

What other possible reason could there be to bring up the flag desecration amendment at this time?

Making flag desecration a crime couldn't simply be passed as a law because it is unconstitutional - it violates the First Amendment. So, they can only make flag desecration a crime by amending the constitution to make flag desecration an exception to our free speech rights.

This should be no surprise. After all, the Republicans know that same sex marriage is inevitable because it will ultimately be held unconstitutional. So, they want to amend the constitution to deny human rights to gays and lesbians.

While it is true that the Constitution, as originally written discriminated against blacks, women, and people who didn't own land, the marriage amendment will be the first time that an amendment has been used to limit human and civil rights instead of to expand them.

Back to the flag desecration amendment. I'm not nearly as concerned about the limitations on freedom of speech (it is just plain silly to arrest someone for desecrating a flag). I'm more concerned about the fact that the Republicans - the majority party - are so desperate for a good pander to their base because everything they want is opposed by a majority of Americans.

Here's the biggest problem I have with making flag desecration illegal: The Republicans will get the opposite of what they want. Burning an American flag will be used as a protest tactic specifically because it is illegal.