You'd like to think...

...that the Democrats of new aren't as incompetent at leading as their record might suggest. I really do think that the country has sent some nice, new people to at least TRY and make a real difference.

But then you hear that Barney Frank wants to review the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in the military as soon as January. And that Charlie Rangel is proposing a draft - not because he is in favor of the war, but the opposite.

Both of these moves are stupid. They are well-intentioned, but virtual layups for anyone with a shred of political sense (and the GOP has well more than a shred, it's their bread and butter) can manipulate. The Democrats want to draft your children so they can work side by side with "The Gays". There. I just did it.

I can only hope that the leaders like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi, who showed a great ability to keep the party in line when it came to, say, Social Security, can enforce just as much discipline with the new Congress.

Josh Marshall puts it much better than me:

You start with broadly popular and critically needed changes. That allows you to build up the electorate's confidence in your governance and gains you political capital to tackle more difficult problems. This isn't about following a timorous legislative agenda that will offend no one. There is a war going on. Two actually. Our military faces a readiness crisis in the very near future. We are in a soldier-slaughtering drift in Iraq. These are complicated questions requiring bold solutions.

Eye on the ball, people. Eye on the ball.