Predictable compromises...

The supplemental emergency funding for Iraq was seen as a major victory for the administration. Like many of the President's wins, it was largely bought on credit.

Democratic leaders still insisted on about $20 billion in non-war domestic spending as part of the deal. That includes money for military and veterans' health care, Hurricane Katrina relief, military base closure costs, drought aid for farmers and medical coverage for poor children. Also part of the deal is the first federal minimum wage hike in more than a decade. [More]

Another example: the immigration deal between legislative leaders and the White House deleted the requirement that illegal immigrants pay back taxes to earn citizenship.

Forget that part about the taxes. The Bush administration actually asked that the provision requiring payment of back taxes be dropped from the bill, and it was taken out. Kennedy had it in! ...

P.S.: White House spokesman Scott Stanzel said:

Determining the past tax liability would have been very difficult and costly and extremely time consuming.

Try that "difficult and time consuming" excuse out on the IRS if you're a U.S. citizen and see how far it gets you. ... [More]

This pattern is pretty firmly fixed for both branches of the current government. Lacking any compelling crisis such as interest rates, the solution to every problem from gay marriage to energy prices will likely be found in adding to the deficit.

Well, every problem except the deficit, of course.