Will wonders never cease? The New York Times runs an editorial this morning that I almost totally agree with. Employing a strange new approach of reporting facts as they are and not as they would like them to be, the editors acknowledge that the American people have sided with the President on the homeland security bill. And they urge the Democrats to compromise on that and terrorism reinsurance, as well.

Finally, they encourage extending unemployment benefits to the new year. I think that's a fine idea and would offer another. Earlier this year, the Democrats blocked a measure to help the unemployed buy health insurance with advancable tax credits. It was a despicable pander to organized labor, which sees any tiny move towards a health care system that is not employer-based as a threat to their collective bargaining agreements.

Kowtowing to labor on homeland defense has cost the Democrats the Senate. It is also costing them the moral high ground on health care, an issue they pretend to own. If they continue to stand in the way of real reform of the highly regressive employer-based health care system, though, they are going to be extremely vulnerable to Bush administration attacks-- from the left. That's a nightmare they could prevent by allowing the unemployed to have advanceable tax credits to buy health insurance.