You don't think this was all to distract from the lack of actual political capital, or at least political support, for the Bush agenda? Social security reform is essentially dead as proposed; tax reform is waiting for a "blue ribbon commission" to provide ideas, none of which (given that they had 6 mos. to develope them) will do much; estate tax is being fought between hard-line repealers and those who are happy with 3/4 of a loaf. And so on. There's very little of the admin's agenda going on. The bankruptchy, class action, and asbestos bills all are left over from previous congresses, and the time was right to push them through.
I have the feeling the next three years are going to be very boring, unless you like posturing for assigning blame in 2008.
