The polls show the public likes Congress less than Bush. So, the Democrats spend their newly raised campaign funds on a big ad campaign. According to the AP, they claim three victories: raising the minimum wage, increasing subsidies for children's health care (the "SCHIP" program) and opposing the Iraq war.

Hmm. Even these claims are disingenuous. The minimum wage increase only became law when the Democrats attached it to a bill providing more spending on the Iraq war. I'm guessing the ad will skip this detail. The SCHIP bill is not law; the House and Senate have both passed bills increasing the SCHIP program but there are big differences between them and a veto is likely. Lastly, despite their hot rhetoric and lame stunts (remember last month's cots & pizza party?) the Democrats have chosen to do everything BUT cut off spending for the Iraq War. They have done an excellent job cutting intelligence, though; it's down by two-thirds.

Checking today's early morning outlook for my stock portfolio via Yahoo! Finance, under RECENT NEWS for Altria (MO, i.e., Philip Morris), the following verbatim headline made me cringe:

Thu 10:43pm - (MO) - U.S. Senate approves children's health bill (Reuters)

The combination, in a brief word string, of Big Tobacco + U.S. Senate + children + approved health bill + reported by Reuters ... I could not muster courage to read the story. I'm all for healthy children -- who isn't? -- but this headline augurs ill: for children, for healthcare, for the economy, for Altria, for the nation. However, I'm sure it makes many senators (and a few Reuters editors) FEEL GOOD about THEMSELVES.

Call me cynical.