Still Betting Against the GOP

Despite a series of excellent speeches from President Bush on national security and terrorism, the online betting parlor Tradesports.com has actually bet against Republicans in the House and Senate races.

The Senate still looks secure with the Senate GOP 2006 contract at 78 bid (think 78 percent), but that is down about 5 percentage points in the past week or so. Meanwhile the House GOP 2006 contract has fallen four points to 38 bid. This suggests only a 38 percent chance of a Republican hold in the House.

Personally, I like what Mr. Bush has been saying. However, worldwide bettors seem not to think that the President is making the sale. As disappointing as these odds-makers are reporting, my simple thought is that the GOP House and Senate absolutely must force key votes on the Patriot Act, the NSA wiretapping of international calls and the telephone company data-mining patterns, the SWIFT terrorist financial tracking program, military tribunals, and airport profiling.

And while they are at it, Congress should make a big fuss about imams who preach America’s destruction in mosques, schools, prisons, and elsewhere. In other words, the President is doing what he can by dominating the news cycle with national security and terrorism defense, but now it's up to Congress to adopt a tough-minded and strong-willed anti-terrorist legislative agenda.