THE NEW YORK TIMES is down on the Democrats over Mukasey:

It is extraordinary how President Bush has streamlined the Senate confirmation process. As we have seen most recently with the vote to confirm Michael Mukasey as attorney general, about all that is left of “advice and consent” is the “consent” part.

Actually, it’s been that way for a while, and I’ve had some thoughts on what to do about it. But not much will happen when you can just buy the votes of key Democrats with pork.

UPDATE: Meanwhile, blame-shifting on the left over the poor performance of the current Congress?

ANOTHER UPDATE: Reader William Casey emails: ‘I just finished reading your paper, “Taking Advice Seriously,….” and I agree with you that it is advice that should be considered. It’s getting ridiculous. The Democrats pound Mukasey on waterboarding but when they had a chance in 2006 to make it illegal, they refused.” As Dan Rather used to say, “Courage!”