PubliCola thinks Patty Murray's legislation to require veterans' centers to provide resources to homeless female veterans is a great proposal, but we did dig at the Washington State senator for playing politics with a serious political issue. (Murray sought unanimous consent on the proposal; two Republicans, Tom Coburn and Mitch McConnell, objected, stalling the bill).

However, over at the left/feminist blog Shakesville (to which, full disclosure, I am an extremely occasional contributor), they're outraged that McConnell and Coburn would stand in the way of a bill that would merely direct federally funded veterans' centers to provide services to homeless veterans with children and homeless female veterans. Shakesville's Maud writes:

This bill is not dead. Sen. Murray has promised to "continue fighting." So, no doubt, will Sen. Coburn.

Some people think politics is irrelevant to their lives, because politicians are all alike. Certainly it can look that way, given the generous capacity for acting in a weaselly and self-serving manner which seems endemic to the species. It's been many a long year since I admired a politician.

That's why it makes sense to me to concentrate on working on behalf of, not politicians or political parties, but specific policies. Politicians are only as useful as the policies they can be induced to support.

Yesterday, Sen. Murray was concerned. Sen. Coburn was concerned. Sen. Mitchell was concerned on Sen. Coburn's behalf, since Sen. Coburn and his concern were evidently required elsewhere.

There was one difference. The senators were not concerned about the same things.