THE WISDOM OF TEX ANTOINE:

Democrats abandon plan to tie Bush's hands in Iraq (Carl Hulse, December 8, 2007, NY Times)

Congressional leaders are assembling a $500 billion package to try to resolve an impasse by providing President George W. Bush with unfettered money for the Iraq war in exchange for new spending on popular domestic programs.

If acceptable to lawmakers and the White House, the package to be considered in the House of Representatives as early as Tuesday would avert the threat of a shutdown of federal agencies and end a months-long dispute that has pitted the majority Democrats in Congress against Bush and his Republican allies.