In my very first post here at the Lake, almost one year ago(!), I wrote that when a democracy's error-correcting mechanisms break down, impunity replaces accountability, and dictatorship replaces democracy. In that and subsequent posts, I looked at how the media, the electoral system, and the judiciary have been subverted as agents of accountability, allowing Republicans and Bush Dogs to run amok without consequence. Were I writing that series today, I would have added an entry on oversight and the rule of law, which are equally important and equally damaged.

But this week, there have been some rays of hope following the Senate Democrats' inexcusable FISA cave-in (Impunity 1, Accountability 0):

o Al Wynn finally pays an electoral price for being a corrupt Bush enabler who votes against his own constituents, losing the MD-04 Democratic primary to excellent progressive Donna Edwards. Accountability 1, Impunity 1.

o Senate passes a bill requiring all interrogators to abide by the Army Field Manual, which does not allow waterboarding or other forms of torture. (Anti-torture posturer McCain votes against, of course.) Accountability 2, Impunity 1. Bonus accountability points if this double whammy to his mythical integrity sinks him in November.

o House finally votes on - and passes - a contempt resolution against Josh Bolten and Harriet Miers for stonewalling the US Attorney firings investigation. Accountability 3, Impunity 1.

o House Democrats refuse to yield to Dubya's fearmongering on FISA, and adjourn without modifying their good bill to match the Senate's awful one. Accountability 4, Impunity 1.

Granted, many of these are temporary or speculative. Bush will veto the anti-torture bill, and there aren't enough votes to override. We don't know what will happen in the all-important conference committee to reconcile the House and Senate versions of FISA... or who will be in the committee, or even who chooses the committee. We don't know if the House will actually bring suit against Bolten and Miers, or if they expect the contempt resolution by itself will intimidate them into complying with the subpoenas (hint: it won't).

Really, the only sure thing coming out of this week is Donna Edwards, but I think she'll be around for a good long while. Hopefully the message she sent will be too.