According to this AP report, Sen. Robert Byrd has vowed that he will not "rubber stamp" the Bush administration's requested $190 billion appropriation for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This got me thinking. When was the last time a member of Congress said he would "rubber stamp" an administration proposal? For the "anti-rubber stamp" trope to have any value, "rubber-stamping" must exist. Except it really doesn't, when you think about it, and probably can't, as the institutional dynamics of our bipartisan, bicameral legislature prevent any sort of legislation from passing without comment, criticism, or alteration. Memo to Democratic leaders: It's time to improve your cliches!