9/11 panel reforms appear to be sunk, according to today's Chicago Tribune.

"A sweeping overhaul of the nation's intelligence apparatus, one of the chief recommendations of the Sept. 11 commission, appeared headed for collapse as House and Senate negotiators acknowledged they could not agree on a bill before next week's elections.

Negotiators on Friday were unable to overcome opposition from the Pentagon and its supporters to creating a powerful new intelligence director, fearing that too much authority over the budgets and personnel of the intelligence agencies would be shifted away from the secretary of defense."

Kerry, Edwards and other leading Dems should hit Bush hard on this. The Republicans control the White House and Congress and they won't act to make our country safer. It's time to hire a new team to do the job.

I like the way that Kerry is coming out swinging in response to this week's Reputhug-a-thon. We can do the same by visibly demonstrating our support for Kerry, from tomorrow through Election Day.

My Kerry for President yard sign went up as soon as Bush's speech was over. I'll be wearing my Kerry-Edwards button in public, and my car already has a Kerry bumper sticker. I hope that all of you fellow Kerry supporters do the same.

There will be plenty of other ways for us to help Kerry-Edwards in the next two months, but showing our support is a good way to start.