Dems caving to Bush again

At this point it seems if the Bush Administration asked for the power to murder Democratic members of Congress, the DC Dems would immediately pass legislation to that effect.

The Progressive says:

“After being caught trying to steal an inch, the administration now has the gall to ask for the whole mile,” says Anthony Romero, head of the ACLU.

Yet now the Democratic leaders appear ready to give such spying their retroactive blessing.

“Under pressure from President Bush, Democratic leaders in Congress are scrambling to pass legislation this week to expand the government’s electronic wiretapping powers,” reports James Risen in the August 1 edition of The New York Times. (Risen was one of two Times reporters who broke the original story of the NSA spying.)

Not all Democrats are going along, however. Senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin calls the bill “an egregious power grab.”

But that’s what Bush is best at and Democratic leaders so complicit in.

Given that Congress is enabling Bush with MORE unconstitutional powers, does anyone seriously think the Dick Cheney Democrats will stop Bush's plans in Iraq? If so, I have a bridge to sell you.

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We have definitely entered the twilight zone. From Glenn Greenwald:

It is staggering, and truly disgusting, that even in August, 2007 — almost six years removed from the 9/11 attacks and with the Bush presidency cemented as one of the weakest and most despised in American history — that George W. Bush can demand’ that the Congress jump and re-write legislation at his will, vesting in him still greater surveillance power, by warning them, based solely on his say-so, that if they fail to comply with his demands, the next Terrorist attack will be their fault. And they jump and scamper and comply (Meteor Blades has the list of the 16 Senate Democrats voting in favor; the House will soon follow).

Voting for the bill from Daily Kos:

Evan Bayh (Indiana); Tom Carper (Delaware); Bob Casey (Pennsylvania); Kent Conrad (North Dakota); Dianne Feinstein (California); Daniel Inouye (Hawai’i); Amy Klobuchar (Minnesota); Nancy Mary Landrieu (Louisiana); Blanche Lincoln (Arkansas); Claire McCaskill (Missouri); Barbara Mikulski (Maryland); Bill Nelson (Florida); Ben Nelson (Nebraska); Mark Pryor (Arkansas); Ken Salazar (Colorado); Jim Webb (Virginia).

Senators Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Christopher Dodd and Barack Obama all opposed the bill, as did 23 other Democrats and Bernie Sanders, the independent from Vermont. Joe Lieberman voted …well, you know how he voted.

A comment on the Kos from Troubadour:

These people aren’t Democrats. You are. I am. We are. This is our party. They are the deviants. The vast majority of Democrats have never been on board with Bush’s war, his torture, or his lies, nor with the Potemkin village phonies who collaborate with his regime. If a critical core of our leaders had the balls to impeach, support would flood in from all across America, and it would drown out the Republican propaganda machine no matter how loudly it screamed.

Man, it didn’t take them long to get Jim Webb to dance to their tune. Hate to think how they might have influenced him. Casey is showing the true colors we knew were there. Inouye, Feinstein WTF? No big surprise on the rest of the Reps in drag. Looks like the WA Senators know better than Pelosi on this one. Next we get to watch The House cave. Isn’t this fun?

There is something fundamentally wrong here.

[Reply]

1. Above comment written by bushtool on August 4th, 2007 at 5:49 pm (replies, if any, are attributed separately above).
Chad Lupkes has the complete list of traitors over at Washblog.

[Reply]

2. Above comment written by bushtool on August 5th, 2007 at 11:05 am (replies, if any, are attributed separately above).
It looks like we may be heading full circle back to 1968. I don’t think we are there yet, but when we get into these modes, necessary or not, eventually someone abuses for political advantage. Last time it was Lyndon Johnson (D). Who will it be this time? My guess it that it will be the next administration or the administration after that. I don’t think Bush is a Putin.

[Reply]

3. Above comment written by Pat Campbell on August 6th, 2007 at 1:35 pm (replies, if any, are attributed separately above).
I noticed this post today. Pretty much reflects the cynicism I hold.

Pat, You are much more forgiving of Bush and Co than me. I could go on a rant about W in comparison to Putin but that will not change anything. Besides his surveillance apparatus might notice.

I just hope that the next person that is installed is an adult. My expectations have been lowered exponentially.

[Reply]

4. Above comment written by bushtool on August 6th, 2007 at 4:21 pm (replies, if any, are attributed separately above).
Well John I hope I am right about Bush, but I could be proven wrong given the history of the current administration…

[Reply]

5. Above comment written by Pat Campbell on August 7th, 2007 at 9:45 am (replies, if any, are attributed separately above).

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