House Hearing Announced: "The Constitution In Crisis"

http://www.speaker.gov/blog/?p=442

Hearings Announced: “The Constitution in Crisis”
May 31st, 2007 by Jesse Lee
From Subcommittee Chairman Jerrold Nadler:

Chairman Nadler Announces Hearings Series: “The Constitution in Crisis: The State of Civil Liberties in America”

Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties Subcommittee to Explore Administration Programs Threatening Americans’ Liberties; Kicks Off with June 7 Hearing on NSA Wiretapping Program

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-08), Chairman of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, announced a series of hearings titled “The Constitution in Crisis: The State of Civil Liberties in America.” In these hearings, the Subcommittee will examine the Bush Administration’s policies, actions and programs that threaten Americans’ fundamental constitutional rights and civil liberties and also hear proposals for potential legislative fixes.

The series will begin with a hearing on June 7, 2007, which will examine the National Security Agency’s wiretapping program and the Administration’s proposals for expanding it.

“This Congress must void the blank check the White House has enjoyed for the last six years,” said Rep. Nadler. “The time for real accountability and meaningful oversight is now, and this Subcommittee will fulfill its constitutional duty to protect the fundamental freedoms of all Americans.”

Topics to be covered by the hearings include:


“Most importantly, we will carefully examine this White House’s seeming disregard for the Constitution and the rule of law,” added Rep. Nadler. “Secret, warrantless spying, the erosion of habeas corpus, the sanction of torture, and this Administration’s contempt for the other two branches of government - these issues demand close scrutiny and congressional action.”

MORE

...when is anybody going to do something besides just TALK. I want to see some action. I'm so sick of this administration.

It seems so.... impotent.

That got have some teeth to it.


:silly:

Any movement is good but at least do something




I ordered the cheeseburger also

Aren't hearings generally the first step in investigating a problem?

And since the finding that this administration has overstepped its bounds is virtually guaranteed, couldn't this bode pretty well for the future?

And, worst case, isn't an official hearing on this topic at least going to go into the official historical record? So that's got to be a good thing.

I don't think our representatives can just charge ahead and do anything without talking about it first. So I'm excited to see this as a first step towards getting the issue of civil liberties into the public eye. If it's a hearing, it's a legitimate story for genuine news coverage, vs. some representatives sitting in an interview chair griping.

Just MHO. I could be totally wrong about hearings being the first step, going into the historical record, etc, and the media having an excuse for covering our loss of civil liberties in a serious manner.

I'm feeling pretty :party: about this news, myself.

I'm not feeling good today so I'm just a little bit snarky.

As I said, hearings are GOOD, but there have been lots of hearings, as we all know, and so far not much action. I'm just getting a little impatient and thinking that time is going to run out on this administration without them suffering any tangible consequences from their horrible actions. Then I'm afraid that whoever the new president is will want to sweep everything under the rug, so to speak, and move on in the interests of "healing the nation." I have a deep foreboding feeling that no one will ever PAY for any of this, that it will just recede into history and be forgotten, rewritten -- rather like they rewrote the Reagan years.

Call me a pessimist...

The way I see it, it's a start.

Bake

I just hope that some good comes of it and that it isn't just window-dressing to appease us. :)

There's plenty of evidence.

The time comes to take action.

Words only go so far.

Myself, I'm glad there were people who decided to stop talking and have a tea party in a harbor.

get some of these injustices righted I will be very thankful for that......impeachment of Cheney and subsequently, *, would be the icing on the cake.

Our elected officials only act on our behalf. If we are acting ourselves they are irrelevant.

With our overwhelming majority in both the House and the Senate, we could get rid of all of them by clicking our heels together. :sarcasm:

A serious answer to your question...yes, hearings are necessary.

They had to change their minds later, of course, but these things take on a life of there own if they have one.

A couple of quotes:

"Presidents impeach themselves by their actions."

Paraphrasing "If you paint a really good picture of a cow, you don't have to write 'cow' under it." Sam Irwin, chairman, that boring Watergate hearing.

I can't wait to taste the cream on this bucket! Ice cream party, ice cream party.... just you watch.

Be patient, Arkansan patriot -- before impeachment or indictment, a robust case should, and can, be built. Hearings are a necessary component in the leadup to taking down Gonzales, Bush, and their boss Cheney.

is no approval for impeachment, like :wtf: are these investigations supposed to pacify us, what BS.

Without follow-up actions, investigations and hearings are nothing more than a dog and pony show intended to pacify the grassroots.

All talk and NO action? Whoopeedoo

they can be further explored and set the stage for impeachment hearings. When these things are out in the public and on record the calls and need for impeachment become louder and clearer.

I hope. :)

Of course, why Gonzales isn't already being impeached is beyond me. So maybe they wn't amount to anything. :(

LMAO

:spray:

All hail C-Span :)

I will never understand why these hearings are so limited in time. Very little can be accomplished in a partial day.

"I hope Nadler is ready to park David Addington's ass permanently in his subcommittee witness chair, because this is basically is list of all of Addington's favorite creations."

By all means, start with a list of known abuses, conclude that they're bad, and take no substantive action. Could we just skip to the proposals for legislative fixes, please?

I'm beginning to doubt that these guys could issue a speeding ticket without holding hearings to examine the role of the accelerator pedal.

I'm not alone in my doubts.

which has been violating civil rights now for more than two decades. :grr:

My, you have a short memory. How old are you?

I am 42.

I was referring, specifically, to the so-called 'War on Drugs' declared by Dictator Ray-Gun in the 80's. I realize that it's been going on much longer than that, probably back to the Harrison Narcotic Act of 1933.

Sorry for any confusion. Thanks for that patronizing jab. ;-)

to fly hundreds of tons of cocaine into the US to help pay for the terrorist and death squads known as the Contra freedom fighters…

Who knows more about the "Right to Read" and web site blocking?
Do you get "cannot locate" that web site prompts? Ever wonder why?

How would you like it if your state's education system blocked this domain,
or the domain of an online professor, due to expression of political opinions?

Campaign 2004: Were Bush / Cheney / NSA illegal wiretaps spying on Dems?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x925247

DIA SPYING: NGIA collecting data, 133 U.S. cities, ID everyone, nationality, political affiliations
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x983282

is complaining about Congress' reluctance to act on a resolution for independence "Piddle, dwiddle and resolve, nothing's every solved"

They can't ignore the subpoenas, right?
Oh, wait.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1019209

That "No" approach to subpoenas is pretty effective; it makes you wonder why nobody else has ever tried it. (Like when the Monty Python banker is asked to make a donation for orphans and finds out that if you just go up to people and ask for money they'll give it to you. "Good lord! That's the most exciting new idea I've heard in years! It's so simple it's brilliant!")

But maybe if they ignore enough subpoenas for enough hearings, the calls for impeachment will get a little louder.

(Boy, you'd think the last six years would have taken the optimist right out of me!)

We MUST Restore our Consitutional Rights - They have served our nation well for over 200 years!

Bush does not have the judgment neccessary for us to trust him on this egregious assault on our liberties!

:hi:

Oh shit. How many mormons are wetting their garments over this? The white horse prophecy tells of a mormon stepping to save the constitution as it hangs by a thread. If we start seeing Mitt pictured on a pasty equine or even riding in a white mustang (LDS owned media channels), I am going to laugh so hard! The majority of christians associate a pale horse with the apocalypse and death.

From the Gnostic Christian text, Pistis Sophia:

"The fifth order, whose ruler is called Yachthanabas, is a mighty ruler under whom standeth a multitude of other demons. It is they which enter into men and bring it about that they have respect of persons,--treating the just with injustice, and favor the cause of sinners, taking gifts for a just judgment and perverting it, forgetting the poor and needy,--they (the demons) increasing the forgetfulness in their souls and the care for that which bringeth no benefit ...."

Does this your response have anything to do with the Constitution or are you just tired of posts about stupid mormon things?

Does your response have anything to do with the Constitution or are you just tired of posts about stupid mormon things?

Typical Neo-Liberal response.

No wonder Cindy left you idiots.

Lurisa Doan is scheduled to testify before Waxman's committee at 10 am.

:popcorn:

It will not be fun for her...at all.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2866936

Too much excitement for one day!

May as well hold it there.

Short term: Impeach the bastard

Long term: Constitutional amendment preventing anyone born in Texas or having lived in Texas more than six months from running for president. Gaming the system to let two Texans run for president and vice president should be a hanging offense. Make the latter retroactive. (This is not ex post facto because it is already forbidden by the constitution.)

:eyes:

I've stopped being impressed with hearings. Perhaps it could be because, oh... I dunno... NOT ONE OF THEM HAS ACCOMPLISHED ANYTHING CONCRETE YET???

That should give him a good idea of what he's dealing with here.

Apply directly to the forehead.

Not to be confused with Democricans.

He's not my Rep--I'm in Rangel's district, but I have been following Big Jerry's work more and more closely.

He seems like more a man of conscience than any of the other "Big" New York state politicians.

Ha ha! He may actually be the one guy willing and able to "set the table" with impeachment, criminal prosecutions, and restoration of Constitutional rights, liberties, and checks and balances.

I hope they televise every minute on CSPAN. I want to watch the surrender--I'm--scared Republicans go into convulsions all day long.

His website: http://www.house.gov/nadler/

Doesn't the background of this photo kind of remind you of Spiderman?