WTF is wrong with these people?

Little Boots ran out and pitched a little hissyfit a couple of days ago and they cave? Something stinks to high heaven here. He bellowed that Congress needs to give him his bill right now and both the House and the Senate wagged their tails and rolled over on command.

doors with not transcript and not under oath. Something changed last week during the hearings. I could tell that specter was stronger and seeming confident that the Senate Judicial Committee would go along with HIS negotiations with Rove and not Leahy's. Watching all the hearings on C-Span 3...I picked up a change but didn't know what it might be. Also Sheldon Whitehouse gave his time for questioning Jennings to Leahy...he seemed very discouraged at that hearing. Whitehouse seemed to be the best of the new Senators...to me...in the way he questioned Gonzo..

Anyway...something happened. And that's disturbing. What could it have been? Until we know how can we progressives move forward?

they all essentially believe in the same things, no side truly cares enough to make a stand, especially if they think it may hurt them politically. The fact of the matter is, a lot of truly weak and duplicitous people seek public office. Not many can be truly trusted and counted on.

http://counterpunch.com/lindorff08042007.html

Spy Power: Bush Demands, Congress Delivers -- Again and Again and Again

By DAVE LINDORFF

What was Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) thinking when he told Senate colleagues it was a "sad day" when that body started taking its marching orders from an outsider (the president and the director of national security), in passing a new version of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that gives the president a free hand to spy on communications of Americans without a judicial review?

Is he implying that this is the first time the Senate has done this?

Isn't that exactly what the Senate (and the House) did when they passed the so-called USA PATRIOT Act in October 2001? Isn't that what they did in overturning the Posse Comitatus Act and in altering the Insurrection Act last fall? Isn't it what they did in approving the Military Commissions Act last year, which retroactively okayed the use of torture on captives?

The truth is that the Senate and House have both become little more than rubber stamps for Administration power grabs ever since 9-11. Indeed, since that date, the members of Congress have been willing sell-outs of their own institution, which today bears no resemblance to what the Founders described in Article I of the Constitution--a document which the members have effectively destroyed.

For the past six-and-a-half years we have watched as a group of political midgets have destroyed what hundreds of thousands of our ancestors put their lives on the line to create and defend--a government system that was founded on the concept of individual rights and liberties, and that was structured to limit the power of the executive.

:(

:)

:aplause:

:)

Offers they can't refuse. Brains or signatures on legislation and such.

to be replaced. When rhetoric doesn't match votes, they need to be turned out. Either that or step down and do a service to the nation. Clinging to an office for the sake of being there and participating in the dismantling of the nation does no one any favors.

"We know where your kids go to school" is another popular thug quote.

and given the history of cowardice in this group, its likely that whatever Bush or Cheney has on Dems doesn't amount to much. These people are afraid of their own shadow.

Get it out, deal with it in public. Its probably nothing to get excited about and certainly not as bad as the GOP crime and perversion syndicate.

Grow a fucking spine.

Either that, or Bush has the goods on all of them, and is blackmailing everyone.

This isn't what we were promised befoe the 2006 election, but since when do politicians keep their promises?

fine. It was the little shit's Illegal wiretapping which wasn't fine. Did you see this?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1517713

It looks like there's a deal in the bill that gets him and Gonzo and other cohorts off the hook for it.

Something is very wrong up there in DC, and I'm starting with Boswell on Monday morning. I want a phone call from that old fart! With an explanation. I've fucking had it!

recently a year ago. I think you might be right that there's something in the bill that retroactively protects illegal spying. But again...why?

In a US city if they don't give him what he wants? :shrug:

Cheney would probably do something like that. You know:

"Gee, you know, it would be a damn shame if you don't give us this legislation and then something really bad happened to San Francisco".

There's no need to buckle under to their criminal threats.

How would our allies help? :shrug:

FYI, I have no idea that this is what happened, but IMO, it's plausible w/ this bunch.

These are career politicians. I expect they see nothing here but election dynamics. Most of them just don't want to make waves. They just want to keep a low profile and let Bush's approval rating drop (which means both keeping him office and enabling his agenda), because they think that'll position them well for the next election.

You and I don't figure into it. Right and wrong don't figure into it. And the Constitution certainly doesn't figure into it.

The Dems either agree with his agenda, or just don't care one way or the other, and just want to avoid rocking the boat until the next election, when they assume they'll gain more seats and their cushy jobs will become a little cushier.