Comments on: The FISA Fix and Obama’s Profile In Courage Leadership Moment

By: readerOfTeaLeaves

readerOfTeaLeaves — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 23:58:46 +0000

I think the Democrats are underestimating the anger out there and how it could be used to truly crush the Republicans if only Pelosi and Reid had the chutzpah to do so.

You probably won’t see this comment, Leen, but I see a similar dynamic.
I recognize that with Ted Kennedy sick the Dems are down yet another Senator.
But that doesn’t excuse the House.

I’m fed up being told that ‘nothing can be done’.
And yeah, I know one young (outstanding) couple who had planned on military careers and were both officers. They’re no longer in the military. Ditto one other really fine young man. And this past week, I learned of another late-20s Army officer who’s getting out after several tours in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Apart from the idea that a VP can out a CIA agent and never even have to be accountable, the notion that the military is losing its young officers would tell any Congress that they needed to take some swift, comprehensive legal action to stop the derailing of US government.

The only logical conclusion, really, is that too many Dems are complicit — or too gutless.
Who wants to vote for ‘complicit but lying’?
Who wants to vote for ‘gutless and feckless’?

I want change, but enough with the Bait-and-Switch, already!!

By: JohnLopresti

JohnLopresti — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 21:03:53 +0000

Speaking of information control, check out this link to the ever courteous Sen. Feinstein’s being squelched by Reid based on a Republican from MS’s demand that Reid interrupt and immediately cancel the hearing Feinstein was leading in Sen Judiciary Committee on June 10.

I was emailing SenFeinstein to request a transcript of that hearing which had taken place outside of my schedule’s availability to listen live, yet, in the process found ThinkProgress’ excerpt of the proceedings, wherein Whitehouse shrugs and Feinstein gavels the proceeding to a halt. I guess it will be an exceedingly brief transcript, at that.

This was the hearing at which Glenn Fine appeared, “Coercive Interrogation Techniques: Do They Work, Are They Reliable, and What Did the FBI Know About Them?”.

By: phred

phred — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:12:30 +0000

Yep, I agree with that, too. I have a friend who intends to vote for McCain on the basis of (and I’m not kidding here) the environment and taxes. This friend is determined to believe any damn bullshit that wanders into his email inbox no matter how patently false it might be. I’m doing my best to introduce him to the reality based community, with little success thus far. It seems to me that not only do we have to insist that our elected officials be honest, but we have to insist that the media and the public join in the effort. A lot of uphill slogging yet do all around…

By: bmaz

bmaz — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:41:13 +0000

I’ll tell you another thing that really eats at me. That is, and I just watched video of Obama himself doing it yesterday, the constant Dem subservience to the Repug tax meme. Obama was responding to McCain’s blather about Dems raising taxes by saying how he was going to give big tax cuts to the middle class and poor, only get rid of the Bush cuts on the rich etc. I think that, at this point, Americans have figured out that their country is going to rot on a bullet train. Tell the people that tax cuts are done and that we might even have to raise them a few insignificant dollars for each and every individual, but that in return we are going to repair our schools, hire more teachers, start getting people health coverage, take care of our veterans, and keep honest people in their homes. People need services and they know it now; that takes revenue. Sorry, that is just the way it is. Be honest about it.

By: phred

phred — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:21:11 +0000

Exactly right bmaz and great post, too! On the one hand, I am totally sympathetic to those working to remake the Democratic Party from within. On the other, I’m longing for a third choice, a little d democratic party that values the Constitution and rule of law.

I find it completely stunning that in an election year Pelosi and her happy band of looting miscreants fail to see that behaving like Republicans is no way to win a landslide victory that the public is practically begging to give you. Morons. Conniving, duplicitous, corrupt morons.

By: yonodeler

yonodeler — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:07:49 +0000

If Obama is elected, the transition to his administration will be much more difficult than it would have been had appropriate, duty-mandated accountability measures been taken. Imagine the difficulties that will face new appointees trying to set up operations in federal agencies immediately after the free-ranging Bush administration.

By: bmaz

bmaz — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 17:04:55 +0000

I would tend more to political calculation than blackmail. I have never bought that far into the blackmail stuff; if it was really that widespread and true, reverse blackmail would be utilized. By that i mean said Dems could band together and threaten to out Cheney et al. There may be a little of what you describe, but I am just not buying into any wholesale effort like that.

By: BillE

BillE — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:54:04 +0000

Pure power calculation or CYA? I still think the Cheney admin holds a lot of cards. Mostly related to blackmail and using it for vote control. The other main feature is other than a few social issues the two sides are identical in being mostly in the pocket of the big donors. Bankruptcy “reform” lack of hedge fund regulation etc. I like that BO has cut the lobby money from his campaign and the DNC, but it is very noteworthy that to the Democratic house and senate campaign committees its full steam ahead and no big donor left behind

By: Leen

Leen — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:46:41 +0000

the other group of folks that I have been spending time with are a group of WWII/Teamster crew of men (my father is ill) and they are also WAY PISSED OFF with first off the warmongering Bush administration but with the seemingly neutered Democrats not willing to take a solid stand on many issues. Not only spending a great deal of time with these honorable hard working group of gents but talking with lots of older folks in nursing homes and assisted living facilities (looked at 12 different facilities this winter looking for my father and mother). I love talking to everyone I can what ever situation I put or find myself in and I am telling you there are lots of PISSED OFF voters in these places. The Democrats need to tap into this anger and frustration. Obama has!

By: Leen

Leen — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:33:32 +0000

If I hear Scottie make any more excuses for the this bag of lying warmongers I am going to…

How many times can Scottie say “it (the creation, cherrry picking and dessimination of false pre-war intelligence) WAS NOT DELIBERATE. They (the Bush administration) were just caught up in the campaign culture that I had been caught up in” hogwash?