Democrats, empowered by their victories last November and in response by a nation-wide desire to hold the presidency accountable vote to expand warrantless wiretapping.
Wait, what?
More like this
Here's Jack Balkin's analysis of Judge Taylor's ruling in the NSA warrantless wiretapping lawsuit. He likes the outcome, doesn't like the rationale and isn't sure it will survive an appeal.
National Intelligence Director Mike McConnell is drawing up plans for cyberspace spying that would make the current debate on warrantless wiretaps look like a "walk in the park," according to an interview published in the New Yorker's print edition today.
Ever since the arrest of a bunch of suspects in the UK and elsewhere in a plot to bomb several airplanes, the White House and their apologists have been united in their talking points: A) that this proves the need for warrantless surveillance and B) that those who oppose warrantless surveillance
Conservative commentator Steve Forman is outraged! What stirred him up enough to write:
In Soviet Russia, leaders are held accountable for their actions!
I used to support them, pointing out that they don't have veto-proof majorities. But of course that defense fails if they don't blinking well send him bills he'll have to veto. Have they all drunk the Kool-Ade? Do they all really believe the reason they're becoming unpopular is because they aren't caving to the most unpopular president ever?
Geeze. Pass responsible, Constitutional legislation (maybe, gasp, progressive legislation but I don't demand that) and let him veto it. Then repeat as long as needed.
What's so hard about figuring that out?
But if all of the legislation you sponsor is vetoed, you're not "relevant". Better to get odious laws passed, lie about what they entail, and maintain the illusion that you have some influence than do nothing.
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: democracy simply doesn't work.
Democracy works just fine, and if we had that, we'd be alright. The problem is that we don't - we have a highly secretive government which covers its tracks with red tape and national security.
This is democracy working like it's supposed to..mind you, this is the bad part of democracy, but whatever.
Both sides already agreed that warrentless wiretapping was ok. It's just a matter of who is going to be allowed to be wiretapped. In fact, I'm not even sure if I'm disagreeing with that statement.
The public at large supports the warrentless wiretapping of foreigners. So people agree that wiretapping is good. A law like this is unavoidable at that point.
Time to throw them all out
If you vote for illegal measures, then you go to jail
A majority of Democrats voted aginst this, and all Republicans voted for it = Democrats supported it.
WTF?
It's a failure of leadership Graculus. This is why they got voted in. If they can't hold a line against the Republicans than what's the point?
It's a failure of leadership Graculus. This is why they got voted in. If they can't hold a line against the Republicans than what's the point?
That may be true, but that is a different thing from stating that the "Dems" (as a block) voted for it.
And it's given you a handy list of 16 DINOs to send to the duckpit, too.
lobbied.