FIREDOGLAKE ROCKS !!!

Great Post !!

Letters by US Mail to Congress are quarantined for days/weeks before delivery. (This has been the practice since the Anthrax scare.)
Call the senator’s office for fax number and fax your letter.

Rest assured, I’ll be calling John McCain today.

ecoast at 3 — hence the two copy strategy — one to the DC office, a copy to a local office.

Thanks for posting the whip count Christy. If anyone talks to their senators today, let me know either in this comment thread or in my whip count posted at Emboldened.

You guys are doing great work and the fact that so few pols have positions on the bill means our calls will have even greater influence on undecided senators.

And re a certain junior Senator from CT
[EPUed from last thread]

Further Imus — Chris Matthews was terrific, much to Imus’s dismay, I think. Very pro large voter turnout. Primaries are the only place where people’s votes count because the country’s been so gerrymandered.

And Monica Crowley strong Lieberman supporter. Shame on those naughty Dems picking on sweet l’il Joe. And whazzup with her being a news bunny? One hopes it’s because the regulars are on vacation. Talk about blatant partisanship in the “real” news.

Imus and cronies still pushing the theme that this is just a one-issue. Nice spin, guys.

If MSNBC has any smarts there’ll be a v-clip of the whole Matthews conversation with Imus. Big IF.

[sidebar, ironranger, left you props last thread for your great Magical Thinking comment]

I’m curious as to what the ‘wavering wigglers’ denotes. I can’t imagine Feinstein being so solidly against this bill and yet Feingold and Kerry wavering.
Could you clarify what this status means? I’m not disputing it, I’m just wondering if this means that the Senator’s office was caught unawares.

longtime Speaker of the House, Sam Rayburn of Texas, had a standing order with his staff that any letter received written in pencil on blue-lined paper was to be brought promptly to Rayburn’s personal attention …

snail-mail addressed to DC offices get delayed by the horribly tight anti-anthrax security measures so only send (or deliver) snail mail to the local (state) offices of Congresscritters. Faxes are effective these days. Emails are too easy to mass-generate so they get blown off easily too.

If your phone call is being dealt with by a totally clueless dimwit, politely request to speak to a more knowledgeable person in the office. On broad national constitutional issues, its best to call the DC office.

Love Vermeer – it’s the painting of light that always gets me (art major in college, believe it or not). Food for the soul, always.

JOHN MACK!

OT, but had to say something.

The world lost one of its greatest musicians Sunday.

John Mack was renowned as Principal Oboe of the Cleveland Orchestra for many years, and as a truly gifted teacher and mentor right up to the end of his life.

He gave much. His former students are all over the world in prominent positions, carrying on his legacy.

He will be missed, but never forgotten!

LUV Vermeer (but not as much as I LUV Christy)!

Now to read the post . . .

dratty at 8 — it means they haven’t taken a position as yet, one way or the other. They take a position, they move to another list. It’s quite simple.

Bingo, Anne (art-history minor, here)!

One wonders why Specter didn’t propose a bill during the Nixon administration to make burglaries legal if the President authorized it. That would have cleared up that whole thing, wouldn’t it?

This isn’t really any different. Bush is breaking the law, and he won’t stop until he’s prosecuted. It’s time to stand up to the criminal gang in the White House, and if Congress won’t stand up to this obvious criminality, the rule of law is dead. Anarchy will follow. I’ve never advocated violent revolution, but it may be the only course remaining when government completely fails to act in the face of blatant criminality.

I can’t imagine Feinstein being so solidly against this bill per the clip at C & L of the ABA Pres, there was an earlier “Specter – Feinstein” bill (presumably that was not so egregious bc the ABA noted its position as being in favor of the Harman bill or the earlier Specter-Feinstein bill) and that is what she is backing.

ABA calls this new bill the Specter-WH bill. Probably not a bad way to reference it.

What dratty said at number 8.

In no way can I imagine Kerry voting for Specter’s slimy “compromise.” I’d guess the office didn’t have a prepared response.

Mornin’ Doggies

aaacckkk!, I Hand Wrote my letter to Senator Boxer yesterday afternoon – just to illustrate how serious and sincere I was in expressing my displeasure (campaigned for the woman in 92′ in a so called Reagan Democrat stronghold of the Bay Area)

would still like to hear the 4-1-1 on the private fundraiser she and Shortride attended after being so viciously accosted by those mean bloggers

Not to chase glory but I also assembled a list by category yesterday, #188 on Boxer Meltdown.

Commenter bg reported Bingaman as against, not wavering, if I am reading my notes correctly.

Missing category here: peach cobbler: cbl in Texas, as served to Cornyn staff.

Do the Senators read FireDogLake?

After posting yesterday that Senator Boxer had provided “zero response” to my two email messages regarding my feelings about her campaigning for Joe Leiberman, lo and behold,

…two messages from her “correspondence director” in my inbox stating “Your message has been forwarded to the appropriate campaign committee for response.”

I don’t know what the hell that means, and the forwarding apparently took place after the event I was concerned about came to pass, but hey, at least somebody, somewhere cares (or what passes for caring in incumbent friendly Washington!)

Bill Nelson’s lines all bizzy — will keep trying for Julia Spencer there (wanted to yesterday afternoon, but too much lightning here).

Sen. Pryor’s (D-Arkansas) office stated that he had yet to take a position on Specter’s bill. They did say that they had been receiving a lot of phone calls on that issue.

Vermeer is great, the light in his painting is amazing. If you ever get a chance to see his work in person, you can almost feel the warm of the sun on your skin, or in the room.

I had to hand write something the other day and I was appalled at how bad my penmanship had gotten. I don’t use a pen anymore and it really showed.

Source of Bingaman: bg at 88 on Dialing for Spines: Senator Bingaman supports “The Opposite” of what this bill calls for. Senator Dominici’s staff “was not at liberty, I mean, I can’t say what his position is.”

Sounds like a position of against.

Barbain Countertenor also called him, 28 on Trust George. Already called Sens Bingaman and Domenici. I suspect that Bingaman will oppose. So that’s two.

Called both Richard Burr’s and Elizabeth Doles offices this AM. Neither Senator has announced a position. In both offices the staffers were unfamiliar with the bill.

Know whatcha mean, keyote.

Yesterday I got TWO letters from FLA Nelson re net neutrality and something I’d written a snailmail about even before that. Both replies dated July 1 and full of worthless mushmouth. Rill sharp razor, that guy.

Lessee, now where’d I put my granddaddy’s strop . . .

I think Bingaman should be in the Patriots column. I was put through to a DC staffer who was familiar with the bill and clearly said Jeff is opposed to the entire thing. Maybe they changed after that? I don’t trust Jeff particularly, but I thought it was very clear yesterday that he opposes the Specter.

I have another call in to them, left a message with them and hope to hear shortly.

I also dispute that Biden, Kyl, Sessions, Graham, and DeWine had no contact. Both maggie s. and carolyn urban called the entire committee. Maggie s. reported that only Feinstein was against. I can go find their numbers, brb.

If cbl doesn’t serve us that peach cobbler Saturday, she’s looking at Trouble. Just sayin’.

Drat! My congressman (Ralph Regula, R-fossil) has his website rigged so it’s almost impossible to contact him.
Have to wade thru layer of privacy-release form in MSWord. Feels as if I’d be on some creepy enemies list for the rest of my life, no matter what I said!

And he’s the guy so proud of having us all fund his wife’s pet project on 1st Ladies of the U.S., a no-doubt worthy learning tool, complete with costumes & skits & stuff… Caught some heat for it; maybe that’s why the extra layer of covers on his cushy office now.

Sen. Voinovich is the consumate wiggler-waverer, but I asked for an answer, and will keep trying. Don’t expect much.

DeWine’s locked in the race of his life agnst Sherrod Brown, & may very well lose his seat in the fall (I hope, I hope); ads are starting to get a tad nasty – never seen that from either of them before. I get the feeling DeW’s so terrified, he’s absolutely frozen in place, even tho airing a lot of ads pretending otherwise. I’ll keep pestering. He has sent some non-canned, written answers back to me in the past. I strongly suspect he’s hiding under his desk till after the Wed. Judiciary meeting. I’ll find some way to shine a flashlight under there & tap on his shoulder ;->

P.S. And Dominici, not so much. Still nothing today. I asked them if Dominici was too terrified to allow the people of the United States their rights of redress?

Maggie s. at 109 on Spines: I called all the Senators on the committee and my Congressman’s office, too.

That’s one.

Senators positions are dynamic and changing. An undecided office Monday morning might very well firm up by late Monday afternoon. Most Senators started off undecided — constituent contact forces them off the fence. There’s the weekly Party Caucus today that might very well firm up Party positions…

Oh, and I never saw any comments on Specter saying this thing was the improved/best they could do after essentially duking it out with the WH. Excuse me? WTF did it look like before he went to bat for our freedoms? Just wondering.

Carolyn urban at 162 on Spines: I did it! Called all the rethugs and spoke with all their staff (except Cornyn – no staff, no message, no ability to contact – try him later). Gasp.

That’s two.

bg @ 27 – I had left Bingaman off the list of opposed because I was not clear what “The Opposite” of this bill is. For Democrats, that might be keeping FISA law the same. For Republicans, it might mean not even submitting Bush’s domestic surveillance programs to a test of their constitutionality. I assumed from your language that the staffer was not very informed as to the senators positions. Your response here is helpful and I’ll change it now.

For many members of the House and Senate, especially from the West, Monday is also a “travel day” to get back to DC. It’s likely that calls that got a “no position” response yesterday may indeed change to either a pro or con stance today.

OfT, Prairie Sunshine at 5:58, thanks so much, prior thread, for the summary of Tweety on Imus, glad to hear he was so pro-Ned.
Also glad to hear Nixon’s former live in biographer (and dues paying neocon) Monica Crowley had such good things to say about Joe. I don’t think her support will help him much in the Dem primary, but it could do a lot of damage, here’s hoping.

BTW, Sherrod Brown (Dem – TERRIFIC!), running to unseat DeWine in OH, has – for years now – had a really nifty habit of writing a personal thanks to people who write good letters to the editor of their local newspaper(s).

COOL! I’ve got 2, & hubby 1 over the last year or so.

Sherrod’s good. Please don’t blame him for Paul Hackett. Even Hackett is publically backing him now.

dratty *8

FISA is one of those issues that DiFi actually gets into righteous indignation about. And she has her own version of a FISA bill that’s different from the Spectre’s. (no one has seen her version to my knowledge, unless it’s that old bill from back in April).

Hence her solid credentials. Feingold is only in the Wiggler category because he said he was waiting for the Judiciary Committee’s recommendation before stating his own opinion.

I called Specter’s office yesterday (since I live in PA), and the guy I talked to really seemed to not understand how the bill is not a good thing.

here’s what I’ve been doing with this handy little link below

I look up the Congresscritter’s 3-5 largest contributors on the site – then I look up the Corporate Counsel for same – and fax them a letter stating general concerns about , proprietary info,projected sales, quarterly profits, Could one of their employees or employee’s dependents sue them down the road over exposure of Personnel or Ins. info., etc., Asking them to ensure their candidate is watching out for their privacy. Then I fax a copy of that letter to Congresscritter’s office as a means of getting their attention.

As previously reported, when I called Cornyn’s office to confirm receipt of my last fax, I was put through to his Chief of Staff

the cobbler thing – one of the first Roots pioneers advised bringing goodies to offices when visiting – have one of those Cake Mix Cobbler recipes wherein I use fresh peaches and kiss of bourbon – apparently a hit, b/c instead of being id’d as some librul nutjob (as I initially feared), am now id’d as ‘the cobbler lady ‘

http://www.opensecrets.org/

so today with Cornyn out of the way, think I’ll go look up Chuckie Schumer’s biggest donors and write them a note, although I believe DeWine is dealing w/ re election – wonder who is current largest donors are . . .

Good morning and thanks Christy and everybody.

I was reading Prof. Cole’s sobering account this morning and tucked in at the end was information about a forum on blogging and careers and whether blogging can derail your career. He included this quote which seems somehow apropos here:

>>>>>>>

Henry David Thoreau refused to pay the poll tax put in to support the immoral American-Mexican War, and was sentenced to a night in jail. His friend Ralph Waldo Emerson came to visit him and asked him “David, what are you doing in there?” Thoreau replied, “What are you doing out there?” If intellectuals aren’t misbehaving in the sense of dissenting and critiquing the collective grounds of our political being, then they aren’t doing their jobs.

http://www.juancole.com/

Glad to hear Tweety [did good] on Imus.

I still don’t trust him as far as I could throw him. He’s flipped & flopped so often, on so many topics. He just can’t be trusted. I think he simply likes to be seen as a “scrappy” fella, mixin’ it up on the side of the “in” guys.

Watch him….

WI update:

Both Kohl and Feingold’s offices are refusing to say one way or the other yet. Both are using the same excuse; waiting for the judiciary committee’s recommendation. I could see Kohl going either way but I’ll be shocked if Feingold supports this bill.

cbl @ 42

Talk about using someone’s own weapons (money/donors) against them! Those who live by the sword shall die by the sword . . .

Missing category here: peach cobbler

I was waiting for the peach cobbler – thanks E.

The real questions are – why is legislation needed and what is it supposed to accomplish.

Specter hasn’t been briefed on the program and seems to feel there is a need for the FISA court to act as, in essence, a secret COngressional committee, negotiating through rejections or approvals (all of which are not appealable and not subject to argument/input by anyone having a case in controversy interest) to institute a broad plan of surveillance that includes a mass warrant approach not contemplated by the 4th Amendment.

Harman has been briefed on the program and says FISA is pretty much fine – here’s a tweak that’s all that is needed.

Specter has already gone on the record, somewhat incoherently and incomprehensibly, but still on the record as saying he thinks the President has these “inherent” powers that may trump FISA – although he has also ranted that Congress should be ‘consulted’ and has some kind of rights (you know, those Consitutional ones, to write the LAW). So why does he think the legislation is needed if he believes in the magic bullet inherent powers argument? If it’s not needed and the President doesn’t have to follow it -why write it?

I rambled in an EPU post about this, but it seems pretty clear that the Harman legislation is addressed to providing more assets and a smidge of extra emergency response powers – things targeted to a legal program operating legally. But that legislation does not deal with the huge underyling issue – what if these existing cases go up and the President has had NSA & DOJ operating a blatantly illegal and unconstitutional program? What happens about those criminal penalties and civil penalties? What do we do?

The Specter legislation doesn’t really care about having an effective surveillance program with adequate funding for oversight (the Harman bill issues). His legislation, IMO, is a bit of a panicked response to the fact that he knows his representations about “inherent” power are tripe when it comes to Bill of Rights violations and pretty much tripe on criminal law violations. So his legislation is very solely targeted at trying to avoid, for now, what could be some very crippling effects of the programs being found to be illegal. Bc they are. And what are we (the country) going to do about that?

egregious @ 28:

I also dispute that Biden, Kyl, Sessions, Graham, and DeWine had no contact.

I am not counting unreturned voicemails, as we have no actual feedback from them. That rules out DeWine on my list until we have a response.

I hadn’t seen comments the “called full committee” comment. I’ll add Biden, Sessions, Kyl, & Graham to the Wavering Wigglers list, assuming that either maggie or carolyn spoke with a staff member who told them they had no position.

Hiya,

OT
Someone mentioned yesterday that the Boston Globe does a fine job in investigative reporting, i.e. signing documents, etc.
I agree. However they did a dismal job on the CIA leak case, one of the most important stories of the year.
I wrote to them and asked why this was so…
and I never received a reply. They can be a
tad elitist…
Anywhichwayhow, did you see the AP story that
“no one in the Bush regime have had their security clearances snagged…
Another weird piece of info, “The CIA has not completed a formal assessment of the damage to national security that may have been caused by the Plame outing in 2003. According to Christopher Walker, CIA Director of Congressional Affairs, it won’t be completed until a criminal investigation of the leak has been concluded.”

Hmmmmmm

Jack

The aide to Senator Brownback was unfamiliar with the bill. He said Brownback doesn’t have a position, but he would be happy to pass on my thoughts. After I went through my concerns the aide said, “So you support the bill.” Needless to say I went through my concerns again and stated emphatically that I was against the bill.

when making your phone call and you think you are talking to a blank wall, politely ask to speak to a more specialized expert in the office…

Prairie Sunshine: I started collecting lupine seeds…with this drought, they are drying up & dropping seeds like crazy. The lawns crunch. 30-40% rain chances tonight (fingers double crossed), after that, it doesn’t look good.
War busting out all over…where are the grownups? It reminded me of a young boy jumping on the sofa when the mom told him to stop, he was going to get hurt. He said, just one more time & ended up losing his front teeth. I don’t see much difference between kids not understanding consequences & our world “leaders”.
I am so sick of these people in power who walk around 24/7 w/ war erections.
A blast from the past one year ago that I thought was total satire when I first read it:
“A man (bush) of extraordinary vision & brilliance approaching to genius, he can’t get anyone to notice. He is like a great painter or musician who is ahead of his time, & who unveils one masterpiece after another to a reception that, when not bored, is hostile.” John of powerline blog
A lot of people thought Jim Jones was a genius too…that turned out well.

I called Sen. McCains’ Washington office, spoke to a person who put me on hold for a minute and then forwarded me to somebody else, on whose machine I left a message asking for McCains’ position on Spectors’ bill. I stated my position ( our position ) and asked her to please return my call. If I hear back, I will let you know.

I don’t know how much good it will do, but I will call by freakishly idiotic Senator, Jeff Sessions, and report back whatever, if anything, they are willing to say.

I’ll be dropping by Sens Durbin and Obama’s Chicago Loop offices with (unsealed) handwritten letters at lunch hour.
Thanks to Durbin and “Please explain how you could possibly find this acceptable” for Obama.
The Great Black Hope indeed….Pah!

I sent a heads-up, copy of my letter re Specter shenanigans, to Rep. Sherrod Brown.

Would LOVE it if he comes out publicly with a position on this, especially since his opposition, DeWine is still hiding under his desk.

Brown’s very articulate, and not shy in the least. Will let you know if he issues statement, or whatever.

It’s important to keep in mind that we don’t want to take anyone’s position for granted. Yes, I’m guessing Feingold will be against this bill, but it doesn’t do us any good to put him in that column before he’s actually there.

We’re seeing that the overwhelming majority of senate offices have no position. That’s not surprising, but it also provides us with a real opportunity to influence their decisions.

Please keep up the great work folks. Keep posting your feedback/responses from Senate offices here. I will be updating the whip tally over at Emboldened, so check it out for the latest updates.

Wallflower – maybe you could send a picture of a blastocyte on a cell phone . . .

Mary at 47…

Striking, Or ‘Kung-Fu StrikeThru’…
Nice.
—–
Called Ted Kennedy and thanked him for his efforts, urging him to do whatever he can to block this.

Calling Kerry. See what his position IS.
—-
Christy:
LetterWriting graphic: Nice choice. I’ve actually seen that one before (well, on TV). Recognized it as Dutch…but ID’d as the OTHER Dutchman.

PeterR,

actually rec’d a thank you email from a semi-important lawyer (#4 ?) @ Chevron when I was trying to get Kay Bailey Hutchison’s attention

btw, always identify myself as a private citizen and non stock holder and then proceed to do a pretty good ‘concerned’ impression – see Christy, all those trolls served a purpose after all -*g*

Matt, in comment 35 above, carolyn urban’s quote says that she called everyone on the committee, and was specific about who couldn’t be contacted.

On this basis I conclude she did reach DeWine’s office, and that he had no position. Of course it’s worth contacting him again to nudge him in the right direction.

I am soooooo sick of Politicians that “have no opinion or comment” on the yet to be proposed legislation. They already know the details….what gives.

Our congresscritters are of the people and one of the people that was elected by the people. Do you congresscritters get it?

As a constituent, I demand answers.

(Rant Complete)

Called Senator Levin (D-MI) – staffer was cordial and confirmed the mail quarantine. Said the Senator wouldn’t see you sent letter for 6-8 weeks. Take Note…FAX. Levin has taken no public stance on this proposal. I then peppered the staffer with questions of why.

Sworn to uphold the Constitution

Have called over 50 times on 20 different issues, why does the senator never have an opinion? Does he ever have an opinion?

Reminded staffer that he is the peoples representative and we want an answer.

ironranger@6:55 — Charlie Manson had his little coterie as well. And then there’s the whole David Koresh apocalyptic kaleidoscope these guys seem to look thru. Blame it on the Waco water?

called Ken Salazar’s office again today
He still does not have a position.
I told his staff member that as a Colorado voter I’d like to see a quicker response to such an important bill, by now he should have researched and come to a conclusion.
Told her I also expected him to vote against bills that attacked the Constitution.

sunny — so GOOD to see you back!

Condolences on Sessions (empathy, almost, since I’m 50%-Senatored by Mel Martinez and 100%-Repped by Tom Feeney) — but having to deal with 80-IQ Jeffie . . . pee-yewwwww!

NOTE TIME CHANGE FOR HEARING:

It now starts at 9am EDT.

Kerry’s DC via 888 took a while to pick up. Maybe ten rings.

The energetic intern maintained that the staff w/more didn’t pick up. Said, since Kerry’s not on committee, he reserves positions till leg. hits floor. When it does, “We’ll have ‘a strong’ position”. I implored him to make a statement supporting Kennedy in Judiciary ASAP.

Phones confirmed ‘off the hook’ but wouldn’t confirm a particular issue:’everybody about everything.’

Didn’t care I was a voter from Western Ma. No info taken…at least Kennedy’s office noted the zip info.

At least I made him look up the bill on Thomas. Thanks for including bill # Christy.

egregious @ 61 – I see that. I think there’s a little confusion here. These calls have two purposes (1) to express our opposition to the Specter bill; (2) to find out what a senator’s position on the bill is.

I’d love to hear more from Carolyn, but from what I read, she only expressed her opposition and did not report back their positions on the bill. The tally I am counting is not who has been contacted in regards to the bill, but who has provided us feedback on their position on the bill.

I really appreciate your help getting the feedback in order. Thanks!

I haven’t had a chance to peruse the comments in prior threads to see whether this story has already been mentioned:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14020234/

Sen. Specter preparing bill to sue Bush
Republican committee chairman fighting against ’signing statements’
The Associated Press

Updated: 7:11 a.m. ET July 25, 2006
WASHINGTON – A powerful Republican committee chairman who has led the fight against President Bush’s signing statements said Monday he would have a bill ready by the end of the week allowing Congress to sue him in federal court.

“We will submit legislation to the United States Senate which will…authorize the Congress to undertake judicial review of those signing statements with the view to having the president’s acts declared unconstitutional,” Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said on the Senate floor.

Specter’s announcement came the same day that an American Bar Association task force concluded that by attaching conditions to legislation, the president has sidestepped his constitutional duty to either sign a bill, veto it, or take no action.

(snip)

Whoever answered FLA Nelson’s foam claimed there’s no Julia Spencer in that office — though that’s who someone tried to put me through to yesterday — then FINALLY let me leave a message for one “Brent Woolfork.” Asked him to return my call, so now back to my regularly-scheduled wait-&-see . . .

As of yesterday at @ 11:00 am, Sen. Bill Nelson had “no official position.” I told his receptionist how horrible the bill was in polite but extreme detail, and further indicated that I was an active Democrat who expected that my Democratic senator who is no longer vulnerable in his re-election race (now that Katherine Harris has imploded), needed to stand up for the principles in our Constitution and not take an appeasement position toward republican attempts to bring East German style fascism to America. (she said she was writing down my comments. Yeah. I’ll bet). Don’t know if it did any good but there is my report. . . .

Specter hasn’t been briefed on the program and seems to feel there is a need for the FISA court to act as, in essence, a secret COngressional committee, negotiating through rejections or approvals (all of which are not appealable and not subject to argument/input by anyone having a case in controversy interest) to institute a broad plan of surveillance that includes a mass warrant approach not contemplated by the 4th Amendment.”
FWIW, WAG ALERT, I suspect what might be partially driving this is
that NSA, CIA, FBI, push everything, no matter how remote, “upstairs.” When the next successful attack occurs, no one wants to be named on a paper trail that contains evidence that wasn’t thorougly investigated. I suspect this is why Specter does not want to be briefed on NSA spying, it’s less work and fewer tough decisions. My guess is both House’s Intelligence Committees are being asked to make practical, real time decisions as payback a consequence of holding post 9/11 hearings and hanging the entire intelligence community out to dry. I suspect the intelligence communities are wallpapering those committees and the WH with reports. The next time they’ll say, we informed Congress and the WH on this date in this traceable document.
This pressure may in turn be leading both the Executive Branch and the Legislative Branch to gang up on the Judiciary as a way out. It sounds to me as though the FISA court will have all the responsibility. The plan is that the only way something won’t get investigated, is if the FISA court prevents it.
This is a separate issue from decriminalizing prior WH crimes.

Thanks lotus-good to be back!

WOW sp, cpa, I had not seen that, thanks!

Yesterday, I watched two lawyers discuss the Bush admin and its ignoring laws and constitution. One of the laywers participated in producing the ABA report and said he was working with Specter on a bill. I assumed that the bill would support the findings of the ABA committee?? I hope my assumption is correct. Did Specter realize he was snookered?

Mary, here’s the link to the story of Hamdan’s confiscated notes (sorry I had left when you responded yesterday):
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2….._0721.html
They were notes he took after the Supremes decision, and after the govt had confiscated many notes from other prisoners and their lawyers concerning the suicides. Just curious what you think, as I think of you as the Hamdan expert. (As well as Christy, of course.)

Good morning again, pups. Project in progress report…Made my calls to Fargo offices of Dorgan and Conrad.

Dorgan’s staffer took my statement of strong opposition to SB 2453 and will look into Senator’s position and get back to me.

Conrad’s staffer transferred me to the DC office where I left a voicemail statement for the relevant staffer again voicing my strong opposition to the retroactive neutering of Congressional oversight and assault on the Constitutional principle of checks and balances.

RE: Mark Dayton –

The person who took my call yesterday said that Dayton hasn’t seen the bill yet (he wants to actually look at it, or have his staffers look at it, first), but she said that if the bill was as bad as we say it is, he’d very likely vote it down. So I’d move him into the Patriots column.

SP CPA et al:

This just jumped at me off the Boston Globe Biz section:
http://www.boston.com/business…..s_jump_66/

Foreclosure filings in Massachusetts increased 66 percent in the second quarter, according to data released yesterday, a trend that is expected to continue over the next year.”…
—–
Couldn’t find the ‘Weird Sisters’ and ‘Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble…’
Instead, this:
“The earth hath bubbles as the water has,
And these are of them.”

Oh, and CBL:

Atta Girl! You are good.

OT

Courant Did-Bill-Make-You-Wanna-Vote-For-Joe? poll update:

Yes — 69 (8.4%)

No diff — 166 (20.3%)

No — 582 (71.2%)

OK, Tennessee has checked in with the following results:

Add Alexander to the wavering wigglers and put Billy Boy firmly in the Redcoat category.

Sen. Alexander’s office said he has no position but is aware of the bill. They listened politely to my explanation that this bill will gut the FISA Court system that has worked well for years and will upset the balance of powers between the Judicial, Legislative and Executive Branches and vest absolute authority for these matters in the Executive.

Sen. Frist’s office said that he has not commented publicly on the bill but that he fully supports permitting the NSA to “do its job” to protect America. They also listened politely to the above related statement.

Ha! Just got a robbotelemarketing call: “Would you to know the present market value of your home.”
—–
Irony index ramping up, here.

umm…’like to know..’

Jules at 82

It’s a little more complicated than that. I support your right to support Lieberman but I don’t think you listened very clearly to what Lamont said on NPR. Robert Siegel repeatedly attempted to get him to say he supported one or the other of two bad alternatives. Ned was diplomatic without ducking the question.

I just called Schumer’s office. They said he still has no position, but has requested the Spector hold public hearings tomorrow, after which he will decide.

I told them that the bill appears to be clear enough without the need for hearings, and outlined the reasons.

Mary @ 47

I think you are right on target with the true purpose of this legislation. How do we deal with blatantly illegal activity in the past, as we try to move forward?

Sadly, this is what happens when Congress abdicates its oversight responsibilities – or fails to hold the Executive branch accountable when it (Congress) discovers that the White House has been holding back on keeping the Congress appropriately informed.

It’s kind of like raising a child and never setting any limits for 16 years, then being shocked – shocked, I tell you! – that the kid doesn’t obey a curfew when she/he gets a driver’s licence. It’s hell trying to make up for years of lax discipline.

But it’s even more hell if you don’t make the effort, years late though it may be.

Christy !

Roots !

Vermeer !

TalkLeft has a cute Whiny Joe graphic http://talkleft.com/whiny-joe.jpg

By the way:

The media is touting Specter’s bill as doing EXACTLY THE OPPOSITE of what he know it will do.

Shoot a few letters the NYT’s way, as well as to your local newspapers. Point out that the bill will actually kill all current and future lawsuit by retroactively legalizing Bush’s crimes. Worse yet, the bill removes all effective oversight — and the case of Duke Cunningham shows what happens when our elected officials are allowed free rein on espionage programs without any real oversight. (Keep ‘em short and punchy — total word count 150 or less — to increase the likelihood of their seeing print.)

letters@nytimes.com
letters@latimes.com
letters@washpost.com
editor@usatoday.com

You know what to do.

More on Lamont/Lieberman:

If you go to the Hartford Courant’s home page and look at the photos from the Clinton event in the slide show, you will see that a protestor made it into the first two photos, holding a sign that clearly reads “No more war, nor more lies, no more cronyism”.

I don’t know who the protestor is, but my hat is off to her. She made an impact on the coverage of what was supposed to be one of the most important days of Lieberman’s campaign.

Here’s the link:

http://www.courant.com/

OT- Who is Milbank talking about here?

…But to run as a proud Republican? “That’s going to be tough, it’s going to be tough to do,” he said. “If this race is about Republicans and Democrats, I lose.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..00953.html

Prarie Sunshine @ 77 – Thanks, I’ve noted that you’re waiting for a response from Dorgan and Conrad. They’re still in my “No Feedback” column, but we know they’ve been contacted.

Phoenix Woman @ 78 – I’d like to keep Dayton as a Wiggler until we have a solid answer, though I’ve noted that he’s a likely Patriot. Good to see his staffer put faith in what you told him/her.

HinTN @ 83 – I’ve noted that Frist is a likely Redcoat, but will leave him as a Wiggler until they do comment on the bill itself.

S. 2453 National Security Surveillance Act of 2006 (Introduced in Senate by Sen. Specter [PA]) Title: A bill to establish procedures for the review of electronic surveillance programs.
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/…..9:s.02453:

Shorter S.2453 — Presidential Pardon Act of 2006

I really want to go to this hearing, but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to. I’m predicting a bit of a food fight between Specter and Graham. Graham wanted to be “the man” with a tricky little legal plan that would let the administration do whatever it wants while pretending to obey the law, but Specter has the standing as chairman to negotiate with the WH and bring his plan forward first. It isn’t surprising that most of the senators are wigglers. That is the basic policy on bills that aren’t even out of committee. I’m not saying that’s how it should be, but there are reasons for it.
Great job, Matt, Christy, and everyone else!

OT: The Donna Edwards campaign to unseat freaky machine Democrat Al Wynn is heating up here in Maryland. She works mostly on the other side of our district, so I haven’t seen too much of her, but she’ll be coming to my part of the district more soon, I hope. Today she was endorsed by ACORN. She definitely appreciated the boost she got from the firepups.

peace,
jim

Blank Kludge says: “Foreclosure filings in Massachusetts increased 66 percent in the second quarter, according to data released yesterday, a trend that is expected to continue over the next year.”
July 25th, 2006 at 7:28 am

Are foreclosure filings statistics available on a state by state basis and/or on a county by county basis?

RevDeb and other FDLers in Massachusetts – after you’ve read the Boston Globe story about foreclosures for which Blank Kludge provided a link in his comments at 7:28, what can you tell us about economic conditions in the Boston area?

Wow, ain’t that sumthin’, T- at 93! Now lessee, who ordered in hanger steak, risotto and Caesar salad X10 yesterday?

While in Baghdad . . .

‘I’ve lost count of the people I know who have been killed’

Ali al-Hamdani, who is half Shia and half Sunni and works for The Times in Baghdad, describes life in the western district of Jihad where sectarian warfare rages

And Afghanistan . . .

Accidental victims flee homes for filthy camp

What the Liberal Media won’t report!

The Iraqi military has been rebuilt!

However, it has been rebuilt by Saddamn loyalists who will never work with the US backed government, according to the fugitive Izzat Ibrahim Al-Douri, better known as the King of Spades.

http://abcnews.go.com/Internat…..SFeeds0312

-GSD

Just wrote to my two Senators. FWIW, below is my text to Norm Coleman, which anyone is free to copy and hack as you might wish. The text to Democrat Mark Dayton was identical except that I struck the last sentence of the third paragraph, beginning “While there may be . . “

Dear Senator Coleman:

I am writing to urge you to oppose Senate Bill S-2453, the National Security Surveillance Act of 2006.

The importance of this bill goes beyond the partisan politics of today to the very question of what kind of government the United States will have going forward. This bill is an abject surrender to the Presidency of the Constitutional authority and prerogatives of the Congress and the Judicial Branch. It would be a giant step toward the kind of autocracy that the founders of our Constitutional system took such pains to try to preclude 219 years ago.

In the process of insulating the present administration from the consequences of its blatantly illegal activity over the past five years, it also emasculates the concepts of Congressional oversight and judicial review that have been critical to our system of checks and balances over the past two centuries. As the conservative jurist Bruce Fein has pointed out, the precedents of the presidential prerogatives that Bush administration is asserting will be like loaded guns left in the Oval Office for future presidents to use and abuse. While there may be some short-term advantage to your party if these precedents are established, think about what it might mean when in the future a very different party holds the presidency.

To support this bill as it is now written would be nothing less than a violation of your oath to “protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Please use your influence on those of your colleagues who are on the Senate Judiciary Committee to oppose Senate Bill S-2453 it in the forthcoming committee vote, and also oppose it personally on the Senate floor should the bill get that far.

The future of Constitutional government in the United States of America depends on you.

Sincerely,

. . . .

By the way, the link below will lead you to contact info for all Senators, including fax numbers in both Washington and home state offices.
http://www.senate.gov/general/…..rs_cfm.cfm

Smashing letter, Minnesotachuck — just smashing!

http://democrats.senate.gov/dp…..-109-2-112

Number of Iraqis who had access to potable water before invasion: 13 million
Number of Iraqis who have access to potable water, according to the April 2006 SIGIR report: 8 million
Number of the planned 142 health care clinics that actually will be completed under the Army Corps of Engineers $243 million program: 20
Number of the planned 136 sanitation and water projects that will be completed: 49
Number of Iraqi physicians registered prior to the invasion: 34,000
Number of Iraqi physicians who have been murdered or fled the country since the invasion: 14,000
Infant mortality rate in Iraq: (Middle East average is 37, sub-Saharan Africa average is 105): 102

Average number of daily attacks by insurgents in June 2004: 45
Average number of daily attacks by insurgents in June 2006: 90

Rank of Iraq on the “failed states” index: 4
Rank of Afghanistan on the “failed states” index: 10
Rank of Iraq among all nations as a training ground for terrorists: 1

I said it before, I am SO excited about the differance we are able to make

this is no small thing, we are doing things that are HUGE

kudos firedoglake..KUDOS

anyway, I want to repost what I said on a prior post becuase it is SO apprapoe;

we are in a war of words and even though WE know what’s at stake, the republciann base DOES NOT, nor do most democrats

some people actually believe they are doing the right ting by defending these actions

we have been loosing the war of words and it’s time to start winning it

“the ONLY reason to conduct searches without warrants is if a person wants to gather information that has nothing to do with national security, information nobody would agree they should have.

it doesn’t matter if you think you haven’t done anything wrong so you are not ocncerned, because there is stealing going on.

with this program and no warrants, with no doubt these people can and WILL steal your company secrets, with the financial information they are able to gather they can and WILL take over your most valuable contracts, find your sources, they can out bid you whenever they want, they can learn the people and contacts tou have spent your entire carrer to aquire.

they can steal your trade secrets, they can tell where you’ve been, where you are going, what you are doing, what you have done, what you are buying, who you are buying from, to who you are selling, what price you pay, what price you get, how you manufacture your goods, how you develope your product

ONCE keeping our personal affairs private was a concervative position and you need to insure you keep people from taking from you what they are not entitled

there is NOTHING that would not have been gathered WITH warrants and WITHOUT breaking both the law and the oath this president made to god and country

nothing…not one thing….nada…zilcho…zero…ummm…nothing

the ONLY reason to conduct searches without warrants is if you want to gather information that has nothing to do with national security, information nobody would agree you should have.”

now THAT’S the way to bring the point home to the base

#9– I visited the House and Senate office buildings this spring and I can vouch for you. Letters are delayed as much as 6 weeks to the offices on Capitol Hill, and they come smushed up in a cube about 8 inches square! I live near DC, and I find visiting the offices in person, with a letter in hand, gets a good response.

What was Graham’s plan Jim? I’ve only seen info from his office re: the commissions; I didn’t realize he had a surveillance proposal too.

JohnC – I think that is very likely (not wanting to be briefed) Specter is also not “on the list” for briefing right now and they would have to make a case for briefing just the Republican head of Judiciary and not the ranking member, who I think is Leahy, who I think would be perfectly happy to go toe to toe with the adequate VP’s office. My guess is Leahy doesn’t top the list of the guys that OVP would like to try to armtwist.

In an effort to try to make a running shot at legality, the admin had the ‘gang of 8′ (I swear we are getting so many “gangs” in Congress, with 8 and 14 etc. that they are soon going to have to get tatoos and colors) that it briefed. Harman, as ranking minority member on the HOuse Intel, was briefed. Since the original briefings, the admin “let” a couple of other Congressmembers be briefed as well. Dems got to, I believe, pick 2 addtional members on the Sen Intel committee to be briefed. I know DiFi was one. I remember just hoping and praying that it would be Feingold instead, but it was not to be. So, of people who have been briefed (through their intel committee affiliation) you have Harman (with Conyers) who has a bill; Hoekstra who has a bill, and there had been a Specter-DiFi bill. Now there’s a Specter-WH bill. FWIW

I contacted Bunning and McConnell’s offices. Nice staffers who could tell I was mad and tried “pass my concern along” without even asking for contact info – I don’t think they wanted to note it as a constituent call.

Bunning – no position yet.
McConnell – no position yet.

I said I understood not normally having a position while the bill is in Committee, but that this was a very important matter, pretty much historic. No judicial staffers available bc another bill was being debated on the floor. They will, of course, do whatever the WH wants. I’m going to go the LTE route if I get a chance and copy their offices.

lotus,
It sure sounded like this guy wanted to be outed. Let’s do him that favor.

Did you get the feeling he’s a sitting senator, or challenging an incumbent?
I got the feeling of a little misdirection with the “…condition that he be identified only as a GOP Senate candidate.”

Faxing or mailing letters…which is noticed more?
Good letter MnChuck
Called Coleman & Dayton, no position yet but Dayton’s staff person thought he would not be for it.

here’s my point, bold is my adendum;

we want oversight and checks and balances as the Founders envisioned, not a blank check for George Bush.[b]

we need to know the people that are tasked with protecting our national security aren’t using their power to steal from me and my families

things like that I think are VERY umportant in this war of words we have been loosing….it’s time we started to win that war

I want would like add the adendum

OT– omg– Dick Durbin reads al- Maliki the riot act wrt Hizbollah and his call for a ceasefire.

He brings up the dead Marines in Beirut and says that not only should al- Maliki condemn terrorism in Iraq, but also by Hizbollah. (on cnn)

Methinks that is a bit over the top for us to be lecturing the democratically elected PM of Iraq… or is it the New American Iraq?

Project in progress — props to Senator Dorgan’s office staffer in Washington for calling back so promptly. While the Senator has not yet taken a position on this specific piece of legislation/trial balloon, I know him to be a strong advocate for progressive issues I care about.

While we talked, I introduced the staffer to firedoglake.com and he looked up the site. Loves the Billary….

Sidebar: today, Senator Dorgan’s book, Take This Job and Ship It: How Corporate Greed and Brain Dead Politics Are Selling Out America is released. I hope you’ll take a look at it, consider it for a Sunday afternoon book session. And join me in getting a copy for yourself, and another for your local library.

Wot’s Chimpy announcing now (CNN)?

Ah — more troops in B’dad and more “tools” for Iraqi troops there.

He’s not reading his script worth a damn.

It’s the presser by the chimp and his belligerent puppet, lotus.

Happy, happy, democratically elected, progress, terrorists, security, blah.

Minnesotachuk 8:09 – excellent.

weeder 7:27 – all I know about Hamdan is on the case law front. The day to day criminal prosec. issues are out of my depth. My understanding is that the surface rationale for taking the notes was the they were investigating the suicides andthere was a theory that the lawyers and/or lawyers notes were being somehow used to communicate suicide strategies. That sounds incredibly far-fetched to me, but I don’t know the basis. They have, supposedly, held the notes and want to use a filter team to go through them – it’s hard to say what to think without knowing more, but taking atty-client info is pretty egregious and I would think that it should only be done if there were some horrible threat presented. I’m not sure what the threat of a prisoner committing suicide, especially after you’ve had FOUR YEARS to “interrogate” them, would be. It all sounds pretty lame, but there may be some much more compelling facts we just don’t know.

These days, where the Government and Gov institutions are involved, it’s like believing in the tooth fairy to think they act with integrity – but you never know.

Edgar is showing off Charlie on CNN

heh, *ilson.

Or Mortimer showing off Charlie, more like . . .

T- @ 93 & 108, lotus @ 97

Hmmm . . . Jim Talent (MO), perhaps?

Talent’s in a big fight with Claire McCaskill, and keeps wishing Dubya would shut up about stem cells. MO has a ballot measure coming in Nov that would allow stem cell research, and the wingnuts have gone beserk over it. On the other side, much of the business and most of the research communities are backing it. Talent, despite pressure from the right has yet to take a big public position on the ballot measure, as he’s trying to keep the center from going Democratic.

If I’m right about the identity of the mystery candidate in Milbank’s piece, it seems like Talent could be ripe for some phonecalls on Specter’s bill. Says Milbank:

his willingness to speak so critically, if anonymously, about the party he will represent on Election Day points to a growing sense among Republicans that if they are to retain their majorities in Congress, they may have to throw the president under the train in all but the safest, reddest states.

Opposing Specter’s bill could be an easy step to take for someone who thinks such thoughts about Dear Leader’s leadership.

To the phones, Show-Me-Staters, and ask Talent to live up to the state motto: “Show me how this is constitutional. Show me how Specter’s bill does anything except provide a get out of jail free card! Show me how it will help keep a runaway executive branch under control!”

[Moderators: Note that the reference to throwing the president “under the train” comes from the candidate, not any of us firepups. Wouldn’t want to be seen advocating violence around here.]

OT according to the fugitive Izzat Ibrahim Al-Douri, better known as the King of Spades.

No one has ever really followed up on the “deck of cards” captures that were released (to Jordan I think?) have they?

and, over in the DLC area:

Some Democrats Unfurl a Map for a Middle Road
Pocketbook issues form the core of a Leadership Council centrist plan to produce party members who are more ‘practical’ and ‘accepting.’
By Mark Z. Barabak, Times Staff Writer
July 25, 2006

“DENVER — Centrist Democrats, led by Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, unveiled a policy manifesto Monday aimed at winning Congress and the White House and distancing the party from its clamorous left wing.

“The prescription, directed at middle-class voters and focused on economic issues, capped a three-day meeting of the Democratic Leadership Council, another installment in the party’s search for itself.

“Highlights included proposals to make college tuition and home-buying more accessible, expand the availability of healthcare, and provide greater retirement security — all leavened with a smidgen of Bush-bashing.”

[snip}

“With a stated mission of moving the party toward the center, the organization has been derided as ‘Democrats for the Leisure Class’ by the Rev. Jesse Jackson and as the ‘Republican wing of the Democratic Party’ by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, now chairman of the Democratic National Committee. (The council said Dean had been invited to Denver; a party spokeswoman said the invitation was never received but there were no hard feelings.)

“Lately, the attacks have been taken up on the left side of the blogosphere, where the council has been branded an enemy of true Democrats and where the council’s acolytes — chief among them Sen. Clinton — have been declared sellouts.

“Vilsack alluded to those sentiments in his opening speech Monday. He called the council ‘a problem-solving organization, a creative-thinking organization,’ not a grass-roots or so-called net-roots (Web-based) organization. Although all are elemental to the party’s success, he said, what the council produces is ‘practical Democrats.’”

Howard may have decided these people are so busy with protecting incumbents that they couldn’t hear what he’s saying.

MinnesotaChuck – I have more scathing emails and phone calls to Dayton in the last 6 months than the last 6 years. He is absolutely a dismal failure. And I believe he is preparing for a corporate glory job. Why else would he, a supposed liberal dem (or so I had been brainwashed into believing) wanting to help the regular guy, talking such mealymouth.

I have regular firey phone calls to his local office in the Twin Cities.

Mmm, entirely likely, Peterr 121. Let’s think of who-all we could definitely rule out among incumbents up this time (has to be an incumbent, or Fristy wouldna been dropping in).

I don’t know what jules at 122 is jabbering about but I suggest that it get deleted, along with this comment.

Jules? what Jules? refresh (F5) your entire page — you wont find any ‘Jules’ anywhere …

Senator’s Chambliss and Isakson have “not decided”
as of 11:40 AM. Tuesday the 25th.

Chambliss and Isakson havent decided coz they havent gotten Rove’s fax yet …

Steve Soto has a good post on the DLC MushFab in Denver –

http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/008281.php

Minnesota:
As of 10:45 a.m. Tuesday, neither Coleman nor Dayton will admit to “having any position on this matter as yet.”

lotus @ 125

I’d rule out folks like Santorum and Burns, as their races are tied to all kinds of other issues. Lincoln Chafee wouldn’t be likely to want Dubya to come stump for him, but he also wouldn’t dare even whisper the things that “the candidate” did to the press, even on background. Finally, Frist’s comments make it sound like this guy is a first termer up for reelection

All in all, I’d bet we’re talking about Talent. Time to lean on him, and hard, about opposing Specter’s bill. It doesn’t sound like this candidate (Talent or someone else) would need a really big push . . .

With a stated mission of moving the party toward the center

COOL!! Granted, they have a lot of left-stepping to do to get to center from that “to the right of Shays and Chaffee” spot they have held, but it’s nice to see them heading there. ;-)

“practical Democrats” eh? Or did they mean, if they head from the right to the center, they’ll be “practically Democrats”?

new thread, gang

Chimpy gotta get ahead of bad bad Baghdad news Maliki delivers today.

Well, I called Schumer (I’m a resident of NYState) and got the ol’ runaround. “Sen. Schumer has not stated any position” re the Specter bill. Schumer is, however, trying to schedule an additional hearing to “explore” the issues.

I can only hope that Schumer is avoiding tipping his hand in public and hoping that delay will give us time to build public and senate opposition to the bill. Who knows?

I also asked how calls are going on this issue and was told, “I don’t know; this is actually the first call I’ve taken today on it.”

I did not go into a legal discussion of my reasons to oppose the bill. I confined myself to two simple points:

1. The breakdown of checks and balances that is shredding the constitution and allowing the administration to run amok.

2. The fact that the Senate can choose to ignore its own oversight responsibilities and those of the judiciary, but it’s absurd to think they can enshrine that abdication into law with this bill.

Graham was involved in DeWine’s plan to authorize the NSA program through congress without involving the FISA court. Most of the Feingold censure hearing (other than posturing) was spent on Graham and Specter proposing these different bills as solutions to the NSA situation.

I really don’t understand Durbin’s position on amnesty for Iraqi’s etc. I’m sure it has some attractiveness to some folks, but I don’t see how it promotes anything positive. I guess he has kind of picked a role in the discussion where he comes off as the big Democratic tough guy who supports the troops and he wants to stay in that role. Whatever.
peace,
jim

one of the most competitive Senate races in the country

getting all kinds of cooperation from the White House, the Republican National Committee and GOP congressional leaders

Bush’s low standing in his home state

“He’s the best!” cheered Frist … But if such affection is mutual, the candidate did not always show it

monogrammed shirt … French cuffs sprouting cuff links coordinated with his necktie. He ate carefully, removing the gelatinous yolk

“For me, the seminal moment was the [Dubai] port decision.”

Okay, y’all in states with incumbent Gooper senators in tight, bright races, please stand up.

P.J. Evans 8:36 am — Wow. Thanks for pointing that out. That’s f*cking ballsy of the DLC, to separate itself from the netroots…

After it milked the netroots for the ideas it’s proposing through its previous (and lame) project, SinceSlicedBread.com.

Intellectual property thieves. Base-hating frauds. Republican Lite. That’s the DLC for you.

Peterr (if still here), I bet you’re right … just nosing around for confirmation-routes.

bushco does not want a temp solution, but a permanent one to the Israel/Lebanon war.

you know, a temporary peace would be preferable to this mayhem and would give people time to come to a diplomatic solution.

but they are in charge and want a permanent solution by blowing people to smithereens.

Called my Montana Senators, Baucus (D) and Burns(R), both said they haven’t taken a position to bill. I explained why the bill is bad for America, mentioned the ABA statement on Presidential signing statements and ended with, “I don’t believe that anyone who supports this bill deserves to be a Senator. Senators take an oath to protect the Constitution and this bill seeks to destroy it. No one who is willing to give up their constitutional duty of oversight desrves to be in Congress.”

I called Senator Coleman’s office (Republican, Minnesota) and his office had no position on the bill. I called Senator Dayton’s office (Democrat) and they said that he had no position because it is still in committee, but that he would probably oppose it.

lotus

I’m still here, but The Kid is pushing to go swimming, so I probably won’t be around much longer.

The RNC and others are scared of losing Talent’s seat, in part because of the math in keeping the Senate, but also because of his opponent. Claire McCaskill, is a former prosecutor, and I can’t imagine that the Republicans in DC would like having any more democrats with strong “law-and-order” credentials in the Senate. Too much likelihood that they’ll try to hold someone accountable.

Christy, McCaskill might be worth putting on your candidate du jour list for a future post . . .

I called DeWine’s office yesterday and was shunted to voicemail of a staffer. Tried again today and stopped them before they could do that again.
Expressed exasperation: Why don’t YOU know the Senator’s position on important bills?
“We’re all assigned certain bills, I can’t know everything about everything.”
Give me strength. How hard would it be to have a simple list next to phone of bills? Senate Bill xxxx: Yes. No. Maybe.
So I told her how this constituent felt about making spying retroactively legal, and told Voinovich’s office the same.
WIgglers.

Called Wyden and Smith’s local numbers – neither office had any info on positions the senators might have taken (7/25).

no matter what the issue is, whenever I call Schumer and Clinton I get the same response “no position as yet”

is this the standard response for whenever a real live constituent calls their elected reps??? or do these senators really have no position until they are forced to vote (infront of us tnx to c-span) ?

as Blue St Senators one would think they DO have a position on the spector bill so why do they keep it to themselves?

Schumer’s not committed? His bill directly opposes Specter’s. I just called our contact at his office in NYC, and got voice mail. I’ve sent out an email. I’ll let you know the response and update the schumer watch later today. I’m between meetings at the moment.

Now *ilson, if you delete poor old jules but don’t leave blank (or “moderated into extinction”) comments in place all our “X @ 123″ comments get all jumbled up. Makes my “jules @82″, now at 85, refer to my perfectly good comment, now at 82.

Besides, I wasn’t around to see what poor ole jules was going on about at 122 and sometimes I just like to see what the babbling brigade is doing, without, of course, going over to LGF or RedState. (I have no idea how Wolcott has the stomach for it!)

Sigh

My humble contribution to Senators Pryor and Lincoln (some excerpts shamelessly lifted from Minnesotachuck’s letter):

Senator:

There comes a time when one just has to say “ENOUGH!”. That time is now. If I may direct your attention to Senate Bill 2453 – National Security Surveillance Act of 2006, introduced by “Snarlin’” Arlen Specter… or as I prefer to call it: Presidential Get Out Of Jail Free Card Act of 2006.

In previous correspondence to your office, I have expressed a strong suspicion of the current President and his wanton disregard of the Constitution in his fervent prosecution of the “War On Terra”. In my humble opinion, the aforementioned bill, which is currently in committee and scheduled for discussion tomorrow only provides retroactive cover for the President and makes “legal” that which is contrary to the spirit of the Fourth Amendment. This bill is an abject surrender to the Presidency of the Constitutional authority and prerogatives of the Congress and the Judicial Branch. It would be a giant step toward the kind of autocracy that the founders of our Constitutional system took such pains to try to preclude 219 years ago.

Apparently, The Honorable Senator Specter is not aware of legislation that has been on the books some thirty or so years which accommodates quite nicely the surveillance aspect of the “War On Terra”, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act – or as you may know it, FISA. The concept is rather straightforward: If you’re going to monitor me, you need to get a warrant. You can even get one after the fact. You can even go to a “secret” court to get your warrant. Historically, FISA warrants have enjoyed a gloriously high approval rate. To Mr. Bush: “Try it… You’ll like it.”

To support S-2453 as it is now written would be nothing less than a violation of your oath to “protect and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic.” Please use your influence on those of your colleagues who are on the Senate Judiciary Committee to oppose Senate Bill S-2453 in the forthcoming committee vote, and also oppose it personally on the Senate floor should the bill get that far.

As always, thank you for your consideration.

Warm Regards,

Dr. Bong

Bong-boy, I’ve just lately cottoned to the fact that you’re an Arkansan. Where you are? I spent the happiest 10 years of my life in Fetvul.

knotlookin

In Schumer’s case, I believe that he prefers not to take a position until he has to. Bills often never come to a vote, and so he doesn’t risk alienating some set of voters by taking a position on a moot issue.

It’s sorta like the position Dodd and others are taking on Liberman. They endorse him in the primary, and won’t commit to a hypothetical Lamont candidacy.

Bella Vista

Just got this from Russ Feingold’s office and am passing it along — will send it out to you Matt, as well, for the tally.

http://www.feingold.senate.gov…..eement.htm

Feingold strongly opposes the Specter bill. Just FYI to everyone. Yay, Russ!

worky in Fetvul. If you haven’t been around for a couple years, you’d be absolutely astonished at the growth between Bentonvul, Rogers, Lowl and Fetvul… BIG $$$’s down here. Just tryin to figger out how get my share.

:-)

I personally called Sen Pryor and Blanche Lincoln office yesterday and reported to roots project both Senators had no position. Not to sure the breakdown of wiggle/no feedback categories help.

Just called Ron Wyden’s office (9:50 a.m. Pacific time). Still no position. Gave ‘em my 2 cents, “capitulation to the Bush administration’s power grab, not necessary, a terrible bill,” blah blah. She took my zip code, which is a good sign that at least they are keeping track of calls.

I spoke with a staff member from Sen. Mel Martinez’ office and the office of Sen. Bill Nelson. They did not acknowledge any familiarity with Senator Spector’s FISA bill. Firedoglake provided all the information neccessary to bring their staff members out of the dark…Thank you!

Christy – thanks for pushing hard on this issue. I just called both my Washington State Senators – I’ve never called them about anything before this. Both calls were taken by aides who were very polite, but both stated that Senators Murray and Cantwell had not yet taken a position. Senator Murray is circulating some ‘Friends of the Senate’ letter that outlines a general opposition or something like that.

I spieled to both of them that this whitewash effort by Spector is simply unbelievable, especially from the perspective that FISA was a direct result of the abuse of power by Nixon. I told both aides that all good Democratic Senators should have no hesitation of any kind and should flat out state that this whitewash of flat-out illegal wiretapping and electronic eavesdropping by Bush is simply unacceptable.

Presidential Get Out Of Jail Free Card Act of 2006 – thanks Dr. Bong — that’s a riot.

Okinawa Dave

EPU territory…….just spoke with both Senator Snowe and Senator COllins office help. Neither has taken a position on this issue, and both staffers sounded as if they’d never heard of this issue but I could go to their websites to see what stands the senators take on various issues.

Thanks for your talking points on yesterday’s post. Hugely increased my confidence in saying my speak, and I did not let them hang up on me until I’d said it all!!!

PS I also reminded Snowe’s office that this IS an election year for her, and that I would have no problem in working to defeat her if she failed the represent my views on this and other issues.

GO FDL.

Minnesotachuck, thanks for your inspiring letter to your senators and the list of contact information.
I will crib from your letter and use the list often.

Hi Egregious @61 – thanks for helping to pass along the bits of information I added yesterday –

and Matt@68 – sorry, you’re right, I’m sitting on information: real life intervened, had to leave the computer.

But here are my notes on Judiciary Committee members – and in each case I talked with at least one staffer, not answering machines. Except for Cornyn who was completely unreachable.

Leahy: as I already reported, is strongly opposed to this bill which he thinks will weaken FISA.

Jeffords: no position yet.

Biden: no position, but getting a lot of calls.

Feinstein: the staffer believes she’s not in support, as she’s getting ready to introduce her own bill which will be a “stronger bill”.

Kennedy: no statement yet. In opposition to giving more power to the president.

Schumer: looking into it. Wants more hearings. Not satisfied with the bill.

Feingold: staffer can’t speak for the Senator’s views, but will pass comments along.

Durbin: Staffer not too sure, but he’s not comfortable with the language of the bill; he’s very concerned.

Republicans: staffers were polite while listening to my concerns; no republican senator had taken a position yet; of course, I did not pose that question to Specter’s staffer; and my message would be passed along. One or two staffers (sorry I can’t recall who) asked for address and zip code.

Herb Kohl is Wisconsin’s Lieberman. Will call and write, but so far that sort of effort has always been met with a “I don’t think you understand where I’m coming from, dumbass” form letter stating why he eventually voted the way he voted (which was not the progressive vote), and by the way just because I voted for illegitimate bankruptcy reform doesn’t mean I cater to my donors in the financial industry, where do you get these wierd liberal conspiracy theories.

As for Feingold, I will call and write as well, but I honestly trust him, his motives, and his Rhodes scholar intellect to do the right thing. It actually makes me feel a little better about him that he is pragmatic and does not feel the need to placate the progressive call to arms until he is ready to do so – it makes his own progressive actions seem so much more genuine, as opposed to those senators who only take progressive action as a resonse to overwhelming calls and pressure. Not that there is anything wrong with overwhelming calls and pressure, just good to know there is a guy who will do the right thing 99% of the time even when not being contacted by every motivated blog reader.

Take heart, dear Feingold lovers, wherever you are.

I called Levin and Stabenow again today. Neither has stated his(or her) position but Levin’s phone answerer said that Levin is very aware of the situation and knows that the Judiciary Committee will be holding a hearing tomorrow. On both calls, they listened as I detailed some points from Michael Grecco’s statement of oppostition, and urged them to have someone on the senator’s staff review the entire statement and present it to the senator. Hopefully they will.

Frank Lautenberg – the staffer reported that the senator had “no official stance” at this time and would likely take one after it went to committee.

Robert Menedez – also no official stance.

Frank Pallone – The staffer I spoke to said they didn’t know the congressman’s positon and the person that did was not in the office or reachable at the time I called. They did offer to send me a letter on Pallone’s position and suggested I call back.

Both sentators’ offices took my name, phone number and address and offered to send me info when it became available and suggested I call back after the bill was out of committee… So I guess that’s what I’ll do.

OK.
I had a nice talk with DeWine’s very patriotically named staffer who is charged with getting feedback on this bill. He called me back from yesterday’s voicemail.
What I said was I didn’t want Hillary to have these powers. (I don’t want ANY prez to have these powers, but anyway.) “God forbid we have the Hillary Unitary Executive.” and then, “This bill isn’t ‘just good for one presidency only,’ is it?” No. I urged him to get the senator to think of the future, to limit the powers of the president and not the Senate.

I called Johnny Isaacson’s office yesterday and was passed around to three different people before I got to one who said he knew what I was talking about. He didn’t know the Senator’s position, but said he would find out and get back to me. I had to remind him to take down my address, and then I could tell he wasn’t really doing it.

I emailed Senators Allard and Salazar from Colorado; I got the usual boilerplate crap back from Allard about how Bush was authorized to bypass the FISA courts by the “permission slip” that Congress passed. I was actually surprised that I got such a long email response with his position statement, though I suppose they are all being more careful with how the party line is presented these days.

I have not yet gotten a response from Senator Salazar.

I called DeWine of Ohio and asked to speak with the Aide that oversees Judiciary issues. And that is Ben Franklin…I’ve spoken to this guy before. He was on the phone but I left a message covering the points you outlined.

I want Sherrod Brown to be my Senator so bad…I can taste it. I am so sick and tired of these rubber-stamping a-hole pugs from Ohio.

Thanks for getting the word out on this.

I like the idea of the handwritten letters. I think I’ll try that.

Dr. Bong at #150 at 9:50: You’re welcome!

Hi,

I called Feingold’s office. He has issued a public statement “strongly opposing” this Specter legislation!

Horray. Put Feingold in the patriot category

Called Feinstein’s office. She too is opposed but has not issued a public statement to this effect. She already has existing legislation out there which seeks to close the loopholes the Bush administration has exploited – so that’s kind of a public statement.

I encouraged a strong public statement nevertheless, against this piece-of-crap legistlation!

Called Boxer’s office. No position. I told the aide that there is no excuse for Boxer not putting this one on the front burner – rule of law and defending the Constitution trump all the “myriad of legislation” that the aide said Senator Boxer is considering.

I also chastised her for her stumping for Joe Lieberman.

Called Adam Schiff (my district too) and asked him for a position. He is studying it but has no public statement. I urged one from him as a sign of leadership on this issue – he sits on the House Judiciary Committee. Will call his local office too.

Regards,

Patrick Briggs,
Pasadena, CA

I had heard that hand written letters were not effective only because of the security precautions that backlog mail to our representatives. The delay in their seeing it diminishes the impact…as I’ve understood it.

Has something changed?

Regards,

Patrick

Patrick — send snail mail to the local offices — DC mail gets bollixed up and quite delayed. A handwritten fax to DC is not inappropriate …

Patrick Briggs, with handwritten letters, there may be a security delay if you send them through US mail.

I have hand delivered letters to my Senators’ local offices with good result. I enclose the letter in an unsealed envelope. Staffers send it on to Washington – my impression is that they either fax it or send it in a priority delivery – because they imply the letter goes immediately to the Washington offices.

Put calls into Feinstein’s office — as noted, she does not support the bill; Boxer’s office — no position but I left my zip and the staffer asked me my views which I politely noted. She thanked me and said she’d pass them along.

Someone above made what is I think a very good point: we are causing the Senators NOT on the Judiciary Committee to take notice of the bill and our views, even if it is off their immediate task list

slade at 169

fellow OH-an! tw Diebold & our distinguished R-run mess here… ooogh!

So happy to hear your take on Sherrod.

I wrote him as well as the current R-crew, kind-of to give him a heads-up, in case he could use the issue in his campaigning.

Would you want to call him? I haven’t heard back from him yet, but he’s usually awfully good in responding.

WITH YOU all the way – SO hope he smothers DeW!

Called Sen. John Kyl’s (AZ) office. The staffer says Kyl hasn’t made a public statement yet and does not know how the senator will vote. Yeah, right. Kyl will do whatever Bush wants him to do.

Passed my concerns along to the staffer. Who knows? It is an election year, maybe Kyl will surprise me, but that’s a forlorn hope.

busy here virtually all day w/ family stuff. Went well, folks back on the road, & me back to lurking.

It’s been a BUSY day at FDL. I’m so proud of everyone.

Can’t remember which post-er, but it tickled me so much that someone got a Sen. staffer interested in FDL. BRAVO!

Thanks everyone! Specter must be sweating bullets, heh.

As of about 4:30 EDT, Schumer had still not taken any public opinion on the matter. So I explained to the staffer why Schumer should vote against this bill.

No position yet from Nevada Senators Reid and Ensign. I urged that they reject S 2453. Both staffers did not seem overly familiar with the bill.

Just faxed letters to everyone on the Judiciary Committee — the ones to the Repubs were less partisan than the ones to the Dems. As Christy and Jane said, it makes more of an impact if we each draft something unique to our own style. As an attorney, my letter will probably sound different than a school teacher’s. It feels good to feel like hopefully together we can make a difference!