AT but important – a lot of information about who did or didn’t do what leading up to 9/11 is contained in the book “The Looming Tower” by Wright. I can’t recommend it highly enough. There is a lot about Our Fitz in there too, and his work convicting terrorists.

Thank you!!

immanentize @
162

I cannot help but think that the organizational aspects on this issue from the Democratic side was way behind the curve. There has been tremendous individual and even small group actions by people here and elsewhere (many of which I have been involved in). But organized grass roots pressure on Democratic officials generally started too late this time. The Path to 9/11 was taking a lot of everyone’s time, I know. Sure Digby predicted it, but our collective action and positioning really did not begin until after McCain, Graham and Warner rolled. Lessons for the future.

Money-riven top-down outfits like Microsoft or the right-wing conspiracy can react quickly. For bottom-up volunteer activities, whether open-source software or politics, it takes time for a climate of opinion to form. We have to know that about ourselves and have our scouts out looking for incipient dangers. And then we have to listen to them. Marty Lederman has been on this for months, doing outstanding work. I’ve been super-concerned about this matter ever since I saw Gonzales brefore Warner’s committee on Aug. 2. But it was only within the last three weeks or so that I started following Marty on a daily basis. That’s probably due to my own ineptitude, but maybe we need some resource to alert people about up-coming dangers and about who is the authoritative expert on each of them.

But, again, everyone concerned with this matter would have been a lot more shrill if they had any idea that Democratic leaders in the Senate would rollover on this.

Hello,

Did I miss something here, didn’t the ball really start rolling on this over the weekend? How the hell are we supposed to get traction when even Kennedy and Feingold didn’t find out about the Judiciary hearing until Friday. They were both unable to attend because the meeting was called in such haste. And these hearings rarely take place on Monday.

Where have I been, I feel so totally blindsided by this, I think that most of us are reeling. This is just devastating …

Did anyone else know that this legislation was impending? My understanding is that it was horribly cobbled together over the weekend.

I know I’m EPU’d here, but anyone … ?

I spent HOURS working on communications to Senator Levin’s office this week; I already know that if the rail cars line up and the men in dark trench coats start pounding on the doors at 2:00 am, I’m going to be one of the people they round up for what I’ve written, said, done. And I’m not going down without a fight; I’ve got school-aged kids watching, who need to know what it is to fight for their rights, who need to know that the U.S. wasn’t always this corrupt or morally bankrupt.

I agree with every word of this. How can those of us with kids make any different choice? Throw me in jail if you must, but I’m not taking this shit. Not orchestrated by these thugs.

And Rayne? If we end up in a Gulag, I’d like to be in your block. And that goes for the rest of you guys too.

Organized Crime.

I cannot help but think that the organizational aspects on this issue from the Democratic side was way behind the curve. There has been tremendous individual and even small group actions by people here and elsewhere (many of which I have been involved in). But organized grass roots pressure on Democratic officials generally started too late this time. The Path to 9/11 was taking a lot of everyone’s time, I know. Sure Digby predicted it, but our collective action and positioning really did not begin until after McCain, Graham and Warner rolled. Lessons for the future.

Money-riven top-down outfits like Microsoft or the right-wing conspiracy can react quickly. For bottom-up volunteer activities, whether open-source software or politics, it takes time for a climate of opinion to form. We have to know that about ourselves and have our scouts out looking for incipient dangers. And then we have to listen to them. Marty Lederman has been on this for months, doing outstanding work. I’ve been super-concerned about this matter ever since I saw Gonzales brefore Warner’s committee on Aug. 2. But it was only within the last three weeks or so that I started following Marty on a daily basis. That’s probably due to my own ineptitude, but maybe we need some resource to alert people about up-coming dangers and about who is the authoritative expert on each of them.

But, again, everyone concerned with this matter would have been a lot more shrill if they had any idea that Democratic leaders in the Senate would rollover on this.

I f*cking hate whining without action. And I hate brash assumptions even more – as if many of us here reading FDL need sanctimonious whiners complaining to us about this unConstitutional crap being foisted on us.

I spent HOURS working on communications to Senator Levin’s office this week; I already know that if the rail cars line up and the men in dark trench coats start pounding on the doors at 2:00 am, I’m going to be one of the people they round up for what I’ve written, said, done. And I’m not going down without a fight; I’ve got school-aged kids watching, who need to know what it is to fight for their rights, who need to know that the U.S. wasn’t always this corrupt or morally bankrupt.

Or that Americans weren’t always such whiney spoiled lazy sh*ts.

Steve: it’s a private communications network of progressive activists, bloggers and some DC staffers where we on the outside put the insiders on notice, cajole them when necessary when they seem perhaps ready to do the right thing, work out plans like the ABC/Disney campaign and share information to facilitate knowledge and news transfer across the Internets. It’s not something people can just “join.” It’s an invitation thing.

I know some people suspect such a bit of infrastructure is a bad thing, but it’s a very good thing and it works. We appreciate that you all hold us to public account, as accountability is one of our core values, but let the tinfoil hats remain at bay. We don’t lie to you and we don’t betray you. Ever.

Thanks. That’s exactly what is needed. Great!

Christy Hardin Smith @ 124 When I first read the comment, I couldn’t even remember what Townhouse was! For Heaven’s sake, without the collaboration of progressive bloggers, there would be far less truth in the blogosphere. In my experience, there is seldom a downside to collaboration unless is is regarding illegal activities.

So, what exactly is “the Townhouse”?

Just called Feinstein’s office– while I coouldn’t get her position pinned down, the guy taking my call volunteered that they’ve been getting a lot of calls on this, and he said a lot shared “my view” on habeas corpus (i,e., don’t you DARE shred the Constitution!). To me, that’s a good sign– no matter what happens, our voice is getting through on some level…

I can’t account for the reactions of others. I can only convey what I know is going on, without betraying my word to let candid, private communications be private.

In the end, private communications do not require one to be corrupted or coopted: these things are a function of the character of the participants, and of that, for us here at FDL and elsewhere, you must make your independent judgments. The matter of incentives is also material: since we are outsiders who will remain outsiders, we do not rely on the insiders for a livlihood.

We’re playing a high stakes, multidimensional game here that is really no “game”, coming from behind with an insurgent hand. If you all quit on us, you guarantee we have no leverage or credibility to promote your agenda, our shared agenda and values.

We may not, and as Digby writes, probably won’t win this one in the immediate term, but that does not mean we don’t fight, and it furthermore does not mean getting off the bus is the solution. It’s actually a decision to capitulate. And we’ve pulled off unlikely victories before. The situation may, just may, be fluid enough squeak something out.