Dang it. Meant to link up several excellent pieces that EmptyWheel has done on these issues of late,and forgot to include them above. Mea culpa…but here they are. Do read these:
– On Patrick Philbin, who will be testifying on Wednesday.
– The Dodge On Retroactive Immunity.
– WH Minimization efforts.
– Spying on Americans Overseas with no oversight or warrant.
– Shorter SSCI: they’re full of crap.
– Using the AUMF as justification for pretty much everything.

Foreign agents using Foreign and US telecom companies to spy on Americans and others in the US. This is one of the issues they are trying to hide.

Okay, I called DiFi for all of the good it will do. Her aide explained why she voted in favor of Southwick to me too (after an email to me assuring that she would not vote for his confirmation). Here are the three reasons she voted for his confirmation.

1. His qualifications and character, his record, past service, and temperment during the hearings.

2. A need to quickly fill this important vacancy, an emergency.

3. A hope that with a future democratic president, the republicans will look at qualifications, temperiment, education, experience, and service.

There.

difi married a defense contractor…pick up the clue phone. it’s ringing

Feinstein has received scrutiny for husband Richard Blum’s extensive business dealings with China and her past votes on trade issues with the country. Critics have argued that Feinstein’s support of policies that may benefit her husband may raise the appearance of a conflict of interest.[5] Suburban newspaper Metroactive has written in 2007 that Feinstein’s husband holds large investments in companies that won large government contracts — without competitive bidding. In April 2007, Feinstein’s office denied there was a conflict of interest and stated that her departure from the subcommittee had nothing to do with the reports in the Metro weeklies.

As of December 2006, according to SEC filings and Fedspending. Org, three corporations in which Blum’s financial entities own a total of $1 billion in stock won considerable favor from the budgets of the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

What a pathetic excuse for a Leader. If he supports it, as it seems clear he does, he should say so.

DBaker @ 76

Reviewing the comments on this thread and the coordinated answers from all of the Senator’s offices who are waffling tells me I have it exactly right, i.e. they know damn well what they are doing.

They are hoping to take the issue “off the table” because their political consultants have told them that they need to cede “national security” issues to the GOP.

So why? Is there some blackmail threat standing in the wings?

Sorry – long-winded answer coming!

No. If you read all the articles and interviews done with people close to Rahm Emanuel they are under the mistaken impression that what wins elections are the “kitchen table issues” and that the Dems cannot win elections when Iraq or “national security” are the main topics. They believe the “Village” narrative, that GOP = strong on national security. I do understand where that idea comes from since the GOP still polls relatively strongly when asked about those issues in comparison with everything else.

It is my personal opinion that it has to do with the fact that the Dems have ceded the narrative in the first place rather than that the GOP displays any real competence on that front either.

Finally, the political consultants in DC, even when they lose elections, still keep their jobs. I’m drawing a blank on the name of the guy who advised Kerry, but sure enough he is now advising Gordon Brown in the UK.

The id of politicians that they strive to be liked. The stories about how Larry Craig is shunned in the Senate is fascinating to me in that the guy is still in the Senate and still has a vote regardless of the fact whether he is really “liked” or not.

In Washington DC, if you want to be liked you have to be part of the “Village.” The Village decides who is a member and who is not, who gets to go to the “in” cocktail parties, who gets written up favorably in Sally Quinn’s gossip section, etc.

So in the literal sense of blackmail, no, there’s none of that going on. On the other hand the weak politicians among them want to be liked above everything – it’s instructive that the people who are supporting Dodd on FISA, are either running for President, don’t give a damn (Kennedy) or are new (Cardin). The others have given the same coordinated answer.

I didn’t go to high school in this country, but I understand it’s sort of the same thing, most politicians want to be part of the “Kewl Kids.” If they don’t follow the rules they are not part of the club and they get thrown out. The only way that culture gets changed is if enough people show they care, since politicians get there through votes. So in answer to Christy’s question, that is the X factor that they cannot control and of course that helps, in some cases dramatically.

i’m glad your fears weren’t realized.

i took down the old ones and put up jane austen’s “mansfield park” and have a couple more of dorothy sayer’s wimsey’s series uploading now (i have the entire bbc series).

Citizen RevDeb:

Nancy One Note is one of those “tortured” catholics on the issue of choice…she runs as main line Democrat but never is seen out front when the rubber meets the road. She is of the Hilary Clinton school of tryin’ “to find a way to reduce abortions”…and “be sensitive to religious teaching” on the subject.

Pelosi has finnessed this issue like she has finnessed everythin’ else…she’s a Catholic Hilary Clinton.

KEEP THE FAITH AND TAKE CARE OF EACH OTHER…WE’RE ALL GUNNA END UP IN THE SAME PLACE!!

Biodun @ 96

KLynn and DBaker:

It’s called apathy, apathy… (sigh sigh)

Gotta disagree. It is not ALL apathy. Many individuals I talk to and bring issues to light, find themselves frustrated and angered about the issues. But then they appear paralyzed when invited to action (i.e. self-sensorship.) No doubt there is a ton of apathy out there. However, I am witnessing as much or more self-sensorship, which is even more disturbing.

I see that in my area, too.
I wish I knew how to effect a change, how to help. Very tough problem.

A Fish Rots From The Head Down