CORNYN: Let me sit here and laud the virtues of bipartisanship while I block anything the Democrats are trying to do and and ram the FISA bill that George Bush approves down their throats.
Let us also refuse to extend the Protect America Act for 30 days so we can call the Democrats "soft on terror" if they don’t give Dick Cheney and the Telecoms everything they want when it expires on Friday (and no, that does not mean the FISA law expires, just the PAA). Poor, poor telecoms. Bipartisan bipartisan bipartisan.
CHAMBLISS: Time is running out on the PAA because I intend to vote against extending it. The bogeymen will then be able to eat the babies.
We shouldn’t extend the Protect America Act because it will "kick the can down the road," and take the clock off that we used so effectively to force Democrats into passing a bad bill in August. Because would take away all of George Bush’s best material tonight when he tries to call the Democrats "soft on terror." And because Dick Cheney says Scooter Libby shouldn’t be the only one who gets to skate.
(um…shouldn’t we be seeing some presidential candidates making forceful statements, or is it all just "changiness?" — jh)
BOND: There are some who say that the FISA bill in place is all that is necessary and nothing in the Intel bill is necessary. Nobody in the Senate, mind you, who agree to a one that foreign-to-foreign calls routed through the US should not require a warrant, but somewhere there is somebody who thinks that. So I will vote for cloture.
AMERICAN HERO CHRIS DODD: These freaks really believe that there are some companies who are too rich and too powerful to be subject to the rule of law. Yes, they really think that.
Why would they want to shut off debate by refusing to extend the Protect America Act? Well, because all that "bipartisan" talk is just so much noise. They really couldn’t care less what we think.
I know that I’ve said a lot about retroactive immunity, but the dragnets and lack of oversight are pretty f*#king awful too.
Why would Bush veto an extension and expose us to what he says is abject danger just for the benefit of Dick Cheney and other telecom crooks?
MC CONNELL: We’re "flirting with disaster." Terra terra terra. Fear fear fear. "Republicans will not allow these critical protections to expire." Except that we won’t extend them, because the President wouldn’t sign that anyway, and we’re only here to do what he tells us.
Related posts:
- Laura Ingraham on “This Week”: Dick Cheney “Cuts Through” on Afghanistan Because “His Numbers Are Going Up”
- Liz Cheney Warns Against “Walking Away” from Afghanistan, Apparently Forgetting that Dick Cheney Walked Away from Afghanistan
- How Dick Cheney Cowed Obama
- Dick Cheney: I’m Proud I Tortured to Protect Our Country But Not Our Allies
- Never Mind the Detainees, Get Dick Cheney out of my Backyard!
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mofo’s
I lve that title, good pic of the Dickinator too.
Chambliss after Corny. My eyes and ears hurt.
Jeebus. Another lying Repug thug? When do I get to see the good guys?
Cornyn followed by Chambliss?
How can one tell the difference between them?
Props to everyone for providing those of us without access a running commentary.
Ok, if I take a drink every time Chambliss distorts reality, or outright lies, will I die of alcohol poisoning in 10 minutes, or 15 minutes?
Chambliss: Must act swiftly to save the Telcos and grant immunity to Beloved Glorious Leader and Dick in perpetuity.
Thinking person: “god, he’s full of crap.”
use an eye dropper! or call 911 first!
Shorter Chambliss: Just trust us.
PSA: The Surgeon General has just announced that listening to the republics on the Senate floor may be hazardous to your health.
i wrote chambliss twice and got back the same form letter. a relevant portion:
“While the legislation provides much-needed updates to FISA, I believe the bill needs to be further amended in order to achieve the delicate balance it attempts to strike and I look forward to working with the full Senate to debate and improve the legislation before final enactment in order to secure the privacy rights of Americans while protecting our national security. “
Jane — when you make the definitive movie of this era, I want a bit part. Lurkin’ in the background, of course.
I don’t know for sure who Lieberman works for. But I suspect he is somehow employed by Mr. Cheney and perhaps some foreign government. But of course I could be wrong.
“Retrospective immunity” — jeebus, I just spewed my tea laughing…
Whoa! I’ve found a new cure for insomnia. A Saxby Chambliss floor speech. Whee Ha!
countryHambliss, hoooooooooowl
EPU’d..LS
I am surprised that hasn’t gotten more traction on the lefty blogs…They want immunity for treason..The Rosenberg’s got the chair for a lot less.
hard hrs, well go to bed
why can’t they let the courts work? what’s wrong with our courts? do they not trust the courts? are they suggesting the courts should be abolished and they’ll just legislate re the guilt or innocence of anyone?
How about two minutes?
Chambliss: liability relief is patriotic, anything else is not.
Telecom immunity for constitutional criminals, including those in the stained white house. A disgusting notion enabled by “asselephants!”
Constitutional Usurpation by a “corporate aristocracy” under the color of law!!!!
Asphyxiation in 2 minutes — you won’t be able to take a breath between swigs ; )
I can’t watch these GOP clowns, thank you so much to Jane and Christy for enduring the blather and translating for us. I hope we get more Dems in the last half hour.
And for true blue texan, I agree completely but I was just wondering how we could exploit our high viewership at times like this.
Does anyone know how C-SPAN tracks its ratings (i.e., numbers of viewers logged in through web, through cable)?
Chambliss is truly remarkable. He is the asspiece of Dicky. He didn’t miss one line the boys upstairs gave him to read as his very own opine.
Screw bipartisanship. I know what that code word means.
Chambliss: The poor, innocent telecommuncations companies! What these people fail to see is that when they make the argument that the telecoms “only followed orders” and thus shouldn’t be liable for illegal acts because in their wide-eyed innocence they believed the government, they’re ADMITTING the government gave illegal orders and duped the telecoms.
Don’t forget big pharma.
Think of Alanyss Morisset’s song, Jagged Little Pill.
Works every time.
It feels like I’m catching some kind of germ when I watch the GOP’ers.
I read this as “must act swiftly to save Tacos.” Now THAT I could vote for!!
In the photo, you can tell that Dick is about to lie, because his grimmacing mouth is poised to speak. Why doesn’t he just go on a junket and leave this country alone?
Quorum call?? this soon?
depends on how long it takes you to empty the bottle from the time you tip it till you suck the last drop.
Can I get some immunity if I refuse to pay my taxes because I am against the Iraq War?
Anyone that can frame Max Cleland as a coward and an Bin Laden supporter is capable of anything.
Hey, don’t forget the puppies and kittens they’ll have for appetizers.
Channeling Arthur C. Clarke-2001 there, eh?: “My God…he’s full of crap!” ;-)
Jane- omg, I love your live blogging.
Cheney pic, he looks like he’s chewing glass.
and liking it!
Agreed! This needs to be blocked! Are the details available?
Bob in HI
The next liar up must not be in the chamber.
Dear God, these men are gasbags. Fearmongerers and panderers. Nearly unendurable.
Why doesn’t he just go on a junket…
….to an un-Dick’s-closed location
All things considered, I don’t know why somebody doesn’t just tell them to tell it to a judge!
The republics only have 12 min left.
No senatorial comments yet, on Reid’s counterproposal, so there isn’t much to go on as far as whether or not it will obtain cloture.
One might also notice that relatively few senators are speaking on this subject. That lets most of them fly under the radar, a key to reelection.
Use a beer bong – it is most effective. Just shoot it all down at once.
“There are some who would demand that a court order be required to tap a US Citizen.”
Dumbass. The 4th Amendment requires that.
And just cuz you won’t ADMIT the abuses doesn’t mean they aren’t there.
What the hell, are we back to Bond again?
I don’t. i don’t understand intelligence collection. based on this country’s record of late, they don’t either.
HOWEVER, THAT’S NOT THE POINT!
i DO understand immunity for criminal behavior!
psychedelic tie is back up.
Ugh. Now we have Bond up.
Hi gang, got some extra crispy fried chicken and a side of squirrel for y’all.
Can’t wait for Whitehouse to school them on bipartisanship. I just got here. did he speak yet?
None of these Senators are addressing the all-important “Do you eat fried chicken with the skin on?” issue!
dream on . . . . Don’t stick your neck out like that, you’d be looking at serious felony time depending on how many years you failed to file. Or if you filed but refused to pay, you’d still be risking a serious prosecution.
Thank Ghu for small favors! I’m beginning to wish I were home within reach of the liquor cabinet.
Kit Bond just effectively said Americans are guilty till proven innocent!
Love the Jello Jay quip! That picture of Cheney should be in the dictionary illustrating the word “bilious”.
Bond studiously avoiding the 72 hr grace period .
Fear mongering Mo Fo.
To Kit Bond — of course we don’t know of any abuses, because it’s all so secretive and out of the purview of the court. I can hardly stand listening to this.
“Asselephants” sell out to corporate “SCUM” while decimating the constitution under the color of law. Make no mistake about it… as Corporate Oil feels the “heat” these laws will be used against American citizens to stifle dissent…………………………
I got a six pack so I can shoot my way through the State of the Union
Is that my hero Harry up at bat?
Bond: “And we’re unaware of *any* abuses”
Well, of course, dumbass, they’ve been covered up! That’s why we need the lawsuits!
Also Bond:
“Following the Constitution is totally unworkable.”
“Changeiness”. I love it! That’s exactly what the candidates stand for if they don’t speak up loudly about this attack on the Constitution!
They would scream the other way if the President were a Democrat. Party before all else. Always.
Maybe Bond will use up the 12 minutes and then we won’t have to listen to his side for a while…
So Bond is saying “if we have to get warrents the terrists will make calls just to make us get warrants”.
Perfect reason to give up our civil liberties!
directly into a vein?
bond….. too bad he didn’t melt down when the others bonds did!
“Our enemies are not stupid.” But some of our Senators appear to be. I’m just saying…
Oh Gawd, there’s Pelosi. Harry and Nancy. Now there’s the dream team.
Someone ask Bond how many FISA warrants have been rejected, ever
What a tool.
And Beloved Leader had actionable intelligence saying BinLaden would strike in 2001… with all the old intel tools out there. He did nothing.
If he’s unaware of any abuses, then why the hell do they need immunity. Do they even know how stupid they sound?
That Kit Bond tie really is strobing my monitor . . . . It’s like Bond’s shirt is made of neon.
Kit Bond is a dummy! How do people actually VOTE for people like him?
State of the Union and Heroin.
The only workable combination.
Harry recommends new leadership.
I am and it does not help.If I take sip of beer for every lie I get snockered in 20 minutes!*g*
well, that’s ONE way to tell him to STFU
The US media is afraid to touch it. The latest that I saw was a Brit. news story..where the Turks were told that Brewster-Jennings was a CIA front..two years before Valerie was outed by Cheney. I now wonder if she was the primary target of the outing and not Joe.
Anybody seen if Mr. “Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran…Iraq Centennial Parade” is present?
But it’s a “changiness” kind of stupid.
where is mitch up-or-down mcconnell
Woohoo! Chris Dodd in da’ house!
The next liar is up now. Why don’t they mention NSA or anyone else has 72 hours after tap to get the warrant?
Interpreting Bond – “He knows of no abuses of calls by the NSA.” This is true. Once they destroy the documents, erase tapes, destroy e-mails all with no oversight, there is no record of abuses. All abuses are classified under security.
DODD!
MY HERO! WELLLLLCOME, DODD
Nancy and Harry both want new leadership. And I know where I want to start.
I’m confused….what is Bond insinuating?? Doesn’t FISA apply to DOMESTIC CALLS? or foreign to DOMESTIC? Not foreign to foreign??
Yippee! Dodd’s up!!!
Thank God. Sanity at last. Dodd’s up
smoke em chris
Ah, dodd up.
Both Harry and Nancy leave me feeling that way.
dude. they showed up…what do you expect of them? they’re busy contemplating how to be change-y in bold new ways that don’t require spending political capital…
“maybe if I transpose the words…the hopiness of audacity! yeah, that’s it!”
Republicans don’t want debate in the Senate and they don’t want debate in the courts over the legality of corporate and Presidential behavior.
They want us all to be like them: marching in lockstep, unthinking obedience, might makes right.
Crap.
Reading Jane’s commentary, while gazing at big dick…hilarious.
WH statement on US-Turkey Nuclear Agreement
The title of the agreement is pretty much the same as what was passed with regard to India a few months ago. The text of the agreement dates back to July 26, 2000.
Every time he says ‘the Fisc’ I want to slap him.
Heart-Throb Dodd!
Dodd’s up . It hits the fan now. Go Chris
“Use a beer bong – it is most effective. Just shoot it all down at once.”
Using beer is more healthy than whiskey, because if you use beer, you can’t die until you get up and go to the bathroom first.
Oops, sorry, this is a serious thread.
In the present environment, I don’t think any of the “good” amendments can be passed, so what I hope for is stalemate and a restoration of the status quo ante before last August.
Bob in HI
This comment is not intended to endorse either Heroin use or The State Of the Union address.
Both may be detrimental to ones mental/physical well being.
The President’s urge to be a law of his own!
I luurrrves me The Dodd!
With Nancy and Harry, I hope?
Nancy; you are a pathetic example of a Democrat.
If telcos get immunity their stock goes up. If they don’t their share prices will plummet even further. Must give immunity to save Wall Street. /s Anyone that knows for sure what the outcome will be can place their winning bets now. Lots o’ companies to choose from.
BTW, RE: Dodd
It’s nice to see an “old” kind of politics working in Washington.
Senator Dodd!!!!!!! Take no prisoners!!!!!!!!!!!
I thought that yellow was the corn on the cob…I need a veggie to go with my chicken and squirrel.
Was out for a while driving between points A and B, so not sure if you caught this on last thread. In response to your musing on whether the SSCI immunity is truly immunity
ng.
Dodd– I agree with some of SSCI version. On cloture, we are in parliamentary nightmare: we could bring surveillance under rule of law or make President a law unto himself; we could apply same law to all of us, including rich corporations, or we can say some corporations are too rich to be sued. You cannot be neutral. Senate is frozen by GOP, indirectly creating immunity by shutting down govt. institutions, just like they want to shut down the telecoms lawsuits.
Dodd: Bush wants his favorite corporations safe from lawsuits. You go Chris!
Go Dodd Go!
Nancy, you are making me restless. (I’m trying to be polite here)
Ahhh! The Sgt. Schultz gambit.
Someone needs to tell him “absence of evidence is not evidence of absence”. Did this guy flunk logic?
wish Dodd were Leader of the Senate
Here’s a principle: The truth tellers speak clearly. The liars you can hardly understand… they twist logic into pretzels.
This is a discussion way over the heads of the republicans. They are still mired in whether or not to eat their fried chicken with the skin off or on. Now there’s an issue that they could reach a bi-partisan consensus on.
Dodd is doing the job. ;0)
Bush and his “corporate cohorts” in constitutional crime!!!
“Harry recommends new leadership.”
I like that approach. Can we start with the Senate and the House?
Bob iin HI
Nancy thinks “Democrat” means “doormat.” Someone should rectify that error.
Careful. That’s the same argument they used on WMDs.
He’s gotta replenish the old coffers, don’t you know.
Go Dodd Go
Did you see the item about Huckabee criticizing Mitt because he [Mitt] took the skin off his fried chicken before eating it? Huck says this assures that he will win all the Southern states.
I wish Dodd were president.
I second the motion.
Agreed?
Rule of Law? Only if there is a blue dress involved.
Jefferson is vomiting……………….
I prefer “go-along-ocrat”.
Sounds like you would enjoy the Gillette AR, Dem. political dinner. The main course is BBQ Raccoon. Yum!!
Has anyone asked why, if the spying is so important, Bush/Cheney can’t get around to paying the phone bill? That is what I want to know, for real.
I’ve been wondering the same thing. I think he saw it as a “twofer”.
Bob in HI
The GOP and their like have been assaulting the language for long enough that it is often meaningless.
Witness the oxymoronic Liberal Fascism.
Words mean nothing to the far right.
-G
Luck Funtz!
Dodd — I will fight retro. immunity forever. I also object to SSCI provisions which reduce court oversight of spying, opens up warrantless wiretapping, could allow bulk collection from millions of Americans, and locks it all in for six years. Bush will give STFU speech, I hope he will support our ability to debate and vote on FISA amendments. Bush said FISA bill is essential but he is promising to veto FISA bill because he wants to give corporations more rights than ordinary citizens.
dont know if it’s been said:
Dkos:
Sen. Mikulski reportedly will vote against cloture as well.
Bush to use bully pulpit of the SOTU – but will anyone be watching?
Obama’s office just told me that he will be there for the cloture vote… a no vote and that hw is against retractive immunity…great job Jane/Christy and pups…go Dodd put a smile on the Statue of Liberty
Finger lickin’ hilarious.
Yes, I saw it…that’s why I showed up with chicken and squirrel a few comments higher than my corn(y) comment.
Now that’s unfair — I think nancy wants direct payments for shining up the corporate shoes. So, more like shoe shine than doormat.
There is an ongoing protest taking place in which people DO refuse to pay that portion of their taxes that goes to the Iraq war. I would do it myself if I weren’t married (or my wife would permit it).
And was that spying “working” when all those “lost” e-mails went missing? If so, can we use it to retrieve them? If not, what good is it?
Thank you Sen Dodd!
I thought Nancy and the House Dems removed immunity and the other bad shit from their bill.
Dodd is just plain brilliant
YES! Dodd mentions the fact that spying on Americans began BEFORE 9/11!
Yay Aunt Babs!
Luntz and civility……… stuff it!!!!!
He’d have my vote.
Sen. Dodd is on fire. They were wiretapping back to 2/2001???? That’s news to me.
Prior to Sept 11th — WooHoo! Go Dodd!
Not me — I don’t think it would be good for my blood pressure or for the TV set either.
Not me. And of those watching wil anybody really be listening?
I did see your comments on the earlier thread. Thanks! I haven’t looked at the FISA text closely this time around. Too many competing versions, etc., and they all end in the same place, sweeping administration action under the rug.
Rockefeller sounded so sincere, and the superficial takeaway of his “this isn’t immunity” speech made me feel an urge to check for myself, giving the benefit of the doubt, but looking at the statute, not the speech.
Just another Senator liar. Ho hum, what’s new?
The right of citizens to sue been destroyed in the last two decades in countless venues. It is time for that to stop!
Senator Dodd = Mr. Constitution
This is a big deal. She voted with the Blue Dogs to table the Senate Judiciary Committee version of the bill last week, so this is crucial that she will refuse to grant cloture for the SSCI version.
FWIW, at schmoozy event (where Reid thanked Christy for her hard work on FISA), I asked why no one was pointing out that this was Cheney immunity. Both people on the podium (Bernie Sanders and Debbie Stabenow) agreed with that sentiment (which was news to me, from Stabenow). I suggested maybe they needed to fine-tune that message.
Good for Dodd; pointing out that the illegal wiretapping began as soon as Bush entered office, well before 9/11.
“If there had been a pattern of responsible administration…” versus a pattern of trampling on the rule of law. Ouch!!!
America missed that one!!!!
Yes this urgent wiretapping that was in response to Sept 11?
Bushco started demanding it 6 months prior… …oops, guess the liberal media dropped the ball on that one.
Holy crap. That’s the first good thing she’s done in many a year. Must have been my Friday phone call telling her office that the FOUR voters in this household were mighty pissed over this and hoped she’d vote against cloture.
That’s Cardin in the Chair. He’s been good on this.
Dodd is forkin hammerin on em for the many instances of lawlessness by BushCo.
Dodd is the DOOD!
I called all those R and D with whom I had any connection this morning–6 of them. any suggestions for which wavering dems to call, the most sensitive to non-constituents?
Senator Dodd does good.
Who’s presiding?
Dodd was my candidate, until he dropped out.
Got a raise last week. Gonna send him some more money to help retire his debt.
Ah hell. McConnell up to harsh my Dodd buzz.
Just a reminder …. cloture vote is pushed out to 4:40 at least
crap miss McConnell again
Yes, Karoli, the original wiretapping deals occured immediately after innaugeration. This is when Qwest refused to be involved — and were therefore later pilloried. hence the very interesting discovery waiting in those telecom suits (notice how no one is saying — “let’s just make immunity retroactive to 9/11/01?”)
ew ditch mitch!
here comes the distortion…
She is another oddity like Whitehouse when it comes to immunity.
Huck could be right. Kerry worried about getting sauce on his shirt. Kerry ordered Swiss cheese on his Philly Steak. Dubya got his wit wiz. Everybody knows these foolish things and little else thanks to the MSM. Romney pulling off the chicken skin is a deal killer in the same vein. Its Stupidville and it counts.
That was answered above . thanks Mauimom. Didn’t see that.
Mizz Thang!!
I really detest ms. mcconnell
Oh yes, it has been known that Bush was spying on Americans before 9/11…and see how well that worked to prevent 9/11? Obviously the point of that illegal spying wasn’t to provide security for the nation – it was more likely to be a Nixonian attempt at providing “security” to the GOP.
More likely three-fer – the real, deep-cover reason was to insure that *all* of Brewster-Jennings, in other words CIA assets that weren’t compromised by Cheney et al, were taken out, and the US-Turkey-Israel nuke secret network protected.
The retribution angle, either for Wilson or Plame, was just a rock-solid cover story. It’s likely the real reason was *protecting the nuke secret trafficking network*.
McConnell is on the defensive. he’s not arguing the bill, but the history of it! this is good! this is due to such a flood of evidence of citizens paying attention.
Mitch: Let’s go hunting for terrorists…
Mitch McConnel is here to protect us from FRIVOLOUS LAWSUITS?
Oh boy, Mitch reviews. A nice, concise & straight forward recap of events, proving how the nasty democrat party compromised our future for tawdry political gain.
I would get upset at him continually calling me his “Friend”.
QWEST CEO refused to participate in Feb. 2001 in whatever-it-was-they-were-doing-since-we-still-don’t-know, unless they provided a warrant.
My civil rights are now a “frivilous” matter, eh Mitch? Fuck you.
EW, are you in the Senate chamber today?
Oh yes, it has been known that Bush was spying on Americans before 9/11…and see how well that worked to prevent 9/11? Obviously the point of that illegal spying wasn’t to provide security for the nation – it was more likely to be a Nixonian attempt at providing ”security” to the GOP.
In alphabetical order, Bayh, Carper, Casey, Kohl, McCaskill, Bill Nelson (FL), Ben Nelson (NE), Pryor, Salazar, possibly Webb.
The real AQ does NOT use e-anything. Only the inept AQ wannabe’s are “blogging”. Are the Rethugs that stupid, or do they think we are?
The administration made tough concessions?
WTF? What did they concede on? The font type and size of the bill?
MS Mconnell lying again… hope Kentucky reconsiders his next election… the country would be much better off whit MS put out to pasture!!
Stick around Karoli, you learn a lot here on FDL and also Keith O than you ever will anywhere else.
Who? Aunt Babs? I think she’s an oddity, period.
Mitch lying his ass off again.
McConnell sounds resigned to an extension — GOP will not allow the program to expire, will agree to an extension if necessary….
Yes! It can only help for you to . S . P . E . L . L .. I . T .. O . U . T . for them
Protect zee Homeland. Yes protect America, but not like this! Iraqis say the same thing………liberation? not like this!!!!!
“Dodd — I will fight retro. immunity forever. I also object to SSCI provisions which reduce court oversight of spying, opens up warrantless wiretapping, could allow bulk collection from millions of Americans, and locks it all in for six years.”
Yes!!! Those are all big issues, and I am so happy to hear that someone is spotilighting them on the floor of the Senate!!!
Bob in HI
go with chney
Imm!!!!! omg is it great to see you. xxooo
MCConnell – fear, fear, fear.
And the Feds “coincidentally” came up with charges that sent the guy to prison. Talk about sending a message.
I think go ahead and call any of them. As I pointed out in my letter, politics is not so local these days, and we will all be watching their vote. If they vote for cloture, they will face a vigorous and well funded grassroots/netroots action to get them the hell out of the Senate.
Sorry for the dups…having some problems posting…
Mitch: congress shouldn’t pass anything the president doesn’t support. argh!
I didn’t know that McConnell was a Ben Stiller fan.
Sing along with Mitch:
your civil rights are toast
bin laden is a ghost
we will scare you, terrify you
telcos profit most
(to the tune of whistle while you work)
and color of the paper.
McConnell said the republicans would offer a shorter term extension.
Why are democrats happy with 30 days? Why not push it for a year, wait until new Congress and president are seated?
Has anyone mentioned the fact ex post facto is itself Unconstitutional?
The law would not stand challenge in court.
Of course the procedure of court would keep it from being known to the extent misused spying to go after Americans until pardon time arrives…
She is as mean as a snake and treats her staff like shit but generally has a progressive voting record.
Between this Liveblog, and tonights SOTU, I can’t shake the mental image of being tied to a chair with my eyes force-focused on something I don’t really want to watch.
I suppose a wiser, less temporal soul could suggest taking the long view; that these evil bastards will eventually burn themselves with their scorched-earth politics, or somehow miraculously have a change of heart and stop being evil bastards.
I’m left feeling like a kid at a horror movie, peeking through my fingers, feeling afraid and powerless.
final state of the union address…
thank god
As a Bush toady, what else would he say?
Good! Pre-buttle! That suggests to me they know for sure they have the votes!
Maybe resigned to a total train-wreck because he is carrying water for the White House instead of defending the honor of the Senate, resigned that the minority is going to get humped?
Harry Reid starting out with direct attack on Bush.
Reid taking on the cheney fear mongering.
Chinless Mitch is a man who makes my stomach churn.
A coward and thief.
-G
Is this streaming online?
Unfortunately it would stand. You can’t retroactively criminalize behavior but you can retroactively forgive criminal behavior.
Anyone do a head count; who’s not the beside lieberputz?
democrats and republicans rise above partisanship? What is he smoking? Jeebus.
So, Harry, will the Senate Dems be crying ‘bullshit’ when Bush beats the drum tonight?
Harry now gets that Republicans are cynical.
Would it not make his speech and any pressure he has place on Senate members obstruction of justice?
Would it not make the President’s threat of veto obstruction?
“These carriers don’t need amnesty. They did nothing wrong. They just need liability protection.”
“Radicals might take physical action against these carriers.”
—Kit Pinocchio Bond
Cornyn is an equal candidate for a Senate Pinocchio–
“This legislation has been considered by two committees.”
(Ignoring the fact that he’s trying to ram through the version granting immunity by only one committee and deny the chance for an amendment to the bill by the other committee.)
McConnell is worried now that he won’t be able to make the delicious call with the bumbling Elaine Chao, Queen of Unemployment, on his lap, some Dixie Highway or Bardstown, Ky. bourbon in his hand and say “Mr. Prezeedunce– You done got your Immmooonity. Enjoy. I’ll be in to enjoy the mutual ass licking during the Shitstorm of the Union Speech.”
Cboldt made the point that no one in the Senate has been allowed to see the pleadings of the government in answer to the A.C.L.U. in their motion to ask FISC to disclose orders and legal papers pertaining to the scope of the government’s authority to engage in the secret wiretapping of Americans and the court’s interpretation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).
No one has also been allowed to see the pleadings of the government in the Motion for Reconsideration to Reconsider Refusal to Release Legal Rulings (12/21/2007)
These motions responding to the A.C.L.U. would be interesting since any authority they site or arguments is in direct defiance of existing code sections and case law. They could have been picked apart on the floor of the Senate today, if available but they aren’t. They could be used as ammunition in the pending cases against the Telcoms and Comcoms (ISP providers) for wiretapping you and soaking up all your emails since 2000.
I find Cboldt’s blog a very helpful guide to the FISA twists and turns in the Senate.
Cboldt’s Prediction of Events Today
You aren’t likely to hear discussion of this on the Senate floor today:
Other Differences between SJC and SSCI versions of S. 2228 Besides Immunity:
It’s essential to understand just what, in addition to immunity are the important differences between the SJC and SSCI bill, and what other essential components they do or do not contain:
FISA Comparison Chart House, SJC, SSCI
Insider’s Guide to Senate Floor Consideration of FISA Amendments
Harry’s up at bat. He wants us to rise “above partisanship”. That’s rich Harry. Coming from you. Mr. Bipartisanship.
clockwork orange
Harry Reid actually sounds like a Democrat…
Legitimate policy disagreements……………..
You mean constitutional usurpation……………..
I think making illegal to legal is ok..legal to illegal is not.
bush tonight: “shooting for cheap political points”
Setting up the next move…. authorize the extension. That means cloture won’t pass.
Yes, CSpan 2
Sorry ex post facto deals with increasing penalties or making a legal act criminal after the fact. It doesn’t prevent the legislature from reducing a criminal penalty or voiding a law on the books and the penalties thereof.
This wouldn’t be an ex post facto law.
… there’s a first time for everything …
Harry. This Democrat wants to see you replaced as leader of the Senate. Are you clear on that?
Thanks all for the clarification and amplification on the pre-9/11 wiretaps. I just blogged it..and called again.
The Democrats should pull a Delta House judicial hearing stunt and start coughing ‘bullshit’ and ‘blowjob’ when Bush speaks.
-G
Upperdown!
Let’s hope he does more than writing a sternly worded letter.
Reid supports the SJC version of the bill…aqainst cloture…Reid is getting it!!!
Link to C-Span 2
Ex-post facto that criminalizes previously legal behavior is unconstitutional, but legalizing previously criminal behavior (i.e., making the law more lenient) is acceptable.
Why any extension at all? the PAA was a bad bill. I’d rather go back to the old FISA bill that’s already on the books. The “modernization” meme is mostly crap, anyway, just cover for the real intent (immunize Cheney, eviscerate FISC, data mining).
Bob in HI
“I think making illegal to legal is ok..legal to illegal is not.”
Not yet it isn’t.
I wouldn’t describe Repugs as cynical. I call them sinister.
230 was in response to EW @162. The “reply” did not show up…
Reid – trying to figure out “what is in the mind of someone like that” : chimp
“repubs were filibustering their own bill, their own legislation” and he can’t recall that in his whole time in the senate.
Trying to figure out why someone would object to that. “except for political posturing”
DODD! Dodd for Senate Leader!
Wouldn’t THAT be sumpthin?????
We might actually get our country back.
If only you were Senate Majority Leader … *g*
Reid: None of us want the current law to expire, except Cheney and Bush.
“Protect America Act”. Good gawd.
Reid is calling Bullshit on “We won’t be able to monitor the terrists”.
Go Harry go.
reid republicans are filibustering their own legislation.talk about trying to figure out what’s in bush’s mind who will veto an extension.
god that’s bipartisan to allow that G has a mind.
Reid making good points but limply.
Or else, you’d have a bunch of people still in jail in the 70s for violating segregation laws in the 60s.
I’m not ready to give him that much credit. I don’t expect this change to last.
There are things that are still legal? Woo-hoo! USA! USA!
EW, do you really think Sanders, Stabenow, and whoever else actually possess the cajones to point out that this is all about Cheney retroactive immunity or will that violate their finely tuned sense of bipartisan-good-sportsmanship?
Reid is NOT getting it. He has always stated that he supports the SJC version…yet he brought us the SIC version. He says he is against retro-immunity but he sets up the situation (repeatedly) that virtually assures passage of retro-immunity.
Reid is speaking out of both sides of his asshole.
Reid has finally realized that doing anything else is political suicide.
“we owe it to the American people” – by god that’s true!
Compared to Dodd’s forceful speaking, Reid sounds like a bored history professor. He’s the guy who should show a little anger about the Republicans actions.
Just a quick reply –
The prohibition on ex post facto laws applies only to laws which add additional burdens or obligations (like criminal laws) and not relief from burdens.
however, there is a structural argument that “immunity” is unconstitutional — although I remember a bunch of folks in the seventies looking for amnesty for draft evasion.
The first (immunity) is a gate keeping idea about civil law suits; amnesty is more like a prohibition on prosecution for past crimes. More like a blanket pardon from the executive….
Score!
Harry calls em LIARS!
OK, not being truthful, but we know what that means, don’t we?
Has anyone of his fellow Senators complimented McConnell, on his own lack of forthrightness in disclosing discharge papers from his time in the reserves?
McConnell’s own lack of transparency in service matches the failure of telecomms in their transparency olbigations as privleged to license usage of public airwaves.
If this is a free-out bill, can they name it after McConnell?
http://www.hillbillyreport.com…..h_m_1.html
The only thing in PAA that seems worth keeping is clarification that Foreign-foreign communication that passes through US territory is OK to monitor. That really was an omission in the old FISA.
Sanders, but nobody will hear him; Stabenow no
Uh-oh! “Who-hoo”ing just became a crime by executive order. Too late.
Hmmm. Looks like cloture might not pass. I’m skeptical, though. The Dems have a long history of folding at the last minute. It would be great to see Bush and Dodd on split-screen tonight, though. It might even persuade me to watch the SOTU.
political suicide?
how many times can he kill himself?
POLITICAL RE-SUICIDE
oh wow…. is reid getting tough??? i just turned to cspan2 and see reid talking…..
Reid is plenty angry. He took off his gold “bipartisan” tie and put on a dark blue tie.
Sanders has cajones, and he lacks finely tuned bipartisan good bullshitness.
That’s why Reid is such a horrible choice for leader.
Would it not have to constitue a pardon from criminal charges, which would itself be an admission of guilt?
Then others may follow civil action from that…
“An 8th grade student could figure this out.” This is giving the Republicans too much credit- we all know they operate at a much lower level.
Ths Dem is not about to heap praise on Mr. Reid. Look at his record.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/…..ments.html
I wish you were Senator from Michigan, but it would take time from your fantastic blogs.
where was this man ohhh say last year??!!!
You can tell now that the dick has no intention of giving up power. there is no reason they would want this kind of power for a democratic president. They would all go to jail.
is there any thing anyone could point to as contradictory?
Reid talks, but he always caves in, so what will he do differently?
I wonder what Addington is doing right now???
What pisses me off the most about democrats is how they’ll let a partisan hack like DitchMitchMcConnell lie his ass off on the floor of the Senate and no one calls him on it. I admire the way the British Parliament works and wish we could do it the same way. I’d like to see fisticuffs.
Harry: “An eighth-grade student could figure it out.”
Harry reveals more than he might like with that comment….
Uh, yeah Harry… why are you so surprised that the republicans only want rubber-stamps? Jeebus.
Reid: chimp’s a schoolyard bully who says “I’m taking my ball home”
Reid sounds like a poker player (I’ll see your 30-day extension and raise you an 18-month extension). But are Mormons allowed to gamble?
Just called Bush a playground bully. What Reid really is is a boxer.
Reid drops the rope-a-dope method!
Speaking of geldings, according to Dan Froomkin:
I hear he displays it next to the much smaller pistol Dick acquired from the Shrubster.
On the floor of the Senate?
“Schoolyard bully.” Yes, we’ve known that.
I don’t even have the sound and just from watching it seems limp.
Just a thought-Would it be too much to expect Dubya during his SOTU to announce that to hasten passage of this much needed bill for the “war on terror”, he was giving pardons to all the telecoms to insure future co-operation in the never-ending threats to our homeland…
uh oh, here we go. Cloture vote.
Harry Reid is in my view, the worst Leader of the Senate in my lifetime. And I’ve been voting the straight Demo ticket for 39 years.
new liveblog thread upstairs…
Hey. History professors are not necessarily boring. ever watch simon schama on the History channel? Jay Winter on WW I on PBS.
Full discolosure, I know both of them.
I read an infuriating piece at antiwar.com via the L.A. Times which suggested that congressional “gridlock” was due to Pelosi and Reid’s failure to “reach across the aisle” early in this congress, preferring “smash mouth tactics” which alienated the president and congressional republicans. I.e., it’s all the democrats fault.
Is this the prevailing mainstream view?
thread number 3 upstairs
I’ve never known him to be anything but outspoken.
295-I understand that serial killers ‘always’ keep trophies…
11 billion dollars a day we as Americans spent on just gasoline……
425 billion dollars last year Americans spent on just gasoline
1.3 trillion dollars to steal Iraq’s Oil????
All this is for the benefit of corporate oil’s cash cow!!! Your gas tank!!!!
Honest to God, I couldn’t watch McConnell speak for more than a minute before changing the channel in a silent rage. Everyone who supports telecom immunity is either in the pocket of the telecoms or a coward willing to sacrifice freedom for the illusion of security.
Let’s review how conservative Republican idols chose between freedom or security.
Moses: Led the Isrealites into the insecure desert for freedom.
Pilgrims: Sailed across the insecure waters of the Atlantic for freedom.
Founding Fathers: Offered up their personal security for freedom.
Lincoln: Offered up his personal security to free the slaves.
Jesus: Offered up his personal security to free sinners.
I know which side I choose. Give me liberty or give me death!
Placing the call that gets the day’s email re-routed to the bitbucket?
Not necessarily–well, Sanders, would. But that is why I asked the question.
spin for the current battles on FISA and economic stimulus bills. Why else would it take almost a year for it to come out?
Specter votes “no,” but Ben Nelson the RIABN votes “yes,” so does Coleman of MN, and both Snowe and Collins of ME. Landrieu votes “yes.” So much for all those e-mails I keep getting from the DSCC to send HER money.