| When we worked so hard and spent so much to win back Congress in 06, most of us expected that this was one issue that our leaders would not back down on. Many of us knew that an expedited withdrawal from Iraq would be impossible, but we at least felt that the protection of the Constitution was one aspect of the failed "War on Terror" the Bush Administration embarked on that our party would fight for.
Unfortunately, we were wrong. While some within our party held fast:
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) called the House bill a "capitulation."
http://www.politico.com/news/s...
Other, Blue Dog Democrats weren't as courageous. Steny Hoyer, who recieved praise from many, was quick to praise himself:
In an interview with Politico on Monday, Hoyer called the FISA legislation a "significant victory" for the Democratic Party - one that neutralized an issue Republicans might have been able to use against Democrats in November while still, in his view, protecting the civil liberties of American citizens.
http://www.politico.com/news/s...
Now, I just disagree with Hoyer. I think it is time Democrats run on the fact that the Bush Administration was incompetent, and enabled by our last "rubber-stamp" Congress on every policy they put forth, and this was one of the unfortunate leftovers of those mistakes. If the Republicans choose to run on that incompetence and can win, then they would have won anyway. Thanks to Russ Feingold for once again speaking truth to power, this bill was a capitulation. It will once again make many Indies think the Democrats won't fight.
Even worse is that it appears they even had another, backdoor method of capitulating no matter what:
Hoyer said that if House Democratic leaders failed to reach a FISA deal with the White House and GOP leaders, as many as "30 Blue Dogs and another 20 to 30 members" could have signed onto a Republican discharge petition calling for a floor vote on the Senate version of the FISA bill, which was even more anathema to House Democrats than what eventually passed.
Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.) confirmed that "there were a lot of Blue Dogs getting anxious" and "a lot" of them would have signed a discharge petition.
"You can take a position and be a purist and sort of sit around yelling at each [other] across the [political] divide and nothing gets done," Hoyer said. "The American people, they want us to get this done. That's the whole thing to me."
http://www.politico.com/news/s...
It is indeed a sad day for our party when our leadership cares more about pleasing Republicans than fighting for the people that got them elected into power with their sweat, and hard-earned money.
After it was all over, the love-fest began:
Pelosi voted in favor of the FISA bill, and she offered both public and private praise for Hoyer's work on it. The two held one-on-one talks during the negotiations, with even their top staff cut out, and Hoyer was well aware of what Pelosi would want before she'd let the legislation get to the floor. The two embraced on the House floor after the vote, a visual display of détente between two leaders who have had their differences over the years.
"It's a very difficult task [with] many competing views as to how we should go forward," Pelosi said on the House floor prior to Friday's FISA vote. "Mr. Hoyer handled it all with great intellect and great respect for all of those views. Thank you, Mr. Hoyer."
http://www.politico.com/news/s...
It is very disappointing that Speaker Pelosi also sided against the Constitution.
Fortunately, other Democrats although few too many actually showed a spine:
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) called the FISA compromise a "very terrible bill." Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Ohio) said the bill would allow "large corporations and big government" to "work together to violate the United States Constitution" and "use massive databases to spy, to wiretap, to invade the privacy of the American people."
http://www.politico.com/news/s...
We simply must remember what the "War on Terror" as spelled out by the Bush Administration really is:
http://www.johnedwards.com/new...
And what this FISA Bill really was:
http://www.johnedwards.com/new...
I think we need to start being more careful as Democrats about who we support to get things done. We need Democrats like Russ Feingold, and Dennis Kucinich, and John Edwards who are not afraid to say if it walks like a pig, and grunts like a pig, then it is pork.
Democrats like Heather Ryan, who would have fought for the Constitution with Kucinich and Barbara Lee if she were in the House:
Later this week, the Senate will be considering passage of the compromise on the FISA Bill. Since many voters in the First Congressional District of Kentucky have contacted me wondering what my stance on this legislation is, I felt compelled to speak on this issue.
While I was in Washington on that terrible day of Sept. 11, 2001 when planes crashed into the World Trade Center and in Western Pennsylvania, and the Pentagon, I can understand the passion that has fueled this bill. Having said that, I must urge the Senate to reject this FISA compromise as proposed and passed by the House of Representatives with H.R. 6304.
There are several reasons why I feel this bill is unnecessary. First, I think that we have lost focus on the fact that a competent Administration could have actually gone a long way in preventing this tragedy. The Bush Administration was warned in advance of 9-11 and did nothing at the time to prevent it. I believe if the Bush Administration would have acted on the intelligence provided them, then the 9-11 tragedy could have been avoided through the laws that existed at the time.
I also believe this law is an extension of the Bush Administration's attempts to politicize the Justice Department. Prosecuting entities are provided by the Constitution with checks and balances on which to operate. They already have very broad powers and if they found a credible threat would have no problem getting a warrant in a timely fashion.
Finally, I believe that FISA and this compromise are an abomination to the Constitution because it seeks to circumvent the checks and balances provided all of us by that sacred document. I strongly oppose giving the Telecom Corporations immunity when they knew they were breaking the law, when the Bush Administration asked them to break the law.
I saw where my opponent in this race, "Exxon Ed" Whitfield voted for this Legislation. I think it is pretty ironic when the very Republicans who lecture us regarding limiting the roll of the Federal Government propose, and push through, the House of Representatives a bill that vastly broadens the powers of the Federal Government. This is one issue on which Progressives, Moderates and Conservatives should all be able to agree. There are certain things on which none of us should ever compromise, and the Constitution is one thing on which I will never compromise as Representative of Kentucky's First District.
Heather Ryan
Democratic Candidate
KY-01
Democrats who want to attack the REPUBLICANS for their incompetence, not cave on the heads of the very people who supported them.
Why not support Democrats who clearly get it, and won't frustrate us in the Congress? In a way it is worse the way this went down, because we EXPECT the Republicans to work against us. It is especially painful when the very people we support and get elected trash the Constitution.
Lets fight for Democrats like Heather Ryan who want to achieve Progress with our new President, not Bush Administration talking points. Go here to support a Democrat that supports the Constitution:
http://www.actblue.com/page/am...
Every defeat that doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Lets elect stronger Democrats with more fight in them, and maybe we will start winning some of these battles.
Best wishes fellow Democrats!!
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