Chris Dodd: The Netroots Show the Love

you assume that the President always acts in your best interests, is always honest, always informed, always conscientious and never makes any mistakes AND that everyone who works for him is the same way, then they might be right.

Of course, this is not bourne out in reality nor is it necessary to allow the government to take reasonable precautions to protect Americans.

We live in a government of laws not of men for good reasons. The approach of the Bush adminsitration puts a single man above the law and beyond accountability. That is not the American way and for good reason.

Nor is the alleged safety achieved amount to much if anything. People have an irrational view towards the threat of terrorism. You are more likely to be struck by lightning than killed in a terrorist attack. More likely to be killed in a car accident or in some other totally unrelated crime. More likely to die in an accident.

According to the US Surgeon General more people die every year from tobacco smoke than all Americans killed by terrorism combined. More people die from tobacco related causes every week than Americans killed on US soil by terrorism. Heck more non-smokers die every month than American killed in this country by terrorism.

John Dean is a pretty smart guy. He may not be the conservatives favorite commentator, since he's been a pretty consistent critic of this administration and regularly appears on Olbermann, but he genuinely and intelligently argues a conservative opinion regarding excesses in government authority, in my opinion

wow way to twist what everyone is saying. You can believe that is what people are suggesting?? Cause if you do, you reading comprehension is so low, you might be able to get government disability.
There is a difference that i hope even you can see between oversight and trust.

I trust my employees but there is still oversight over the cash register in the form of a camera. Trust goes so far, oversight ensures that trust.

There is no hinderence, bush cam spy for ages before telling the courts, he just must eventually report to the courts. sorry if following the rule of law offends you but the fight against terrorist is the same fight as the fight for freedoms or atleast that is what this president leads us to believe and you cant have freedom without the rule of law.

what does the rule of law have to do with intrusive spying on private citizens? You may have a camera on the register, but you don't have the right to put one in your employees living room.

I believe that the 2008 election is far from in the bag. They know that they've gone way too far and they will pull out every stop to retain power. This may worsen it for them politically, but they may decide to do away with politics, so it may be moot.

Here's hoping they're finished, but I await results.

That's for people to judge for themselves, the truth is that the corporations aren't going to pack up and leave Washington any time soon. So if it's not Hillary then you better have a good battle plan for a long war. I don't see that yet.

Amazing what happens when you stand up and fight.
I know I gave today.

Yeah but I never heard that he awarded those Game 6 Red Sox tickets that he sucked $20.04 out of me with.

Do you think Dodd's keeping 'em?

Hillary's not perfect, but she's most definitely an improvement. The entrenched corporate power in this country will not go away with a single election cycle.

That's my view also. And we need to be honest and recognize that much of what we enjoy in American lifestyles is courtesy of American corporations. That doesn't make it good or right, it just is. We need cultural change, but a cultural revolution would be the hard way to effect such a change. Better a cultural evolution.

Oh please. Corporations certainly influence both parties to some degree but hardly the same results. The results will be different.

Whether or not its different enough in your opinion is part of the cost of living in a Democracy. Corporate influence is part of our country and most countries. How do you imaging getting rid of it, and keeping Democracy?

The tweedle dee tweedle dum stratgey of Ralph Nader is both misleading since the candidates do differ, and self-defeating.

Even if we had a parlimentarly system with multiple parties and you had your own anti-coporate party its not clear that the outcome would be any different and might be worse.

As an example I am not pleased to live in country where there appears to be willful ignorance about evolution in a majority of the population and confusion over religious based beliefs and those based upon science. Fortunately the Constitution tends to vitiatie against that to some degree although there are people trying to eliminate that. Thats one of the difference between many in the GOP and in the Democratic party although of course there are many exceptions.

Politicized science is the topic here and global warming policy. I have no doubt that of the likely nominees for the Democratic nomination and those of the GOP there is a clear and stark difference between their approaches to global warming science.

Karen,

What do you think of the telco amnesty provision?

To my mind, it is an affront to the rule of law and would be an extremely bad precedent. I could see a rationale for a short period after 9/11 when one might argue there was such urgency and there hadn't been time to establish proper procedures. But certainly for offenses in say 2002, there is no excuse.

Telcos have extensive legal staffs. One telco (Qwest) said no -- on grounds of questionable legality -- and was (at least according to ex-CEO Nacchio) punished to the tune of hundreds of millions of NSA contracts. Why the Senate would seek to forgive criminal activity -- without even really understanding the details of what is involved -- is beyond me.

If as Rockefeller suggests, the telecoms committed no crimes, then there is no need for amnesty.

MLB told Dodd he couldn't give away play-off tickets.
I don't know why.

Some Americans have a curious notion that if whatever they imagine to be the position of those they disagree with it is completely reasonable to pretend that is their position whatever the actual facts.

hate to break this too you sorbet but you are on the wrong side4.
SCHIP is a republican darling.. it was originally passed in 1996.. by whom the GOP majority.. and now all of a sudden helping kids not die is socialism.. and how does helping kids not die equate to free legal advice?
MAN you have to digg deep these days huh? Next you'll say "whats next socialised space travel, I mean ity is every kids right to go to the moon"
Quit putting words into peoples mouths, there are basic rights that help people live, that is all.
Every other modern industeralised democracies, take care of it's people with healthcare. And hate to break it too ya, but we already have socialised emergency care, as no indigent can be turned away from a hospital with a life threatening problem.
What i want to know is why do you hate the children and your own parties program known as schip?

Wow. Can you say something like that? I don't know whether that's just sarcasm or some kind of awful rhetoric. I think we can all rationally agree that just because one disagrees with the SCHIP expansion does not mean they hate children.

Well, let's see, there's th' SCHIP thing an' th' L'ave Th' Child Behind Act, and th' gin'ral predhation on th' middhle class an' th' war on unionism an' th' shippin' off of some American mothers' childhern t' Iraq where they'll come back in coffins. If Bush doesn't hate childhern, he's more like that molester they just caught in Thailand than he's like Father Christmas, isn't he?

what is significant about this Dodd boomlet is that it is coming from the Democratic activist base -- and its more about "showing Dodd some love" than about votes....at THIS point.

The question is whether Dodd can use this to establish a "fighter" image --- the base desperately wants someone who will stand up to the far right. So far, Hillary has gotten the "fighter" label by default, because she's so frequently attacked. (Obama has worked to avoid being confrontational, and while Edwards talks the talk -- and I think would walk the walk -- his good looks work against the kind of pugnacious aggressiveness that the base is seeking.)

What it means is after captulating to bushs demand every single time, harry thinks it is time to grow a back bone. Fox who missed the republican majority whoes idea of a comprimise was to lock the dems in the dark and turn off the mics, thinks that harry reid should continue to capitulate to the president and my way or the highway BS crap.

Their idea of comprimise is do it our way, or be called uncomprimising.
Hate to break it to you comsen but the neos dont have a stranggle hold on the governemtn.

I didn't see Harry Reid mentioned anywhere in this article and rightfully so since the ball is now in the House court and won't be sent to the Senate until it's been negotiated between the WH and the House. That said, any time I hear a politician talking about "the children" I'm tempted to reach for my pistol with one hand and put my wallet in the safe with the other.

Someone is ....growing.................a....... VERTEBRAE !!!!!!

Harry !
Give some of that med to Nancy!
An let's roll !!

Why is it that Democrats must always be the appeasers and compromisers? Why don't the Rerpublicans ever compromise. Screw 'em. They have had it their way for FAR to long. No more compromise with criminals, no more appeasing, the republicans have had their turn and wasted it.

"Warring against [the principles] of the people,... there is no length to which [the delusion of the people] may not be pushed by a party in possession of the revenues and the legal authorities of the United States, for a short time indeed, but yet long enough to admit much particular mischief. There is no event, therefore, however atrocious which may not be expected." --Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Smith, 1798.
They have blown it. Abused their position. Now the Republicans have to take the back seat.

"In every free and deliberating society, there must, from the nature of man, be opposite parties, and violent dissensions and discords; and one of these, for the most part, must prevail over the other for a longer or shorter time." --Thomas Jefferson
We don't have to compromise our principles, that is what they ask. When a man is facing the death penalty, and cry's, "Can't we come to a compromise!" He should have thought of that before. Too little too late "Republicans".

So now the Democrats should not compromise, even if it's for the good of the country? Seem like you are in favor of the Democrats doing what you complain that the Republicans did. With that kind of attitude, the country is in trouble. Fortunately you're in the minority.

Someone is desperate to degrade the content on this site.

It's like being at an exorcism.

The Heads of the Republican party have betrayed the trust of the American people and are just to stubborn to role over and die yet. The Minority is now the Majority Look at the polls. I am not alone. This Country was in trouble the day democracy almost died and bush infected the office of the Presidency. Getting ride of a cancer by removing the tumor is the only way to save this Country.

You don't compromise with a Cancer. You cut it out and discard.

"Someone is desperate to degrade the content on this site.

It's like being at an exorcism."

Wow this is like a Members Only Club and only you can pick gets to be in it?

What a Neo-Con studge.

For anyone who needs background, Glenn Greenwald is an excellent go-to guy on FISA issues (link to his blog on my handle).

"Wow this is like a Members Only Club and only you can pick gets to be in it?"

Well if someone has a party and you bring over the main character from the Exorcist, it's gonna kinda throw a damper on things.

But that's the idea, isn't it?

Bush has said time and again that the spying was legal. Why, then, do the telecoms need immunity?

I was wondering when you guys would get around to noticing. Considering that, at it's core, the issue is whether or not the President is subject to the law, I can see how you'd want to try to skirt around it for as long as you could.

According to FireDogLake, Harry Reid is going to force a vote on this bill despite Dodd's hold on it.

See: http://www.firedoglake.com/2007/10/18/reid-tries-to-shut-down-dodds-hold/

If true, this would be objective evidence that Reid is an idiot or a coward. If not true, then Kudos to Reid. We shall have to see what happens.

sean s.

Thanks, Karen. I really appreciate you posting on this topic (as I happened to request of you yesterday in another thread).

As it is, yesterday I gave $100 bucks to the Dodd campaign, called their office (and told their poor staffer that there was more where that came from), signed up at his site, emailed many of my acquaintances what I had done, and emailed Hillary's campaign with how I felt about Sen. Dodd (they sent me a lovely email in return that included some sort of promise about "starting a conversation").

This is what I wrote in the contribution comment box at Dodd's site:

"This contribution is a direct result of the leadership Sen. Dodd displayed today by holding the FISA bill from the Senate floor. Thank God someone in the Senate (or Washington, for that matter) is willing to do what it takes to protect and defend our constitution.

Thanks to Sen. Dodd for acting heroically."

No one else will get my money for the duration of the '08 race unless he/she steps up to stop this atrocity from going forward.

Where are the other candidates? Obama?

(and I mean *what are they doing*, not what they are saying whilst throwing their hands in the air, a la "...but it takes 60 votes, everybody knows that!")

sean....

I called Reids office today, and was told that he hadn't even considered the issue yet.

I also was told that they'd gotten LOTS of calls already about this. In other words, Reid's office is now back-tracking, and pretending that it didn't say what it said to Congressional Quarterly.

...and by the way:

This is not a tough issue.

If the FBI shows up at your house and asks you to break in to the bank and steal some money for them, and you do it, should you be immune from prosecution?

If the telcos provided their customers' private information to the government, whether that's the local police or George W. Bush himself, that act is just as illegal (under the current FISA law) as the request.

Can the FBI go to the corner pharmacy/store companies, and request that every record of every prescription they've ever filled for every customer be turned over to them? Not unless there's a warrant. If the Walgreens and CVS's and Rite-Aids did so, that would be illegal.

Telecom companies cannot be given a pass. If they are given immunity from the legal consequences of cooperating with the government to break the law, then there's never going to be a trial in which we might even be able to find out what actually happened. The government could just tell us all that they never did anything illegal, and the phone companies could just say the same thing, and we'd be (secretly) at their mercy. There would be no privacy at all. We'd just have to take Verizon's and Alberto Gonzales's words for it that they weren't spying on us (inappropriately, at least in their minds) all the time.

It's not a constitutional question.
Unless there is a legal/judicial method for holding companies accountable for complicity in unconstitutional and/or illegal actions by executive branch agencies, what the Fourth Amendment or FISA statute or anybody has to say about it *doesn't matter*.

If the government is going to put companies in the position of knowingly acting in contempt of the law, then "protecting" those companies amounts to protecting the government. Everybody else's rights can just go to hell, if that's the case. We cannot simply rely on the good will (towards us) of AT&T. In fact, the opposite legal incentive must be available to these companies *so that they are very clearly able to refuse such illegal directives*.

Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, etc. need to have more legal rationale to say to the NSA, FBI, Dick Cheney's office, etc. that they can not cooperate in a warrant-less program, even if the government promises them immunity forever, precisely because they *will* be sued for it.

Unless this consequence is clearly enforced, the same top administration officials who direct the NSA to request telcos to ignore any laws they deem necessary to break will simply turn around and tell the Department of Justice not to enforce those laws (sound familiar?).

If we can get one of these cases through a court for a verdict based on the current law, two things happen.
One, that the illegal spying for the past six years on Americans can no longer be kept secret from us, so that we can attempt to remedy that situation in keeping with the constitution.
Two, that when enormous companies entrusted with every telephone conversation, every email, every web site we've ever visited get orders from powerful people in the highest state agencies for unlimited access in *total secrecy*, then those corporations' brigades of legal counsel might be more likely tell their employers that, in addition to those requests being obviously illegal with respect to FISA, and obviously unconstitutional with respect to any idiot with a brain, the telcos could get sued.

Telcos' fear of lawsuits equals "maybe we keep the constitution intact".
Telcos' immunity from lawsuits equals "in practice, noone in the executive can be held accountable for breaking the law".

As it happens, I live in New York City, and I watched the twin towers burn down.
Speaking as someone who has contemplated (along with his wife) where the safest place is to live, and where we're going to meet up when the next planes or bombs or whatever hits, I will not stand by while a terrified political class in Washington hand absolute power over to their technocrat colleagues in exchange for vague promises of protection or security.

I'm not a hero.
It's just that nobody out here seems to be as afraid as people in Beltway circles
Very soon we will figure out how to yank these corrupt cowards out of the way, so that we can protect the constitution from the rabid Authoritarian Right ourselves.

Cue the Pete Stark controversy now that Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter have gotten another free pass.

I'm sure CNN will feature the Stark story, on a 20 minute cycle, for the next two weeks.

hillary!
hillary!

good for you and good for me!

hillary!
hillary!

free money for the children there will be!

hillary!
hillary!

smartest womyn you will ever see!

hillary!
hillary!

free healthcare for all there will be!

hillary!
hillary!

she'll make big oil pay their fee!

hillary!
hillary!

vote for her or neocon you be!

hillary!
hillary!

good for you and good for me!

hillary!
hillary!

free money for the children there will be!

hillary!
hillary!

smartest womyn you will ever see!

hillary!
hillary!

free healthcare for all there will be!

hillary!
hillary!

she'll make big oil pay their fee!

hillary!
hillary!

vote for her or neocon you be!

http://dailykos.com

That we are at a point that standing up for that silly constitution is considered an act of courage is pretty depressing.

We don't need no stinking fourth amendment. If we have that, the evil doers will win.

Thanks for the color re Reid, p_luk.

Given how far to the Right the DNC member Hillary Clinton is, one can only imagine the absolute fanaticism of those who call her a Liberal.

It almost makes me believe in conspiracies. DNC candidates, and Bush Dogs, are called screaming liberals, to disguise the errands they run for the Right.

I should have said DLC.

Stuart....

just curious. I went to the Dodd website and gave money after reading about this on TPM -- before I saw that there was any semi-organized effort to support Dodd in this effort....

In other words, I have the feeling that a lot of the giving to his campaign was spontaneous -- a reflection of how tired Democrats are of candidates who talk about what they will do if elected, rather than doing what they have the power to do today....

was your contribution spontaneous...or did you respond to an appeal elsewhere?

I would have thought that freedom and liberty would be an issue the Republicans and Democrats could agree on. What happened to the liberal principle of limited government? Reid appears to be as eager to destroy personal freedom as Bush is.

hillary!
hillary!

good for you and good for me!

hillary!
hillary!

free money for the children there will be!

hillary!
hillary!

smartest womyn you will ever see!

hillary!
hillary!

free healthcare for all there will be!

hillary!
hillary!

she'll make big oil pay their fee!

hillary!
hillary!

vote for her or neocon you be!

hillary!
hillary!

good for you and good for me!

hillary!
hillary!

free money for the children there will be!

hillary!
hillary!

smartest womyn you will ever see!

hillary!
hillary!

free healthcare for all there will be!

hillary!
hillary!

she'll make big oil pay their fee!

hillary!
hillary!

vote for her or neocon you be!

http://dailykos.com

Gotta say that I look at what is happening right now and I see the GOP doing the 'Imperialist' thing with one hand behind their back while kow-towing to the Dominionist at the same time.

Both philosophies are abhorrent to me. Anybody in the DEM party who chooses to confront either 'group' head on is looking like a hero to me.

Dodd and Edwards are standing up. Right now Dodd has a position with some power. May he use it. I think I stand for the many [see poll numbers for Congress] that think talking the talk has warn thin.

Footnote: Saw a tidbit about the Hastert resignation that linked Hastert [and Duncan Hunter] with Duke Cunningham. Maybe on the TPM site somewhere.

Just a note to some of the 'newbies' on this sight, we are plagued with spoofers. check out the 'linda' and 'p_luk' post about hillary! hillary! that rolls on and on, that same spam was previously posted with the handle of 'KOS KIDZ' in all caps. Most of the posts that take 'pot shots' at other posters are trolls or sock puppets and like to do 'ID' theft.

Hint: If a poster addresses an issue, respond. If a poster uses a personal attack, ignore it.

Linda...
I saw Hastert first linked over at Howie Klein's blog (www.downwithtyranny.com)...

and it should be noted that in a Washington Post chat today, Biden said that he would support a Dodd filibuster....and I think that Obama is on board as well.

Which leaves Hillary. And Hillary has yet to take any kind of position that puts her at odds with the other candidates, and the party's base...

IMHO, this may well prove to be a template for effective change -- it would be damned tough for the Dem Congressional leadership to oppose the Party's presidential candidates if they take a firm stand -- and as Dodd is showing, all we need is one of them to take a firm stand on an issue to have an impact.

I also gave fifty to Dodd, purely as thanks for standing up for the rule of law. If the laws are to mean anything, they've gotta apply to all of us... not just those of us who aren't multi-billion dolllar corporations with super-lobbyists and millions of campaign dollars spread across Congress.

I only wish Dodd were my Senator.

Patrick Meighan
Culver City, CA

Thank God for Chris Dodd!

This former Obama supporter/contributor is now a Dodd supporter/contributor. I'll hold my nose and vote for whomever the Democrats nominate, but I won't be giving my money or my time to support a candidate who lets the telecoms buy immunity for lawbreaking.

This makes me so mad I could spit - the telephone companies are selling out OUR privacy and then using the money they got from US to buy retroactive immunity from Congress for what they did to us. It's disgusting.

Posted by p_lukasiak
October 19, 2007

"Stuart....
just curious...
was your contribution spontaneous...or did you respond to an appeal elsewhere?"

Well, I was reading Greenwald's entries about this travesty, then I went into a colleague's office to tell him that the bill got out of committee, and the first place I went to for a byte-size explanation was Duncan's site.

As soon as that got on the monitor, I saw "Dodd comes through", or "Dodd-mania", or something like that. I sort of cheered, because I couldn't believe that a Democrat (and a Senator, no less) had actually done this. I mean, it really took me by surprise. I hadn't even realized that my expectations of Democrats were so low.

When I saw something like "Chris Dodd places hold", I felt like I think that I was supposed to feel when I saw a speech Obama gave next to NYU a few weeks ago (of course it was a total let-down).

I spend a lot of time and effort thinking and researching what the best policies are for this country, and it's usually a pretty dry (and depressing) experience. For the first time in recent memory, I really went through something emotionally when it came to politics. It was somewhat like a mild "Supremes' rule Presidency to Bush" experience, except in reverse.

I think that Atrios had some link blurb like "please reward goodness", but I thought of giving to Dodd immediately myself. That was the first thing that I could think of: that I just wanted to *Do Something* to help this one man stand up for what I've wanted to say to the Democratic congress for months, if not years.

Yes, I believe that it was totally spontaneous. I didn't need anybody to tell me where to go, or what to do. It was like somebody ran up to me and said "Help! My kid's hand is stuck in a mailbox!", and I just responded in any way that I could.

It's been a long time since I felt that way about a politician's words...It's so strangely rare that you feel that a candidate or officeholder is actually speaking for you or to you...

...it's amazing, actually.

Prime Beef
October 19, 2007
"I think we can all rationally agree that just because one disagrees with the SCHIP expansion does not mean they hate children."

These are Republicans we are talking about, so, no, I don't think we can all rationally agree on anything, much less that Republicans don't hate children when, in fact, the data say they do. Hello? Remember Headstart? Got to have been the most hated program in government by Goopers.

I went from thinking he was a good guy to sending him money and definitely voting for him.

" It was somewhat like a mild "Supremes' rule Presidency to Bush" experience, except in reverse."

I wouldn't go that far (since Bush V. Gore left me literally nauseous) more like watching a football game and seeing your team catch a key interception. ;)

oh, btw, in case anyone is interested, Karen will be on Washington Week tonight

http://www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek/thisweek.html

and although she's scheduled to talk about SCHIP, and John Dickerson will be the go to guy on the campaign (talking about the GOP), we can always hope that Karen mentions this little tidbit on the air tonight! ;)

the post that was written by linda above was not me. My posts are not from me unless there is a link to the daily kos site from which I get all of my beliefs. Thank you.

the post that was written by linda above was not me. My posts are not from me unless there is a link to the daily kos site from which I get all of my beliefs. Thank you.

http://dailykos.com

Anne your making the assumption that this bill is good for the nation. Take the long view for a moment and as yourself, how would you feel if these powers were to be wielded by a President you didn't like such as say Clinton? No, we have gone way too far in undermining the rule of law here, and this is just one more hit to the future of The Republic.

Believe it or not Checks and Balances are a good thing.

"Yeah but I never heard that he awarded those Game 6 Red Sox tickets that he sucked $20.04 out of me with.

Do you think Dodd's keeping 'em?"

Actually, his campaign was told that it is against either MLB or Redsox Franchise rules (I can't remember which) for him to raffle off the tickets. He wanted to do it but MLB shut him down.

Funny, isn't it, how many posters want to talk about SCHIP, and how few posters want to actually talk about what Dodd did.

Yeah, SCHIP is a Good Thing, but it's small potatoes compared to preserving the rule of law and saving the Constitution.

Because of one set of corporations can get Congress to give them retro-active immunity for illegal acts, you can bet there are others waiting in line. And do you think that any of us who transgress have a "Get out of jail free card" waiting? Didn't think so. Retroactive immunity -- or is it "total impunity" in the FIDA [cough] Reform bill is the end of the rule of law and Constitutional government.

And I think it's shameful that the two so-called "top tier" Senators weren't out in front on this issue. Surely saving the Constitution is more important than whatever their precious Beltway consultants are telling them?

But we're still not hearing anything from them.

Now Biden just supported Dodd's filibuster in a WaPo Chat.

But from Hillary? Obama? *** Crickets ***

OK, back to the Inside Baseball of SCHIP tactics. Enjoy!

P.S. Oh yeah, I just send Dodd $50 bucks.

P.P.S. Hi, Paul!

'by posting Call (202) 224-6472, and say: "Hi, is this the number I call to get retroactive immunity for my past illegal acts?" '

geez Lambert, I REALLY wish I'd thought of that!

PS Hi back! ;)

My donation to Dodd yesterday was spontaneous. I was so disgusted when I heard that the Democrats in the Intelligence committee sold us out that I was considering leaving the party. Then Sen. Dodd reminded me that not all Democrats are sniveling cowards.

I like Obama, but have noticed lately that he is not a leader. He was right about the Iraq war from the beginning, but he's abandoned his current job (US Senator) as he seeks a new one. I want to see him in there fighting, doing as Dodd does and using the Senate rules to full advantage. But he and Hillary have usually waited until the last minute to take a stand on something.

I donated to Dodd as well, and he deserves it. I have been warming to him for a month now. The ONLY candidate with conviction and spoke/acted like a President should. He is defending us and the constitution. He has always been in front of issues with a stand I respect and concur with. He hasn't focus grouped anything, and I trust him. I am sickened by the timid mishandling of leadership by both reid and pelosi. If anything, watch Dodd's video. He isn't grandstanding, there is an American nobility about him.

Oh come on. If republicans really hated kids they wouldn't always be trying to have sex with them.

We're ready to get behind a leader who shows some courage in standing up to this administration as they continue to violate the law of the land... and then try to provide immunity for those complicit in the lawbreaking who can expose what they have been doing.

If you ever tire of watching the spineless Democrats walk lock step with the extremist Right please consider joining the Green Party, where progressives are the mainstream.

A note of thanks to all commenters here: some serious exchanges, troll free thus far and an education. I see Biden gave a simple yes when asked whether he will support Dodd's filibuster. The man is actually effective when he uses one word!

Karen, thanks for covering this without snark or sarcasm.

I also sent money to Dodd when I heard what he'd done. I think a lot of people are doing it spontaneously -- trying to reward someone who fights the good fight.

Too bad Clinton and Obama came through a day late -- that's why they're a dollar short in my book.

Obama and Clinton are catering to the right-wing extremists because they know they can take your vote for granted.

“The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government - lest it come to dominate our lives and interests.” Patrick Henry

"[When] corruption.. has prevailed in those offices [of]... government and [has] so familiarized itself as that men otherwise honest could look on it without horror,... [then we must] be alive to the suppression of this odious practice and... bring to punishment and brand with eternal disgrace every man guilty of it, whatever be his station." --Thomas Jefferson to W. C. C. Claiborne, 1804.

Congress's first obligation to it's citizens and to our forefathers must be to preserve and protect our constitutional liberties and freedom. To restrain, if not banish the Annuit Coeptis - (God has favored us) Oligarchs whose mission are power, control of wealth, and servitude of the populace. Where is the courage, strength, and moral compass of our forefathers? The weak-minded, knee bending, bowing heads of Congress before thy King have betrayed "We The People".

This is something I feel strongly about.

I also contributed to Dodd. I first read about Dodd's hold on Atrios. I agree with Duncan, although I haven't made up my mind yet I think we should reward good behavior.

Looks as though it may almost be safe to get back in the water. ;)

Karen :)
you got linked:

http://www.anonymousliberal.com/
and
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/10/20/15851/321

Lambert :)

Here's some notes on Rocky-feller [NOT]:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2007/10/19/195820/67

Who seems to following in the footsteps of Sen. Roberts and Rep. Hoekstra [hometown buddy of Erik Prince and the DeVos's] from the last time this went around.

Quick review of the 'players' that have made the news:
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/cats/surveillance

Karen,

Atrios also linked to this yesterday.

It is now considered an extraordinary event simply if you follow the constitution.

Recognizing the rule of law is an act that is rewarded and greeted with singing and dancing.

LEADERSHIP! LEADERSHIP! My God. Reid - are you watching? This is what LEADERSHIP looks like. For that matter, Hillary - you should look too. Dodd has demonstrated time and again that he is willing to stand up for what he believes, EVEN IF IT ISN"T THE POPULAR THING TO DO. Hillary has shown me that she is willing to do wahtever she has to to get elected and Harry Reid has shown me NOTHING. Jellyfish Reid is the best player on their team.

Dodd has my $$$, my vote and most imporantly, my RESPECT.

The President and some, not all, of the telecommunications giants broke the law. It's flatly unconstitutional to retro-actively give anyone, or any company, immunity. It can't be legally done, no matter what bogus bill gets passed by the 11 percent congress and the 24 percent President. It's not legal.

Sadly it is Constitutional. The prhibition against ex post facto laws only applies to making something a CRIME after the fact.

Remember when ford pardoned nixon it was for 'all crimes committed or might have committed'. So yes, it is Constitutional...for both branches

Great article. Thanks for sharing.
Regards,العاب-العاب الجاسوسات-العاب مسابقات-العاب بنات-العاب فلاش-طبخ-العاب اطفال-خطوط جديدة
العاب تلبيس-العاب للبنات فقط-اكسسوارات-العاب طبخ-العاب سيارات-صور صدام حسين
العاب بنات فقط-العاب بنات تلبيس-العاب للاطفال-العاب بنات جديدة-العاب مكياج-للبنات فقط
باربي-صدام حسين-العاب باربي-العاب البنات-صور حب-خطوط
صور سيارات-صور اطفال-صور مضحكة-العاب الاطفال-صور بنات
العاب تلبيس بنات-صدام-الغاز-مسابقات-تواقيع-صور-معاني الاسماء-صور ازهار-خطوط انجليزية
صور زهور-تواقيع للمنتديات-صور قلوب-صور جبال-صور حزينه-تحميل خطوط
صور تواقيع-العاب ذكاء-العاب ديكور-العاب قص الشعر-العاب الطبخ-الخطوط
العاب الطبخ الجديدة-بنات-ازياء-مكياج-العاب طبخ جديدة-العاب الغاز-خطوط عربية-صور صدام

برامج جوال و موبايل | Drivers |برامج صوت وفيديو | تحميل العاب جديدة | برامج نت | برامج شبكات |برامج حماية | برامج إدارة النظام | برامج تصميم وفوتوشوب | نسخ اقراص و DVD | برامج كمبيوتر - الكمبيوتر | كتب عربية | برامج اطفال | برامج بروتابل portable | برامج عربية ومعربة |برنامج هندسة معمارية |برنامج ضغط وفك ضغط | تعاريف الجهازة وخدمات اخرى |برامج المكتبة | برامج منوعة | موقع | جي سوفت | برامج |العاب بنات |العاب |صور | مسجات | برامج حماية |صور سيارات |مرض | منتديات | صور صدام حسين |كرتون صاحب الظل الطويل فيديو مضحك -برامج جوال و موبايل | كرتون هايدي| موقع |جي سوفت | برامج | العاب بنات |العاب |صور | مسجات | قصص الصحابة |صور سيارات |مرض | منتديات | صور صدام حسين |العاب تلبيس |العاب باربي |العاب ترتيب غرف |العاب طبخ |العاب مغامرات |العاب اكشن |العاب ميك اب العاب مكياج | العاب بنات منوعة | العاب اطفال | hguhf fkhj |hguhf fkhj tr' |hguhf |fvhl[ برامج ضغط وفك ضغط - كتب |برامج نسخ|برامج تصميم |العاب بنات |العاب |منتديات | جي سوفت | برامج |موقع |Dress Up GAMES |Kids Games |Barbie Games |Room Decor Games | Cooking Games |Adventure Games |Action Games |Makeover makeup make up Games | Other Games | 123 456 78 - 91234567891234567891 2345 6 786789 |ماسنجر 9 |Windows Live Messenger 9 |Messenger 9 |Yahoo |Messenger Plus! Live | Adobe Flash Player | Adobe Reader | Nokia Multimedia Player |ESET NOD32 Antivirus | Norton AntiVirus 2008 |Kaspersky Anti-Virus | Media Player Classic |Free Internet TV |Internet Explorer 8 | FlashGet | google Adsense افلام كرتون - توم وجيري - كرتون اسلامي - الكابتن ماجد - العاب بنات - العاب طبخ - العاب باربي - العاب مكياج - العاب بنات جديدة - العاب اطفال - العاب ترتيب الغرف - العاب ديكور - العاب قص الشعر - العاب تلبيس - العاب ميك اب - منتديات - برامج - مواقع - صور - انمي - صور انمي - عدنان ولينا - سندباد - اناشيد - اناشيد اطفال - عالم حواء - موبايل فيديو youtube - فيديو Google - انمي - افلام كرتون - توم وجيري - القط والفار - افلام كرتون اسلامية - قصص واقعية - قصص وعبر - قصص الانبياء - قصص القرآن الكريم - قصص وحكايات اطفال - خواطر - اناشيد اسلامية - اناشيد اطفال - اناشيد فرقة طيور الجنة - ديكور - ديكور منازل - مكياج - طبخ في مطبخ حواء - ازياء و موضة - ماسنجر - توبيكات - موبايل MOBILE - العاب طبخ - العاب باربي - Youtube -youtube.com -العاب بنات جديدة - العاب قص الشعر - شعر - منتديات -برامج -موقع - صور - العاب ديكور - العاب ترتيب غرف -العاب قص شعر -العاب تلبيس -العاب ميك أب - العاب مكياج - العاب اطفال - العاب اكشن - العاب رياضة -العاب كرة قدم -سباق سيارات -فساتين افراح تلبيس - هوت مايل -خاشع -المؤذن -ماسنجر 9 - google adsense - تعريف Drivers- شاشات توقف- شاشة توقف -برامج جوال - تحميل برامج - برامج كمبيوتر - ماسنجر مسنجر تحميل ماسنجر - برامج حماية جديدة - برامج تصميم جديدة - برامج صوت وفيديو - برامج تحميل وتنزيل برامج جديدة - تحميل العاب - العاب بلاي ستيشن PlayStation 2 - العاب بنات جديدة [للبنات فقط] - كرتون سالي - اوسكار - تلبيس باربي  - youtube - YouTUBE downloader -وزارة التعليم العالي - وزارة التربية - وزارة الداخلية الكويت - وزارة الصحة -وزارة الداخلية القطرية - وزارة التجارة - وزارة التربية السورية -وزارة المواصلات - وزارة المالية العراقية -

Gotta love the political points of view each individual has that stirs debate!

Capatrex, the world's premier natural male enhancement supplement, represents a medical break-though of significant merit.

Capatrex was developed by an extremely experienced team of doctors, engineers, and herbalists to combat erectile dysfunction, and help men of all ages and health to achieve solid and strong erections. Capatrex is so advanced that its development team and parent company filed for a US patent to maintain its strong competitive advantage in the male enhancement marketplace.
The essence of Capatrex male enhancement is its patent-pending sexual delivery blend. This core delivery blend consists of highly potent extracts of the natural herbs tongkat ali, maca, muira puama, tribulus terrestris, epimedium saggitatum, ginseng, and ginkgo biloba It also features the l-arginine, an essential amino acid for enhanced sexual health. Capatrex ingredients are safely processed through a trademarked process referred to as "Extractacell Technology," which enables the herbal constituents in Capatrex Capatrex encapsulates its premium ingredients in swift release capsules for immediate assimilation into the body.

Capatrex is extremely safe due to its all-natural formulation, and can even be taking while consuming moderate amounts of alcohol. The Capatrex male enhancements formula has no reported side effects, and features ingredients that have been documented and studied in extensive detail in professional circles and medical journals. Capatrex's development team is so confident you will benefit from their supplement, that they are proud to offer a 30-day "no questions asked" money back guarantee.

More information about how Capatrex male enhancement works with the human body can be found in a highly detailed write-up on Capatrex's informative website. Not only is Capatrex extremely safe and effective, but it is also affordable too. Capatrex can be obtained for as little as $24.95 per month. For men using alternative methods, Capatrex natural male enhancement is a great natural solution to achieving long term sexual health.

منتديات-شات--صور
قلوب-صور طبيعية-صور
متحركة-شات
الغلا-منتديات الغلا-تحميل
العاب-برامج-كتب
مجانية-برامج جوال-مقاطع
بلوتوث-مسجات-نغمات
نوكيا-ثيمات-العاب
جوال-دروس فوتوشوب-هكر-صور-صور
انمي-اخبار الفن-صور
فنانات-افلام-افلام
اجنبية-اناشيد
اسلامية-صور
سيارات-كاس امم اوروبا-تحميل
اهداف-محمد-سياحة
وسفر-منتديات
عامة-كاريكاتير-نكت-الغاز-خواطر-قصائد--حكايات-اساطير-روايات-حكم
وامثال-فساتين-منتديات
عروس-حلويات-اطفال-الطب
البديل-علم
النفس-مركز
تحميل الصور-دليل
المواقع العربية-1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-برق-19-p1-p2-p3-p4-78-71-20-21-59-60-58-61-67-53-56-9-a9-a1-a8-a12--a15-a16-a18-ماسنجر-صور
بنات-51-26-a-b-c-d-e-e-f-g-h-j-l-29-43-47-13-6-dd-p18-f8-12-62-65-49l-f11-f86-مسجات
حب-مسجات عتاب-مسجات
شوق-صور ماسنجر-مسجات حلوة-صور
حب-صور بنات-شات
بنات-شات
الود-اغاني هيفاء وهبي-دردشة
بنت السعودية-عمرو خالد-ناصر
الفراعنة-صور نانسي عجرم-ياسر
القحطاني-دردشة
الشلة-نغمات-قصص-تامر حسني-العاب-طرب
توب-اوز-دردشة
اماراتية-شات اماراتي-دردشة
قطر-دردشة بحرينية-شات
قطر-شات البحرين-دردشة
لبنانية-شات
بنات-دردشة
اردنية-شات اردني-شات
عراقي-دردشة
عراقية-دردشة
سورية-شات سوري-شات
كويتي-دردشة كويتية
-ترافيان
-صور لميس-اناشيد
العفاسي
-صحيح البخاري-صحيح
مسلم-هيفاء وهبي-سنوات
الضياع-مسلسل نور-صور
اطفال-صور تامر حسني-صور
اليسا-صور مضحكة-صور
رمزية-صور ترحيب-صور
نانسي عجرم-صور حسام الرسام-صور
حزن-صور مهند-صور
نادرة-صور بنوتات-صور
للمسن-لعبة باربي-لعبة
الجاسوسات-شات
سعودي

العاب - العاب بنات - العاب باربي - العاب اكشن - العاب تلبيس - منتدى - صور - افلام - مسجات - عالم حواء -ازياء - ديكور - دليل - العاب طبخ - hguhf - سيارات - لعبة سونيك - العاب اطفال - الوليد بن طلال - مسرحيات - مصارعة - شات - العاب اطفال - جده - مقاطع دراجات - بيع و شراء - سوزوكي - كرة قدم - اسلاميات - مواضيع - منتديات - هكر - تسلية - زواج - العاب سيارات - مشاهير - العاب اولاد - ماريو -حركتات -
منتديات محمد - فتح المواقع المحجوبة - بروكسي - يوتيوب - كلاش - الجاسوسات - افلام - انشر - باريان - جده بايكرز -افلام كرتون - محمد - جده - دليل لين - عدنان ولينا - العاب بنات - Guide - فنانات -