Not only are they screwing La. resident over and Landreau, but they stabbed John McCain in the bak after Bush agreed to not torture prisonser, and the Asst. Labor Secty. of Labor defiantly walked out of a hearing re: mine safety the other day in front of Arlen Specter.
This administration is abusive towards congressmen and they sit there submissively and allow it.
Posted by at January 27, 2006 12:15 AMGreat post...it's so obvious...sometimes I can't help but wonder if some democrats are just blind and stupid or just blind and stupid on purpose?
A bully is only as strong as those being bullied allow them to be.
Posted by emal at January 27, 2006 04:35 AMThe spineless congress members must all be 'dirty' some way, and I am betting W has the 'goods' on all of them, and their 'dirty deeds'. The result is that they won't oppose W because they know W can, and will crap all over them individually the moment they 'leave the reservation'.
Posted by credjam at January 27, 2006 05:13 AMThat fucking bitch is worthless. She's only in the Senate because of a family name, and it shows.
There is no opposition party, even though most of the nation is opposed to BushCorp. What a sorry fucking state of affairs.
Posted by God Of War at January 27, 2006 05:29 AMLandrieu folded when she joined the idiotic gang of fourteen or whatever the hell they're called. The idea that we have a two-party system is officially a joke now. We need more independents like Jeffords to return to a two-party state.
Posted by CJ at January 27, 2006 07:51 AMMy guess is that the Bushies told her that things could get a whole lot worse in Louisiana if she doesn't back Alito. All kinds of bad things could happen.
There are also an awful lot of Catholics in Louisiana, most of whom vote Democratic. No doubt the church has warned her about the peril to her immortal soul should she oppose Alito. The Catholic Church is capable of the most vicious attacks you have ever seen. They make the fundies look tame by comparison.
Her election victories have been narrow in Louisiana and she knows that hundreds of thousands of her voters have been scattered to the winds and that the Bushies are in no hurry to let them return.
These are the realities. Politics today is as dirty a blood sport as it's ever been. Is Landrieu famous for her political bravery? NO. Do you really expect her to throw away her political career over Alito? Hell, even Robert Byrd is going to vote for him.
The fact is that Progressives will no longer be able to depend on the Constitution and the courts to protect their liberties, while they sit on their asses, hoping for the best.
Militancy...Get It.
Posted by Greg at January 27, 2006 08:19 AMMilitancy...Get It.
Posted by Greg at January 27, 2006 08:19 AM
*****
Got it.
Posted by God Of War at January 27, 2006 08:58 AMGood post.
The DC Democrats are completely neurotic. They keep thinking if they do the same thing that they'll get a different result the next time. Where did they get the insane notion that they can bargain with Bu$hCo and get something in return. Why do they always hold up their end of the bargain first and then act surprised on Bush welches?
Unfortunately, the DC Democrats aren't the only ones to have been infected with this neuroses. A high percentage of rank and file Democrats are suffering from it as well. And they all refuse to see that there is a cure for it -- because the cure challenges them to give up their fantasy. Just as the poor slobs on the right will never give up their fantasy of Bush no matter how much poorer they get.
Posted by Marie at January 27, 2006 11:21 AMI'll be 56 years old tomorrow. Many years ago I was married to a military guy who spent a lot of time in Viet Nam. There is some similarity between then and now but, though the war was bad back then, the consequences today are much more horrific.
I'm not certain about Mr. Alito. Sure, there are probably better people out there but maybe not. He's probably a really nice guy and he shouldn't take his confirmation hearing to heart. They needed to do what they did; he probably knows that too.
What I do know is this; Mr. Alito will be the name on EVERY questionable practice of our government.
He will be the decision maker for the rest of our lives. I wish everyone would think about that! For the rest of you life - he will be there!!!
Did anyone else listen to Bush when he was re-elected? He is spending his POLITICAL CAPITAL. He is spending it all over our future. If Mr. Alito does turn out to be the conservative swing vote that Bush promised his followers, then we have no hope of a non-partisan Supreme Court. If you thought they decided the election in 2000; think of what they will be deciding in your future and your kid's future??
Some decisions that could be down the road might contain: Iran, Hammas, what church you go to, who wins another election, who listens to your phone calls and reads your e-mail; who says when a President is breaking the law and who gets to higher education - you or an illegal alien, who's city get rebuilt, but you know it doesn't matter.
There is no one on either side of the Washington isles with spine enough to say 'Hey, this emperor has not clothes', he's a fake and I'm not going to take it any more. Everyone there, especially those in the 'cloture' (fancy word for idiot) column is too busy covering themselves to worry about the American people; they'll do anything to get elected again. They trample themselves in lock-step with that naked emperor in hopes that their lobbying pals check books don't include their names in them.
You see, they are still thinking that Bush matters.
They don't realize that 'they are the ones with the power'; they are the ones who will also be there after Bush is out of office - that's if they play their hands right. How can they think deeply enough about the possibility that maybe those confirmation hearings were too short; maybe their are other out there that EVERYONE could agree on. They don't think for themselves because Bush is watching their back; at least for a little while more.
Most of all, they don't even know that they don't need him. They need us.
There really is no person there with spine. If there were, this would be the furthest thing from their minds. Right now, they should be wondering if they were duped into approving everything he wanted, duped into embarrassing themselves every day in the house and senate; duped into approving no bid contracts and most of all, were they all duped into believing that they are infallible and will their political futures will extend BB - Beyond Bush. There only thought should be 'is Alito a setup'? What are the consequences of their actions; or mis-actions?
They are wrong if they believe they will have political futures. Bush will go gone. He'll go back to Crawford and they'll never get a dinner invitaion. They probably won't even get another picture with him. [In actual fact, I don't think they should try.]
So, this being my first political statement since Viet Nam ended, [and even then I didn't open my mouth very much] I'll close by saying the consequences of the actions in Washington dire. Each and every one of the senators voting had better step back and think - what's the worst thing that could happen from their vote? The worst things are already starting. There's Abramoff, Iran, Domestic Spying, Presidential shredding of the Constitution, Iraq, Hammas, etc. They might also want to add their daughter's health (physical and mental), their own death or their choices when the time comes or perhaps they need only think as far as the 2008 elections.
Ladies and gentlemen of Washington - as my mother would say "MARK MY WORDS" YOU HAVE THE FATE OF AMERICA IN YOUR HANDS. IF YOU DROP IT
THERE MAY BE NO ONE THERE TO PICK IT UP AND PUT IT BACK TOGETHER.
Please take your vote as seriously as you would take the power of a UNITARY EXECUTIVE. You see, the vote on Mr. Alito could allow you to seriously worry about that power.
I guess what they say is true: When one reaches 50, one's mouth kicks in.
All the best, and God, bless all of us.
Posted by Dee Frances at January 28, 2006 02:36 PMTo be honest, I support the impeachment of Dumb-ya. But, will it really work? If the President is unable to serve, then the vice-president will simply take over. And Dick Cheney(his first name describes his personality well)is 100 times worse than Dubya. The only thing that might hold him back is his heart condition. And even if he can't serve, then the Speaker of the House will and the list goes on and on and on... It's not like Canada where they just voted no-confidence on Paul Martin and replaced him with Stephen Harper. Unless we can vote out EVERYONE in charge(Dubya, Dick, Condi, etc.), there's nothing we can really do. My biggest fear is that America will end up like the PC/XBox game "Shattered Union". Then again, I'm only 22 and don't know much about politics(American or otherwise).
Oh, and by the way. "American Dad" is the best anti-Bush show ever. Seth MacFarlane is a comic genious.
Posted by Marty Bouffard at January 29, 2006 10:49 PM