I think that becomes the salient question. Do the Dems have the stones to take C-Plus Augustus to the mattresses over this? Or will they find some mealy-mouthed excuse NOT to subpoena Rove and Miers?

FB

Thus, the very same Congressional Republican caucus now pretending to be so shocked and upset over these abuses. . .

You forgot the second "shocked" [should be in all caps as well] in your description.

When republicans, well some republicans, are for oversight, checks and balances, and accountability for the executive branch ......It's a combination of a republican President with approval numbers in the 30s, the republican congress getting voted out of the majority, with another election looming on the horizon, and a republican war that has an overwhelming majority of Americans exasperated.

but worse still, all-out attacks on those who warned of the dangers of allowing the Executive to exercise unchecked surveillance and other powers over Americans

For years, apologists have conflated following the rules with aiding the enemy. They were full of it then and they're still full of it. I'd have a lot more faith, if any of these efforts were resulting in the arrests of terrorists but of course they're not. They're simply resulting in multiple fishing expeditions (and as was revealed a while back) mountains of useless leads wasting time that could be much better spent.

I agree with this column 100%, Glenn.

I think you raise a great point with this line:

...Congressional Republicans spent the last six years purposely allowing the Executive branch to accumulate unlimited amounts of unchecked power, while they blocked every attempt (most of which were lame and half-hearted) by Congressional Democrats to exert oversight over how these powers were used.

The Republican noises of today, while I do not believe they are sincere or will have any longevity or durance, are still, somehow, so much more ... I don't know what the word I am looking for is ... maybe emphatic? ... than the vapid, vague, moist bleating that the Democrats have been able to work up over the past few years.

on any turf, puffing himself up and blustering all over the place, "Come an get me, coppers! I dares ya!"

Yeah, well.

Meanwhile, if what Glenn says is true, and there is no reason to doubt it, the FBI, after being tongue-lashed good and proper by a whole series of Republican authoritarian cultists yesterday, is revising its procedures all right to make them more invasive and more unaccountable. Talk about Double Dog Dare...

Our Dems, of course, have never indicated any mutual interest in Protecting and Defending the Constitution, which they swear an oath to do. But put that aside, there are other things on their plate. That Minimum Wage thing still hasn't passed, and what about Global Warming? Isn't Al Gore going to testify today? Well? You see, there are more important things than... interfering with despotism.

Yes, the occasional, isolated Dem, and even an R now and then, will speak out, briefly, on behalf of the Constitution, but they will be ignored and marginalized, because these things are really too complex for average people to understand, and there are more important things for Congress to consider.

Stompy-foot wants him a fight, and it looks like he's going to get one, of sorts, from Mr. Leahy of Vermont and possibly Mr. Conyers of Michigan (if he can wake up long enough.) And what they will be fighting over is whether Stompy-foot has the right to refuse to provide Congress with full and accurate information on various matters, from time to time. This row will go on at great length, and in numbing detail, up to and back from the courts again and again, and... it will not be resolved, and nothing will be accomplished thereby.

Abu Gonzales will remain in his position as chief legal aide and protector to Stompy-foot, the USAs who have been replaced will not get their jobs back, and their replacements will not get Senate confirmation, all according to plan, and they will stay in their jobs through the rest of Stompy-foot's term. Future Presidents may not be able to get away with such shennanigans, but by golly Stompy-foot will. That's all he wants, anyway, to have his way and stick out his tongue at everyone else.

Meanwhile, what will be done about the FBI? Shouldn't those agents who have violated the law be sanctioned in some way? Oh but, isn't the FBI right now sticking its tongue out at those who are calling for, ahem, accountability? Their intentions are clear: do nothing to correct abuses, and make matters worse.

Let's see... what other agencies are going to follow the lead of the Lawless Justice Department?

Quite a fine pickle.

Hope there is enough dry powder.

Yes, I am cynical about all this Swell Theatre. I have no reason not to be.

The real question remains: are all these statements just for show?

Just think of all the promising statements Specter made only to turn around and enable the administration to do what he said he was against; or John McCain, who made a big deal about being against “torture” only to be instrumental in enabling the administration to continue it.

Okay, so a few are ‘talking the talk’, but will they ‘walk the walk’?

I want to see actions, not hear slogans, I want to see real oversight supported by Republicans – only then will I believe it.

Tie his legs too.

As much as I lay awake at night wondering if the Constitution and the nation will survive the latest republican attack on it, the image that first comes to mind in reading pieces like this is a playground full of spoiled five-year-olds.

Smirky The Usurper is their leader and role model, but they all display the same infantile behavior: bullying to get their way, denial in the face of irrefutable facts, blaming everybody else, running to mommy for protection.

Sometimes I think what we really need to discipline the republicans is an old-school kindergarten teacher with a good, thick, hard-wood paddle.

Of course, some of them might enjoy that ....