Maybe it's time we stop referring to egregious errors in judgement committed by Congressional Democrats as "capitulations".

From where I sit, it looks more and more like Senate and House Dems are both too scared to challenge the conservative line and playing politics so they can't be accused of being weak on national security. It doesn't seem like they're intent on doing anything but paying lip service to concerns about recent national security-oriented legislation.

Once is a capitulation. This has become a habit.

God I hate politicians.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/09/20070918-1.html

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 18, 2007
Myth/Fact: Key Myths About FISA Amendments in the Protect America Act

Provisions Of Protect America Act Of 2007 Must Be Made Permanent To Prevent Gaps In Our Ability To Collect Vital Foreign Intelligence Information

4. MYTH: Requiring intelligence operatives to get a court order before collecting foreign intelligence on overseas targets will not hinder the government's ability to collect intelligence.

• FACT: According to Director of National Intelligence Michael McConnell, the delays caused by applying for warrants before collecting foreign intelligence from overseas targets meant our intelligence community was "missing a significant amount of foreign intelligence that we should be collecting to protect our country."

• FACT: Requiring intelligence professionals to apply for and wait on a court order before gathering vital intelligence from overseas targets can prevent the swift gathering of intelligence necessary to identify and provide warning of threats to our country.

• FACT: A mandatory court-approval process also requires the intelligence community to divert scarce intelligence experts to the time-consuming process of compiling court submissions.

- - whitehouse.gov

It's just too ironic that Congressional dems will once again bow and scrape before the money and power of the telecommunications industry given that the last 10 years of Democratic Party suffering is due in large part to the last time they caved to the telecos.

Anybody remember the despicable Telecommunications Act of 1996? It stripped away the last shred of regulatory control this government formerly of the people had over the public airways.

It led directly to the domination of Fucked Noise Channel, wingnut hate radio and corporate-controlled newspapers.

No, you don't even have to hand Congressional dems the rope to hang themselves. Buy them right, and they'll go out and find their own rope.

Glenn,

Get real! The Dems will be CALLED NAMES if they block unlimited warrentless domestic syping. CALLED NAMES for God's sake, Glenn. Oh, the horror of ,choke, being called, choke, SOFT ON TERROR!!! OMG, I think I'll just feint if I have to even THINK about it.

The truth?

x x For allowing lawlessness as long as they are Mexican -- brightstar65

Is it not true that the borders have remained open for two decades as 30 million Mexicans have streamed in to make for cushier CEO salaries?

Is it not true that police are told to lay off illegals already in this country?

Is it not true that illegals are being given perks not even given to lifelong Americans?

Is it not true that the not so secret goal of the Power & Money Party is the creation of a North American Union where there are only the super rich and the very poor?

I think you need your head screwed on straight if you make an issue of my questioning any of this.

My parents came to the USA LEGALLY to make a better life for themselves. I am sorry for you if you feel onbly some people are entitled to follow laws. I am sorry for ANYONE affected by your mental illness really.

The one thing our government was charged with, protecting our borders, it failed at miserably. The richest nation in the history of the world has a collapsing infrastructure, bankrupting military, poor in the streets, yet somehow we are in debt and beholden to China anyway.

Talk about SHEEPLE-- I am beginning to believe there is something in the water.

If a force (say telecom companies and right-wing media) acts upon a body (the Democratic Party) and there is no opposing force of equal or greater magnitude (Democratic voters), the body will move in the direction of the greater force.

Anyone 'progressive' who says "leave the Democrats alone, we need to give them a pass so they can 'win'" should be told where to go. It does not serve the people's interest to do anything other than grab this party and take it back.

I wish we had more parties and I have no gripe with Nader, who has a right to run as a citizen. But there is too little time left for civilization to do anything but grab the Democratic Party and roughly force it back into a political tool for the public.

Until Americans wake up to the fact that the Democrats represent the same interests as the Republicans, there will be no change.

Both sides of the aisle are completely sold out to American corporate interests and the Pro-Israel lobby. These are the only two factions which matter in the American political spectrum because they supply the money and the power to your (HA, HA) representative in Congress.

It is only with the creation of a viable third party that the interests of the people of the United States will ever stand a chance of being served. This is all a dog and pony show, the art of pretense and mass distraction or more succinctly, the distraction of the masses into the belief that there is an alternative view.

As Benito Mussolini observed, "Fascism should more appropriately be called Corporatism because it is a merger of state and corporate power".

it will prove without a shadow of a doubt that the Dems are in bed with the GOP.

I predict revolt against them and all fed govt.

the people can organzize NoConfidence vote-can't rmemeber which Amendment says people can-but it does. Just like Canada did a few years ago when they threw out thier govt.

First – yes, Article II needs to be explained to Democrats. They have obviously forgotten their high school civics/history class.

Second – They will pass it to appease the corporate donors who happen to be telecom companies, as well as other companies looking for “get out of jail free™” cards for their malfeasance, once it is revealed. As others have said.

Third – I don’t know. The only thing that makes sense is they are being blackmailed. I have a solution to that, but no one seems to be interested.

What a bummer. I thought things were getting better today. NPR referred to the Republican response to a restoration of Habeas Corpus as a "filibuster" and Democrats actually had the cajones to put the amendment in the Defense Authorization bill.

Now I see they are worse than ever.