Well, I suspect you're in for it now Glenn. This Obama supporter remains as committed as ever, but I can't really argue with you. He's a politician. I knew that going in.

Why are you so angry? Is it because people are criticizing Obama on this topic? Do you completely agree with everything Obama says and does, or do you also question some of his actions/positions?

If we can't criticize our leaders and candidates, I think we fall back into the post-9/11 time when no one was willing to question Bush--and look where that got us. Even people in his administration were afraid to speak out against his positions. To me, that's tyranny if we can't exercise our critical thinking and give feedback to the party/person in power.

Perhaps it's time to re-read Federalist #10 and fight the power.

demand Senator Obama make a very public statement against this TODAY

even if you're the type that gets nervous with these calls, a very nice, sympathetic person will be on the other end

Senator Obama - Exhibit Authentic Leadership TODAY!

'Well, a lot of people have called on this issue this morning, so far'

'I'll make sure that people, staff, hear about this.'

'I wouldn't bee surprised to hear something from the campaign in the next day or maybe by tomorrow.'

'Barrow? Yes, that's been mentioned as well.'

My statement: 'I am voting for Obama in this election and I was hoping for chance. This isn't the kind of change that I was hoping for.'

Yeah... Stay tuned...

Me thinks that Barack is about to discover that he's riding the back of one incredibly pissed off tiger and it's not going to run the way that he wants it to run...

Granted, he's a politician but actions speak louder than words. Always have and always will.

Glenn: Does this 'bill' hold a clause to keep a new court from overturning it and leaving the chance for massive lawsuits still possible if that happens? I know, or at least have heard, that some 'bills' have gone through with 'hands off' provisions that deny court oversite or the possibility of being overturned. Is that poison pill for democracy built into this 'piece of crap' bill?

Is Barack dumb enough to be the 'same as the old boss'? Is he a wolf? Has he a hidden agenda.

The Reality Kid on permanent marginalization

By "permanently marginalized radical minority", do you mean "We, the People"?

That is an excellent question to ask the Obama campaign.

-- Amity

That's one of the trickier issues about a representative democracy and legislature. It is like a corporation in many ways in the sense of being an imaginary person or legal construct of a "person". As you are aware, we are nut a pure or direct democracy. That can be a problem as well, unless the founders were wrong about that, too.

Not. Or nut.

and called Obama's office. Talked to a polite girl and expressed my deep concern over his endorsement of Barrow and his conspicuous absence in opposition to the FISA "compromise," other than the obligatory statement which is easily forgotten.

Words are not deeds. I've been saving my political $$ for Obama in the general election, but I think I'll spend it here unless he starts showing leadership on this issue.

I'll vote for him, but my confidence will have taken a big hit if he doesn't do something substantive on this critical issue which, to me, defines the core essence of what "America" is.

I read your letters on the first page, and, man, I have to say, I consider myself a pretty good debater, but I sure wouldn't want to be on your bad side.

Change of any sort requires an undermining of current thinking. It is not made sweepingly but in small increments. I am still hopeful that once Obama is elected, once the proving grounds have been run, and the political posturing fades from necessity, there will be a real opportunity to begin down that road. -- universe42

What is it you mean precisely by "small increments?" And how are those small increments accomplished? I want to give you the benefit of the doubt but what I hear you saying is "let's just do more of the same and hope that this time it will turn out better." In fact, I am pretty sure that that is exactly what you are saying.

I cannot for the life of me understand how people can continue with this line of thinking. You think you are being optimistic but in reality you have given up and you don't even realize it. You claim to hope but how could you possibly when the basis for your hope is completely unfounded and not based in any sort of objective reality?

It has been demonstrated time and again (especially in the past few years) that politicians are not "keeping their powder dry" with the intention of fighting the good fight when the gain the reins of power. Can you name one politician that has done that? One that has said one thing to placate the anti-progress segments of the electorate only to then turn on a dime and bring about significant positive change once they are elected? I realize they do it all of the time in the negative. That is to say they promise all kinds of things and then do not deliver. Every politician is a "person of change that you can believe in" while they are trying to get elected. Politicians are like anyone else, they are what they do. Nothing more.

So I ask again what does "small increments" mean to you? Because I think you are fundamentally wrong. While I grant that there is a continuous process occuring that acts to adjust the "current thinking," fundamental progress/change is "made sweepingly." We can argue about time frames...how one perceives "sweepingly" if you like, but fundamental change does not come in small increments as I am guessing you mean that. Fundamental change comes in fits and starts and sometimes violently. For instance....You may see the civil rights movement as incremental. You could say that there has always been an agenda to bring about racial equality and you would be correct to a certain extent but what were the incidents that spurred the larger shifts in the thinking of the time (whatever time on that continuum you choose)? What forced the fundamental changes? Nothing? It just happened.. slowly over time?

Voting and hoping is not a plan for change. It is an act of prostrating oneself before the feet of the establishment.