Well, scratch Murtha. I checked and he voted "Aye", too. Signing off, now...

Repeat after me: "Victory is defeat!"

This also truly gives new meaning to the phrase "Pyrrhic victory" -- it's more important to Hoyer to gain an even greater Democratic majority than it is to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States?

These people must go; they must be removed down to the last man and woman if they continue such subversive behavior in the guise of a "greater, later good". There won't BE any greater, later good if we allow our "leaders" to continue this erosion of what makes the United States a free democratic republic.

What a great strategy!

I was hoping that we'd continue to see something forward thinking and enlightened with this Democratic campaign, like actually looking the Republicans in the eye and telling them they're wrong and pointing out every one of their lies, but I see by Sen. Obama's actions in the last days that we're back to the same old bob and weave. Frittering our rights away for some vague promise of complete safety and security (there is no such thing) may seem politically expedient but is craven at best.

I never bought the reasoning for starting the war in Iraq. If it smells like a pile, it's a pile. Looking at where this incredibly costly and shameful charade has gotten us, it is completely amazing to me that any Democrat would go along with continuing any policy coming out of that failed agenda. Unless Sen. Obama is running for king instead of president.

To "War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength" we must add, "Preemptive Capitulation is Victory."

Washington Times loves the FISA deal too

That alone should inform the Senate to drop it.

Then again, in a rational world, Sun Myung Moon would be penniless and in prison somewhere, not being allowed to crown himself ruler of the universe inside a Senate office building.

The Democratic House Leadership has evidently decided to follow Speaker Pelosi's lead and "take everything off the table!"

Don't leave a single crumb available for Repugs to use against them in the 2008 Elections.

The Beltway political consultants (always hired, never fired) have been pushing this latest stratergy as "our means to our ends".

And the secret is you ask? Here be the latest in DNC dirty dancing:

1. You'll get elected simply because you're not a Repug. IOKIYNAR (It's OK If You're Not A Repug).

2. Don't for heaven's sake, raise any issues of principle, and under no circumstances, take a stand on anything!

3. You can even vote for everything a Repug would vote for, and you'll still get elected/re-elected because IOKIYNAR.

Having swallowed the bait...ooops...this bilge...ooops again...this refreshing and forward-thinking new priceless (and pricey of course!) consulting insight, Democrats have been re-enthused with joy and have been doing liberal impressions all day and night of the "happy-dance".

"We be free, thank doG, free at last, free to be...hmmmm?...free to be...just like the Repugs! Oh happy days!"

Nothing more clearly exposes just how much Democratic leaders are obsessed with politics than the fact that they couch this "victory" in political terms. On the basis of all sound principles, this was a cave in. On the basis of pure politics, Democrats seem to think they've satisfied the Republican beast by throwing them a T-bone. What they've really done is further increased their appetite for unfettered power. This is appeasement of principle for political reasons, that will come back to bite them.

Our congress is a diseased organization that has become an enemy to our government and nation. Glenn is doing a great job of diagnosing the symptoms of the disease and a viable means of treating the disease by attacking the diseased main organs, supporting the extremities who are not yet ill and bringing in new blood for the diseased parts.

It’s a very difficult task because the body containing the disease doesn’t realize how ill it is and the citizens who need the body to work for them and not the oppressors who presently own the body, are just as ignorant about the seriousness of the disease. Then to make things even worse, the group that has historically been asked to keep the citizens informed about where and how a disease is present or is spreading, are too busy with their egos, praise and pay from superiors, to realize they have become whores and just keep making things worse.

While many approaches can be used to attack the disease, the most important ones are those that make the citizens aware of the advanced stage of the disease through the development of a public funded, at least initially, multi-pronged media that only strives to serve the citizens and the truth. The citizens have to do this themselves so the ever-present money germs don’t infect the process. Many groups have formed to try and do some parts of this job, but it would be better if they banded together and unified their efforts.

Prog Todd

We need to urge every Democratic Senator to STRIP TELECOM IMMUNITY for actions taken before 9/11/01 in the Senate version of the FISA bill

The House bill provides immunity for actions taken after 9/11, not before...Glenn Greenwald

I think what Prog Todd is saying is that because some have suggested that the telecoms were asked to spy on Americans prior to 9/11 (Qwest) then a bill that only gave immunity for spying since 9/11 would not offer immunity to the telecoms for any spying they did prior to 9/11 and might allow the suits to continue, if they could prove that the spying occured prior to 9/11.

I almost hope the Republican Machine pulls a "Spitzer" on Hoyer with their new-found spying powers. Nobody likes an ass-kissing snitch.

Thank you Glenn for this post. Hoyer's behavior makes me very angry, and I certainly hope this "Representative" can be punished publicly by his removal from power.

Steny,

November 2008, like November 2006, is spoken for already. Republicans have lost all sheen. You talk like an abused wife. Define yourself. Why are you so scared of being attacked? What are you defending against? That dog don't hunt anymore.