Letters to the Editor
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Quick correction
Third paragraph after the video: That's Barack Obama's "altar", not "alter."
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Headline I'd like to see
"Bush, Cheney, et al, found guilty on millions of counts of espionage, sentenced to 12 trillion years in jail."
Subhead: "Steven Hawking says universe may not be around long enough for administration criminals to serve full sentence."
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Corollary to Thou Shalt Not Speak Ill of Obama
If you do speak ill, you are racist.
Been hit with that one yet?
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Glenn I am proud to stand with you against this abomination.
My disappointment with the Democrats is only exceeded by my revulsion for the Republicans. I am going to do just enough (unenthusiastically) to see that Barack Obama is elected, because the consequences of a McCain presidency would be far worse.
But that's about as much enthusiasm as I can muster for someone who is as willing to compromise core legal principles that I know, as a lawyer, that he understands.
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And yet...
..if you watched most of the news yesterday, the contrived controversy of the day regarding Obama was him allowing his girls to be interviewed on Access Hollywood.
Wow, you have to dig to get to the "boring" things like issues and the facts surrounding them, not just Op-ed pieces. Other than my husband, I doubt I know anyone that I could discuss the issue of FISA with.
On the other hand, everyone I know has an opinion on Rev. Wright and will soon have one on the family interview of the Obama's.
Unreal.
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Did anyone really believe that Bush Co. would ever be held accountable?
Even if we made Republicanism itself a crime, Bush and Cheney would still escape prosecution. This is how Washington works: It seems that the best we can hope for is "moving on".
Glenn is right on both accounts: Obama is capitulating for political expediency and is still worth supporting. He is our best chance to stop the bleeding when it comes to the political machinations of the GOP.
To put it another way, do you really think a mere law would stop the Bush administration? If you do, you don't understand what DC is in this day and age and how little power the average American has to stop a bad president.
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if noone cares, why flip?
." When you talk to people close to the campaign about this, they say stuff like: "Come on, who really cares about that issue? "
This argument makes no sense. If noone cares, then why to flip?
Marek
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Constitutionality
I've been following the FISA discussions fairly closely and I have not seen any discussion about what seems to be the best possible response to the legislation (now that contesting the legislation seems futile). Why can't the argument be made that legalizing warrantless wiretapping is unconstitutional on its face, rendering at least that provision of the new bill unenforcable? Granted, this does nothing to fix the immunity grant, but I'm puzzled by all the discussion of how this legislation eviscerates the Fourth Amendment - even by the GW law professor. The Fourth Amendment trumps any legislation inconsistant with its terms, not the other way around. I'm certain I am not the first to think of this, but I have not seen it discussed.
Just a thought - maybe worth some words in a future post. Or maybe worth putting some StrangeBedfellows money toward a suit?
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What FISA judges said?
In light of the darkness surrounding the actual procedures used in domestic spying, I wondered if the FISA court judges who resigned in protest ever commented publicly on their reasons for doing so.
I've never read anything about it, other than the fact that they resigned.
In light of Jon Eisenberg's article today on the FISA claims in the Al-Haramain litigation, I wonder what kind of fire and brimstone type threats they leveled at those guys before they resigned?
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Congressional Approval Falls to Single Digits for First Time Ever
Maybe issues like this one are part of the reason why.
Most voters (72%) think most members of Congress are more interested in furthering their own political careers. Just 14% believe members are genuinely interested in helping people.
With so much bipartisan support and so little outside competition, furthering a career depends more on towing the establishment line than anything else.
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The Obama Phenomenon
is the most ridiculous thing I've seen yet in American politics. And the reaction of the true believers, trying to find a reason to keep supporting him, is amazing to behold. Even from GG. Try saying, We've been had. We've been had. We've been had. Yes we can.
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Jonathan Turley
looked genuinely distressed over these events.
He would be a very welcome vacation stand-in for you, Glenn.
BTW, thank you for taking a stand relative to The Feud yesterday. That sort of thing is not only distracting, but it's also something which detracts from the overall quality of this comment section.
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FISA flip flop
I will not vote for someone who cannot bring himself to stand up for the rule of law and the US Constitution. I won't vote for McCain, and now I won't vote for Obama.
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On the plus side
As I understand cloture, it requires 60 ayes, not 41 nays. That is absent is equivalent to a no vote, so at least on the vote that really matters, the cloture vote, McCain and Obama are effectively voting no. Which is a silver lining on a hurricane...
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I'm At the End of my Rope Here
I was watching CNN for a bit last night. There was a segment about Obama's "flip flopping" (no such segment about McCain, natch) and *none* of the examples cited involved FISA.
There was lot's of blathering about his "flip flop" on taking public campaign financing, even though he didn't. FISA wasn't even mentioned.
Then it was followed by segment wondering if he's exploiting his daughters.
End. Of. My. Rope.
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Wrong answer
There is a certain amount of gut justice in giving the telcoms an excuse for relying on the President of the United States, since he is the President, after all, but isn't immunity the wrong answer?
Immunity deprives the injured party of any remedy, which is contrary to centuries of common law principles, which are ultimately based on gut justice.
The right answer is to give the telcoms a right of indemnity from the government upon which they relied. That would pass the obligation to pay damages to the parties who are really responsible for causing them, the voters who put these fools in office in the first place.
Or so my gut tells me.