Letters to the Editor
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Can you blame them?
Gee. Congress backs off an investigation of warrantless spying when they hear that the country's biggest public supporter of torture has now taken to shooting friends in the face. Coincidence? Yeah, probably. But it's got to make you think. BUSH/CHENEY 2004: SHOOT FIRST, REFUSE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS LATER.
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C'mon Snowe!
Olympia Snowe is one of the few Republicans I respect because she votes her own mind but if she lets herself get strongarmed now I'm going to lose respect for her.
Regards
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senators waffle on spying probe
It was reported that Rove evidently put the fear of god into the republican senators by threatening to deny both funding and support for their re-election campaigns if they vote against Bush. We can be fairly confident Cheney reiterated that as well. Is that blackmail?
Yesterday I read an article which said there is even a larger and broader ongoing top-secret, "special access" surveillance program. The whistleblower, a former NSA employee, Russell Tice is forbidden to talk about it with anyone including the congressional intelligence committees -- not even the NSA's inspector general because it is such a highly classified programme and neither have high enough clearance.
So another 'top-secret' programme is monitoring us. It is doubtful our legislators will even mention this if possible -- look at the fine job they are doing white-washing the current investigation. They are not willing to risk a loss of funds and support for their campaigns. Clearly that is more important than investigating whether Bush broke the law and whether our Constitutional rights are being abused! There was a time when doing the "right" thing took precedence over blind loyalty to the president and the party. It is deeply unsettling and unfortunate that is not the case today. What happened to integrity and values!
It is not unreasonable to demand our government keep checks and balances on the Executive branch. Our elected officials took an oath to preserve our Constitution. It is time they live up to their oath. But when everyone is in the dark it renders us impotent to hold anyone accountable! Who can we trust to keep the checks and balances on the executive under these circumstances. Do we draw the conclusion our check-and-balance system has been discarded!
As for the senators who betrayed Americans, I say, let's vote them out of office -- republicans and/or democrats alike, no exceptions.