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Chris Doddism for President, Part II: Return of the Filibuster

by: Dean Barker

Wed Jan 23, 2008 at 19:59:57 PM EST

In case you were wondering if Dodd's leadership on the FISA issue was for campaign purposes only, check out this release (h/t Tim Tagaris):

"Few things are more detrimental to this country than the erosion of and attack on the civil liberties we enjoy. This isn't a Democratic issue or a Republican issue; this is an American issue. If after debate, the Senate appears ready to pass legislation granting telecom providers retroactive immunity I will use any and all legislative tools at my disposal, including a filibuster, to prevent this deeply flawed bill from becoming law. More and more, Americans are rejecting the false choice that has come to define this administration: security or liberty, but never, ever both. For all those who have stood with me throughout this fight, I pledge, once more, to stand up for you."

Current Senators Clinton, Obama: a word or two from you can create a media firestorm that would stop this cold in its tracks. How about helping out a bona fide defender of the constitution?

More: WTF is wrong with Harry Reid? He forces fellow Democrats to perform real filibusters, while the GoOPers need only threaten him into submission:

[I]f people think they are going to talk this to death, we are going to be in here all night. This is not something we are going to have a silent filibuster on. If someone wants to filibuster this bill, they are going to do it in the openness of the Senate.

Dude, where's my Democratic majority? Talk about depressing the base...

More still: Jay Buckey and Jeanne Shaheen: it would be useful in evaluating your candidacies to know whether you support retroactive immunity for the telecoms, or not.

Uodate: Jay Buckey's position, via Gavin:

"We shouldn't consider immunity without knowing what the crimes are."

Update 2: Shaheen's position, via Judy Reardon:

Jeanne Shaheen opposes granting retroactive immunity when we don't know which companies broke the law, how they broke the law or why they broke the law.

Morning Update: mcjoan has a good action item on this here.

Dean Barker :: Chris Doddism for President, Part II: Return of the Filibuster

Tags: FISA, Harry Reid, Chris Dodd, (All Tags)

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Chris Doddism for President, Part II: Return of the Filibuster | 15 comments

Resignation threats (0.00 / 0)

Time for a Senator to threaten to stink up the joint.

by: elwood @ Wed Jan 23, 2008 at 19:27:41 PM CST

by: you @ soon

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Maybe John Kerry? (0.00 / 0)

Kerry doesn't face a strong GOP opponent in his reelection. However, if he resigned the wolves would come out.

If the resignations are strategically placed to threaten the "majority projections" for Nov. 2008, heads may turn.

Do it alone and you're a "show horse." Do it with a coalition and you're a movement.

I like your idea, it's ballsy, wake up call type shit.

The groggy giant grapples

by: Jack Mitchell @ Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 07:10:46 AM CST

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

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Or Joe Biden (0.00 / 0)

He's on the Judiciary Committee, which is being dissed by Reid. And Delaware has a Democratic Governor.

by: elwood @ Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 08:59:41 AM CST

[ Parent ]

He's the Chair of Foreign Relations, we can't give him up. (0.00 / 0)

by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 11:44:50 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Without our Constitution... (0.00 / 0)

we have no foreign relations.

Well, none with legitimacy.

The groggy giant grapples

by: Jack Mitchell @ Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 13:24:41 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I'm with you, Jack (0.00 / 0)

I just think Biden is the wrong guy to make the threat.

by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 14:02:23 PM CST

[ Parent ]

It should be few to many Senators (0.00 / 0)

Not just one or even two.

If 5 were to push Reid; say Kerry, Biden, Dodd, Webb and Tester; this would get some attention.

Maybe they don't resign, maybe they just promise go Lieberman on Harry's ass.

I'd still vote for Kerry with an (I).

K(I)rry '08. I'll start making the buttons and bumpa stickaaz now.

That would set up Bloomberg very nicely.

The groggy giant grapples

by: Jack Mitchell @ Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 14:39:10 PM CST

[ Parent ]

It isn't really about telecom immunity (0.00 / 0)

On the surface it is. The bill would strip citizens of the right to seek damages for breaches of contract and violations of law committed by the telecoms, that hurt the citizens.

But the more important effect, IMO, is that it would completely shut down civil suits that would otherwise expose administration crimes.

This is legislative obstruction of justice, intended to aid a Bush coverup.

by: elwood @ Wed Jan 23, 2008 at 19:55:26 PM CST

by: you @ soon

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Jay asked me to pass on (4.00 / 2)

the following statement:

"We shouldn't consider immunity without knowing what the crimes are."

Where do we go from here?

by: Gavin @ Wed Jan 23, 2008 at 20:21:55 PM CST

by: you @ soon

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And who committed them. (0.00 / 0)

The gunmen are in the White House. Verizon and AT&T just drove the getaway car.

by: elwood @ Wed Jan 23, 2008 at 20:24:57 PM CST

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

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Thanks! Update coming up top. (0.00 / 0)

Wonder if Sununu's fired now.

by: Dean Barker @ Wed Jan 23, 2008 at 20:33:52 PM CST

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

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I still want to know if we're ever going to see Dodd's organization transform into a permanent one, Democracy for America style (4.00 / 2)

That would be excellent.

Meanwhile, I just want to remind everyone, because we must revisit this every time this subject comes up, that the telecom companies began voluntarily handing over information BEFORE 9/11! February 2001, a month into the Bush Presidency.

by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 01:10:46 AM CST

by: you @ soon

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Jeanne Shaheen (4.00 / 3)

Jeanne Shaheen opposes granting retroactive immunity when we don't know which companies broke the law, how they broke the law or why they broke the law.

I'm a Jeanne Shaheen friend and supporter.

by: Judy Reardon @ Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 10:24:36 AM CST

by: you @ soon

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Thank you for the speedy response - I will put it up on top. n/t (0.00 / 0)

Wonder if Sununu's fired now.

by: Dean Barker @ Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 17:50:59 PM CST

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

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"It's wrong for your government to spy on you." John Edwards 1/24/08 (0.00 / 0)

from a letter sent out by the campaugn

~~snip~~
It's wrong for your government to spy on you. That's why I'm asking you to join me today in calling on Senate Democrats to filibuster revisions to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) that would give "retroactive immunity" to the giant telecom companies for their role in aiding George W. Bush's illegal eavesdropping on American citizens.
Judd Gregg, (R): (202) 224-3324
John E. Sununu, (R): (202) 224-2841

Granting retroactive immunity is wrong.

Please join me in calling on every Senate Democrat to do everything in their power -- including joining Senator Dodd's efforts to filibuster this legislation -- to stop retroactive immunity and stand up for the rule of law. The Constitution should not be for sale at any price.

Thank you for taking action.

John Edwards
January 24, 2008

When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.
Hunter S. Thompson

by: JonnyBBad @ Thu Jan 24, 2008 at 16:29:47 PM CST

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Chris Doddism for President, Part II: Return of the Filibuster | 15 comments

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