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Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) voted Tuesday night against Senator Reid's motion to block amendments to the Patriot Act extension, voted today against cloture on the bill, and yesterday proposed an amendment to extend the expiring provisions of the law for only 6 months, rather than 4 years, so that there is time for a full debate on any long-term reauthorization. She is a co-sponsor of Senator Leahy's proposed amendment to the bill.
She released the following statement:
"The Patriot Act has proven a useful tool for counter-terrorism efforts that have kept us safe since 9/11. But many in New Hampshire have genuine concerns about what it has cost us in civil liberties. Those concerns should not be taken lightly. Waiting until the last minute to schedule a vote, just as these provisions are about to expire, doesn't allow for a full and thorough debate that would respect the deep importance we assign to personal liberty as Americans.
"While I ultimately support extending the Patriot Act in some form, I know we can make it a better law. A full debate in the Senate, with the chance to consider amendments, would allow us to consider more effective ways to balance our collective security and our individual rights. Surely such a debate is worthy of our time."
Reid's letter to McConnell is a thing of rare and exquisite beauty, or as my father-in-law is fond of telling me, Go f&^k yourself. (I don't know why, but people tell me it's my shining and agreeable personality that pisses him off.) It is often said that civility is the art of telling someone to go f%^k themselves and have that someone think it's probably a good idea. That's my brand of civility, and as I've said before, we should start worrying about building bridges when the other side stops shelling us.
My favorite passage from Reid, in his conclusion: "at the end of the process, the bill can pass only if it wins a democratic, up-or-down majority vote. If Republicans want to vote against a bill that reduces health care costs, fills the prescription drug "donut hole" for seniors and reduces the deficit, you will have every right to do so."
Relatedly, good news from the NY Times, via Mark Kleiman, on student loans. Eliminating the middle men, raising Pell Grant amounts, and softening payback. Awesome. It's starting to look like Dems are flexing legislative muscle...can we hope?
