DISQUS

AMERICAblog: Bad news/Good news in the U.S. Senate today

  • Chris From Maine · 1 year ago
    sickening.. the fourth amendment has just been ripped to shreds, and our Presidential nominee helped them do it. When we will choose a nominee with some spine? Oh wait, thats right.. none of them do.
  • woodroad34 · 1 year ago
    How odd that --given the Democratic majority in the senate--that all democratic items seem difficult to pass, but anything Bush wants -- not so hard. Get rid of the Leiberpoodles who claim to be Democrats, but aren't
  • hawkseye · 1 year ago
    That's it in a nutshell. We need more progressive Dems in the Congress.
  • martha · 1 year ago
    I'm so sick of being outraged by our so called "leaders". Our country will never recover from this FISA bill. And Tweety and Delay are yucking it up right now about how we'll be going to war with Iran - just like the rest of the MSM all day.
  • unrepentant_expat · 1 year ago
    And a great drone echoed through the Capital Dome
    "Stop throwing the Constitution in my face,"
    "It's just a goddamned piece of paper!"
    and shall remain forever
  • tlsintx · 1 year ago
    i'm ready to get rid of all our 'representatives' period. they do nothing but line their pockets with money from giant corporate lobbyists. why do we even need them any more...they're just middle men now.
  • PeteWa · 1 year ago
    sickened.

    Everyone who voted for this monstrosity is an enemy of the Constitution and America as far as I'm concerned.
  • DAinLA · 1 year ago
  • FightBack · 1 year ago
    And Hillary voted against it and Obama for it! I can't decide if we need her more as Vice President or on the Supreme Court.

    http://www.mydd.com/story/2008/7/9/16487/96720
  • tbhull · 1 year ago
    Obama better watch out. She still wants to be the President and his failure and cowardice on this issue may have opended the door for Clinton in Denver.
  • Chris From Maine · 1 year ago
    If Obama wont stand up for us on this, why would he as President???

    And his waflling on Iraq is even worse.
  • Andrew · 1 year ago
    FISA = the day America died....7/9/2008
  • AdrianBrowne · 1 year ago
    In addition, McCain opposed the GI Bill but then didn't vote against it -- just didn't vote -- political coward.
  • martha · 1 year ago
    And he didn't vote today - on the FISA bill or the medicare bill (that Sen. Kennedy came in for in the middle of chemo)-double, double coward.
  • Rob Mule · 1 year ago
    The end of the world as we know it...
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3CmXGKXOmk
  • OlderAndWiser · 1 year ago
    I can't believe a teacher of the Constitution voted for this shit.

    They may as well just rescind the 4th Amendment and let the the fascists have their way.
  • Chris From Maine · 1 year ago
    Let's just call it out for what it is :

    Obama voted WITH THEM and AGAINST US.
  • martha · 1 year ago
    Sadly, Yes,
  • vkobaya · 1 year ago
    The really bad, bad, bad, disasterous, tragic, horrendous, monstrous, evil, undemocratic, anti-American, un-Constitutional, criminal news is Obama supported and voted for the FISA bill, thus putting his kiss on Bush's ass as his seal of approval.
  • nsr · 1 year ago
    I really wish he hadn't voted for it. Damn! What a phony.
  • tbhull · 1 year ago
    Barack's cowardice and FISA failure just let Clinton back in the race.
  • Busboy · 1 year ago
    tbhull is right. Even, as today, when Hillary is on the plane with Barack and Caroline; I can see that some superdels may be thinking: "What the hell were we thinking"
  • Busboy · 1 year ago
    Speaking of planes, if I was Barack, I'd pack my own parachute and keep it nearby when on a plane with Hillary.
  • Windy_City_Woman · 1 year ago
    I doubt John Edwards would have voted for it. Looks like we got the wrong guy...sigh.
  • mario · 1 year ago
    Hey John, i notice that you conveniently, and deliberately, didn't mention that your God Obama voted for the fascist FISA bill while Hillary voted against it, and then you quickly changed the subject by talking about Teddy's return to the Senate.

    For caving in on FISA, as well as for flip-flopping on campaign financing and back-tracking on withdrawal from Iraq, why didn't you call Obama a "horrible human being", a "sick piece of shit", or say "Fuck you", as you did with Hillary?

    Because you're nothing but a sick, disgusting, mindless, pathetic Obama whore, pure and simple.

    Mario
  • Busboy · 1 year ago
    This just out: Jesse Jackson says of Obama: "Cut his nuts out". To be aired on O'reilly. Moral: always check to see if the microphone is on.


    http://www.drudgereport.com/flashjj.htm
  • Busboy · 1 year ago
    Mario: John, an Obama whore? Nice to hear some unminced words for a change. Beware the censors, however...
  • Windy_City_Woman · 1 year ago
    Hillary voted against the FISA bill because she's not running for president, or anything else at this point. She and Obama weren't present for the last vote on this. I don't think they give a rat's a$$ about the Constitution. As George Carlin said, "voting is an illusion of choice."
  • Polly_Tics · 1 year ago
    CORRECTION: Hillary has never stopped running for President. She merely "suspended" her candidacy. Hillary and her peeps have had a long term plan to put her name up for nomination come the Convention in August. Whereas "some" of her supporters still say she will try some tricks at that time, others have suggested that would be a waste of time.

    Hillary voted AGAINST FISA because she knew that Obama would vote FOR it while understanding how many of his supporters were against that move. She's merely exercising her political "prowess" (?).
    Only time will tell...
  • Busboy · 1 year ago
    Pretty soon, Polly_tics will be here to explain away Obama's vote for the FISA bill. She's very entertaining...
  • Polly_Tics · 1 year ago
    Busboy, aren't you being missed at some sort of RESCUE AMERICA or Operation Chaos meeting somewhere?

    By the way, nice to see the way you hold up your end of being friends with someone online. Well done Busboy, I see that your memory is a bit shaky as well as your support for being against rumor mongering...
  • Busboy · 1 year ago
    It's gonna be on TeeVee, Polly. And, you broke the truce; not me...
  • Polly_Tics · 1 year ago
    What truce is that Busboy? You mean the one where I disagreed with your hateful rumor mongering or when I disagreed with your concept that "Pro Choice" Roe V Wade was really just to impede "blacks" from having more babies or was it when I just disagreed with your take on abortion rights for all?

    Disagreeing with your opinion on issues is hardly breaking any "TRUCE", which suggests that we once were fighting and decided to call a halt to it. Nothing could be further from the truth Busboy and you know that. I befriended you from the start and stood up for you against all odds here.

    But that's OK, it seems that doesn't matter much to you, good to know that now.
  • Windy_City_Woman · 1 year ago
    Go to Huffington Post to see all the money given to House and Senate members by telecom companies. Since the beginning of this year, $206K to Obama and $356K to McCain, and on and on. Yes, folks we have the best money can buy.
  • Ben Dover · 1 year ago
    Obama's vote in favor of FISA and AGAINST the Bill of Rights and the Fourth Amendment today is much, much worse than Hillary's vote for the Iraq war.
    Obama has shown all of us, today, that he is unworthy of the highest elected office in the land.
    If a presidential candidate votes AGAINST the Bill of Rights he/she has NO BUSINESS holding ANY elected office.
    We have been taken by a smooth talking sell-out who stands against each and every American citizen and all that holds us together as a nation.
    I will not vote for McCain, but I will most certainly not vote for Obama either.

    At least Hillary had the balls to vote against FISA. Too bad Obama cannot show the same fortitude.

    Better luck next election cycle, I suppose.
  • Busboy · 1 year ago
    I know what your problem is, Polly, and there's no help for it. Sorry I've disappointed you.
  • Polly_Tics · 1 year ago
    Busboy, you condescending little twit! What a cretin you turned out to be, I should have listened to others from the start. It's really a shame and yes, you have disappointed me...
    .
  • QUALAR · 1 year ago
    "I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend these Corporations of the United States." So much for the pie in the sky bullshit from democracy's savior - just another flimflam, gutless deceiver. In fairness to Obama though, Bush is probably blackmailing him using the threat of tying him to the Rezko corruption. If suspected of a criminal offense, a black man could never win a national office. It's the old principle that a black man running with a TV is stealing it while a white guy is in a hurry to watch Monday night football. Wrong, but a reality.
  • Aanya · 1 year ago
    I'm really sorry that so many of our representatives couldn't see through the FISA bill. I'm especially sorry Obama didn't stand with us on it. I'm going to trust that he had a reason that he feels that strongly about, and that it wasn't any Bush/Cheney influence.

    I'm in tears right now, with the Medicare bill passing with a veto proof vote. I give Ted Kennedy the full credit for making this happen. It was as important to him as it was to us. It's an absolute miracle it passed 69 to 30. It didn't look good at all, and I'm shocked! As a cancer survivor that is looking at Medicare next February, I couldn't breathe all day worrying about what these politicians were about to do to us. I'm so exhausted worrying about keeping my health coverage, and this is the final hurdle! The one dream I still have is for Obama to reach the Presidency, and Ted Kennedy and Elizabeth Edwards to still be kicking as Obama signs the " Kennedy-Edwards Universal Healthcare Plan for all Americans"!

    As I'm writing this, my daughter is sitting in Emergency with her husband who is 43. He's about to go into surgery for an infected gall bladder. She's in tears with worry, and I keep reminding her that they have an excellent healthcare policy, and the finest doctors and hospital, and picture going through this as one of the multi millions of Americans who have no coverage at all!

    We have to get this country to a place where everyone has that simple right!
  • Polly_Tics · 1 year ago
    My most heartfelt condolences, I am so sorry to hear of all of the illnesses within your family!

    Your story is not unique however and proves to us all just how crucial our health coverage is within our society. Even though I know many disagree, I am pro Universal Health coverage and hope that if and when Obama is the President he signs it into service. We all know for a fact that this will never happen if McCain happens to become our next leader.
  • Goodfoodandfitness · 1 year ago
    I agree with you. Health care is a major issue in this country and we all need it. One incident can set you back a life time if you don't have coverage. I too am hopeful for universal health care, I just don't see it happening in our life time. I have been in health care for over 10 years and it seems like we just keep going backwards in this aspect and never moving forward.
  • jr · 1 year ago
    Bush has a 1,600 acre ranch but cable news calls him a regular guy when he vetoes bills to help the elderly, poor and middle class
  • CDS2 · 1 year ago
    Seems to me that the good news is that Obama is showing his true colors. At least those who vote for him, will now know how he stands on FISA, Iraq, Gun Control, etc..etc.. instead of the BS he's been touting with his 'Change you can believe in" program.
  • Andrew · 1 year ago
    They couldn't see through the bill because as Fiengold said, 70 of the 100 senators didn't even read it.
  • CDS2 · 1 year ago
    Oh, come on.....that's like saying that the Senate voted for the Iraq war because they didn't read the NIE report they were given prior to the vote.
  • scottinsf · 1 year ago
    I strongly encourage everybody that is disgusted by this erosion of our Fourth Amendment rights to donate to the ACLU. They will fight for you, even if your elected officials won't.
  • Diogenes · 1 year ago
    But they oppose most campaign finance reform because they equate money with speech. You don't suppose it's because that's how their executives make their money, do you?

    I was a card-carrying ACLU member until they took the side of private money in broadcast. Now, I'm not giving them a dime
  • Busboy · 1 year ago
    And, when you donate to the ACLU; please do it on the internet so that the telecoms can identify you as home grown terrorists.....
  • Andrew · 1 year ago
    A little history lesson.....

    "What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death!... Patrick Henry" … March 23, 1775

    Seems back in the day, people were willing to place thier lives on the line for what they believed in. Today, government goes to the higest bidder and to hell with the republic. Good night and good luck.
  • CDS2 · 1 year ago
    Andrew, welcome to the world of politics in the USA.
  • EmGD · 1 year ago
    Warrant Schmarrant

    Humping the hope and change ponies doesn't help if you don't have the stones to mean it Barack.

    thesebastards.blogspot.com
  • Mycelium72 · 1 year ago
    How could you write about the FISA bill and not mention that Obama voted for it?
  • Ben Dover · 1 year ago
    Will anyone note the date and time of death for the Constitution and the Bill of Rights?
    Will any candidate please step forward and announce WHICH of the Amendments listed in the Bill of Rights they will support? WHICH they will ignore? WHICH they will vote to over rule?
    Can we have a candidate who will wrap themselves with the Constitution and the Bill of Rights instead of caving to those who would destroy those documents and ideals?
    If today's vote does not rattle you to the bones of being an American, a citizen of the United States, a nation under law, then you have no idea what patriotism is about.
  • astroflex · 1 year ago
    Mario, you could not have said better. John has been relentless on his attacks on Hillary yet shown lack of journalism in doing what fox News does for Bush.
  • Busboy · 1 year ago
    IT'S HARD TO DISCERN THE TRUTH WHEN THE WOOL HAS BEEN PULLED OVER YOUR EYES------

    Wow, the keyboard did that in caps w/o my permission....
  • High Crimes & Misdemeanors · 1 year ago
    BUSHBOY: your brain does alot of things without your permission, it's called stupidity. Don't even start with me, or I'll spank your proverbial ass all over this blog, Your dimwittedness is not welcome, and as usual, you just say some of the dumbest things.... wanna fight????????????????????
  • Busboy · 1 year ago
    About what? You're out of bullets. Your candidate is folding up like a cheap umbrella. I've always said that McCain is more progressive than Obama. And, if the current fol-de-rol continues? I think even your dim brain may see it in about 3 weeks...

    Personally, I think both are odious.
  • High Crimes & Misdemeanors · 1 year ago
    You're wrong on every point, as usual. The guns have hardly been even pulled out. I'm waiting for the tipping point. I'm waiting for a million citizen march to Washington. There will be blood. Its the only way change can happen. We have an empire to take down, once again. It's obvious isn't???

    Just to let you know, Obama is not my candidate. I will not be voting for him because he is a lap dog to the oligarchy.

    Your delusional if you think mcstupid is anywhere near progressive. I've seen this fol-de-rol you call "Decision 2008" and find it a complete fraud, and I've been blogging about it for several years.

    It's phony from the word go.

    Its puppet show 2008.
  • Tonytony · 1 year ago
    I really don't understand why there was no mention of the fact that Hilary voted against it and Obama voted for it. I love that Huffpo addresses some of the problems with Obama's recent move to the right. My lord, he backs faith-based initiatives, thinks guns are great (God and Guns YIKES), doesn't support marriage equality......

    Yeah, he isn't as bad as McInsane, but he ISN'T the saint some of us wanted him to be. No, I will still vote for him, but I will hold my nose and hope that someday we will stop nominating Republican Lite candidates like Obama.
  • Steve_in_CNJ · 1 year ago
    Obama voted for tyranny today, and against government for and by the people. He's a "changed" man now that he beat Hillary in the primary. I was expecting another kind of change. Makes me wonder how he would have voted on Iraq -- had he been a senator in 2002. I suspect he would have voted with Hillary.
  • Psyche · 1 year ago
    That thought has occurred to me on more than one occasion.
  • Polly_Tics · 1 year ago
    I truly hate to say this, but you may be right about that...
  • Tonytony · 1 year ago
    I do have to say that I got a little scared when I saw how *some* people had this "Obama is ALL good, Hillary is ALL bad" mentality. The blind faith in Obama reminded me of the blind faith evangelicals have in Jesus. Nope, Obama is not our savior, he never was. And yes, we had better people to choose from like Edwards. No, I never wanted EITHER Hillary or Obama to run. They both always seemed like slick politicians willing to say anything to get elected.

    Bottom line, we are stuck with Obama. Voting for McInsane is no answer and a Nader vote will only hurt us (Supreme Court anyone?!?!?!)

    Obama is the candidate of "CHANGE". I wonder how much his views will change in order to win this election.
  • dula · 1 year ago
    As an Edwards supporter, I chose Obama over Hillary because I knew Hillary had already been corrupted and there was hope (no matter how thin) that Obama would/could be different. I knew that as he gained more and more power, he would be tempted by the position of POTUS dangled so closely in front of his face that he would be in danger of selling out. I am not shocked by his FISA vote but I am surprised he sold out so fast. I wonder how many more nails can be hammered into the coffin that is the US before we start getting lowered into the ground. Maybe it's time to let these so called "leaders" know that we don't have to be stuck with any of them. No, Barack, it's not like I'm gonna rush out and vote for McCain but I will vote my conscience and if McCain wins then at least this long, drawn out funeral will finally be over.
  • hawkseye · 1 year ago
    I would have preferred a majority vote against FISA today.
    However, I think all is not lost. FISA is new legislation that will require new rules and regs. Bush may write some of these, but I think Obama can change them.
    In the meantime, I will support the ACLU efforts.
  • ffbuzz · 1 year ago
    Obama cannot change the legislation.
  • hawkseye · 1 year ago
    He will be able to administer just how it is carried out, and that is probably a very large subject.
  • ffbuzz · 1 year ago
    Obama DOES NOT have the nomination yet. That doesn't happen until the convention, and those people can change their vote. President Clinton has just become a reality. If Obama keeps this up, and is only 2 points ahead in the national polls -- DROP HIM!

    You have to remember, not only is he Republican-Lite, he has no experience. That's the deadliest of all!
  • GullyFoyle · 1 year ago
    In all seriousness, excluding hyperbole & fantasy can anyone explain what compelled the Democratic majority in congress to cave on this issue? Why do they so consistently insult their base? What do they fear will happen if they stand up against this president? Are all of their closets so full of skeletons? Are they all so corrupt? Has the party been infiltrated by "stealth" conservatives?

    I, for one, am thoroughly confounded, and sickened by their behavior.
  • hawkseye · 1 year ago
    Let us hope you are doing your part to change the Dem congress from conservative to progressive.
  • dula · 1 year ago
    I am doing my part to elect Green Party candidates so I never have to be in a position to trust another Republican accomplice (Dem) again.