Censure is TOO GOOD for 'em

Crossposted on Dailykos.

Yesterday Senator Russ Feingold, the one lone dissenting vote in the original passage of the Patriot Act announced that he was putting forth a resolution to Censure the President for his illegal warrantless wiretaping of U.S. Citizens.

Today I expect all hell's about to bust loose.

In defense of this program, President Bush and his aide de camp Attorney General Gonzales have made claims of executive powers that are second only to those of Nixon, and that if anyone still remembers, didn't end too well.

Still I find it quite sad, that when so many legal scholars and even politicials (including Conservatives) reluctantly admit that what the President did was wrong and illegal -- that the best action they can think of is to simply say exactly that in a Congressional Censure not, actually enforce the law.

We find ourselves in an arcane and sad situation, where the Top Law Enforcement Officer of the United States (AG Gonzales) stands shoulder to shoulder with an admitted evil-doer and blatant liar, President George W Bush.

Now, by the way, any time you hear the United States government talking about wiretap, it requires -- a wiretap requires a court order. Nothing has changed, by the way. When we're talking about chasing down terrorists, we're talking about getting a court order before we do so. It's important for our fellow citizens to understand, when you think Patriot Act, constitutional guarantees are in place when it comes to doing what is necessary to protect our homeland, because we value the Constitution.

Senator Feingold makes an excellent point when he states:

Congress may consider a range of other actions, including investigations, an independent counsel, or even impeachment. But at a minimum, and as a first step, Congress should censure a president who has so plainly broken the law.

At a minimum? Yes, of course - Censure is the absolute least we can expect Congress to do. But Censure is certainly far less than what should be done. Far, far indeed.

Senator (and sometimss neo-psychic Doctor) Bill Frist has already claimed that Feingold's resolution "sends a bad signal to our allies and the Arab world".

You mean a signal like - "We completely and totally fucked up by giving this incompetent and criminal President the power and authority to conduct war?" I happen to believe that admitting you've made a tragic and costly mistake under grossly BAD FAITH, and are now taking steps to correct that mistake just might send exactly the right message.

But we must be willing to admit that this is the political reality of the situation - we now live in a world where up is down, truth is treason, law is lawlessness and our President is a criminal.

Most of us, even people who are deeply in the tank like Grover Norquist, know the truth (CBS News Poll for 2/22 has Bush at just 29% Favoribility/ 53% Not Favorable) - yet the Senate has refused to investigate and when Sen Rockefeller correctly points out how the Intelligence commitees arms where twisted in order to torpedo any series investigation of tha NSA Warrantless Wiretap program - he himself gets quickly reined in.

What else is left but for this one vainglorious action by Feingold?

Will each and every Democrat in the House and Senate immediately sign on to this Censure motion? Probably not. I wouldn't expect much more than the ten Senators who most recently voted against the Reauthorization of the Patriot Act (Akaka (D-HI), Bingaman (D-NM), Byrd (D-WV), Feingold (D-WI), Harkin (D-IA), Jeffords (I-VT), Leahy (D-VT), Levin (D-MI), Murray (D-WA), Wyden (D-OR)), and the 30 Congressmen who support John Conyers (who has already put forth his own Censure motion) in his call for a full investigation of Impeachment - if those.

This resolution is going to fail, and in some ways - it has to fail. What we need is Senator Feingold said on Meet the Press - "Balance back in our Government".

The Freepers and Faux News love to claim we need "Balance in the Media", but never do they proclaim the same thing about our Government -- and this is a major Achilles heel for them.

This Rubber-Stamp Congress has to be put to an end. They are hopelessly corrupt, and without conscience. They will never censure this President, nor hold him accountable in any way what-so-ever.

This President needs to be Impeached (Feingold:"It's right in the strike-zone") and then Prosecuted for Felony violations of FISA.

(4)
(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection or in subsection (5), whoever violates subsection (1) of this section shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

However, we all know this won't happen and Censure is the last, best option. In and of itself, this Censure motion will accomplish one thing - and one thing only. It is a chance for those true patriots still left in the House and Senate to stand and by counted.

Republicans are certain to rally around the President (their favorite game since "Ring around the Rosie". Democrats will be split.

Heaven help those in November, both Republican and Democrat alike, who shirk from their duty and sworn oath to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States at this time.

Amen.

Vyan