Senator Russ Feingold joined Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! Tuesday to speak out about the reprehensible FISA “compromise” brokered by House Leader Steny Hoyer. Feingold has always been the most articulate and outspoken voice on Constitutional liberties, and he sure didn’t hold back.
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Download | Play (h/t Heather)
SEN. RUSS FEINGOLD: It’s not even a fig leaf; it’s a joke. It does not in any way prevent the ruling from that court, basically automatically, of immunity, because it just involves saying, “Look, they’ve got a piece of paper from the government.” This is nothing but Democrats trying to pretend that they’re doing something here. They are doing nothing. They’re giving in. [Missouri Republican] Senator Kit Bond is basically giggling at the fact that the Republicans and the administration got essentially everything they want on this. It’s sadly a great failure on the part of the Democratic majority that was elected in 2006 primarily to get us out of Iraq, but also significantly to protect the Constitution of the United States. This is not a proud moment.
Do you hear that, Democrats? The GOP is laughing at your craven weakness. Hell, your approval numbers are higher with Republicans than they are with the people who put you in power to supposedly protect their rights. Do what you were elected to do and filibuster this bill until the real intelligence gaps are closed and the telecoms are compelled to prove they didn’t violate federal law by helping the most unpopular President in American history spy on us.
When, precisely, did it become unfashionable (even taboo) to stand strong on protecting core American values? Have we really allowed George Bush to fundamentally alter the character of our country? Be sure to tune into CSPAN-2 tomorrow to see whether or not there are any true leaders in the Democratic party willing to fight the good fight.
Filed Under: NSA Wiretapping, Uncategorized
Tags: Democracy Now, Russ Feingold, Scandals, Senate Capitulation, Spying, Warrantless Wiretapping
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I call upon Steve Cohen to earn his damn paycheck and filibuster… and no, Steve, I don’t care that you are “up to your ass in alligators” as you are so fond of saying — you wanted to go to Washington, we voted you in, now just DO IT.
wait, screw the filibuster, just IMPEACH fer chrissakes!
you go, feingold! you speaking the trufe, dog!!
I was waiting for this to appear.
The last two John Stewarts I DL’d from here both had “Democracy Now, Russ Feingold” tagged as the headers and was wondering what was up.
Has a vote been scheduled for tomorrow? I thought that a vote on the bill has been delayed for a couple of weeks.
I find it disappointing but unsurprising that after 30 years of conservative corporate propaganda, our culture has been steeped in enough right-wing talking points that even many the Democrats think it’s a good idea to sell the Fourth Amendment in order to pay for immunity for the telecom companies.
While this battle is about FISA, the war is about campaign finance reform, and getting the influence of the corporations out of Congress. Let’s win the battle AND win the war.
I don’t live in San Francisco, so I can’t vote Nancy Pelosi out of office.
We can whine all we want about this, but it boils down to this woman: She could have prevented thist. She is obviously favoring the Bush administration, protecting them from consequences for their past and future behavior.
She needs to be bombarded with questions until she answers SOMETHING truthfully!
NANCY PELOSI SHOULD BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE FOR HER SUPPORT OF FISA!
I called Claire McCaskill’s office this morning and the lady that answered said she hadn’t come out with a stand and she then ASKED me what I thought. I told her!!! Outlining the cover Feinstein and Pelosi and many others gain from this capitulation.
I called Bond next (I live in St. Louis) and his aid laughed when I asked his stand. We both laughed.
Obama is pissing me off hard, although finding out Reid is against the measure makes it a little better.
GO RUSSSSSSSS!!!!!!
ckukahiko @ 3:
why is russ a dog?
Have we really allowed George Bush to fundamentally alter the character of our country?
We haven’t, but our elected officials have. Call it corruption, call it fear, call it an overreaction to 9/11 - they’ve sold Democracy down the river.
The whole thing is like a Gary Larson strip:
What You Say: “We are a nation of laws. You cannot retroactively grant immunity to lawbreakers without undermining the principles on which this nation was founded.”
What They Hear: “blah blah blah nation blah blah blah grant immunity blah blah blah.”
I’ve wanted Russ Feingold to run for president for so long now. I know he says he won’t, but I think he’d be fantastic.
One might think that Pelosi’s constituents would engineer a recall election or something. She must go. Ditto Reid. It’s time to ditch the legacy of Tom Daschle and follow the likes of Kucinich or Feingold.
Cloture Vote 80-15
McCaskill voted for Cloture, fuck her.
Obama, Clinton and McCain didn’t vote.
Fuck them all.
Just separate and join Canada. I am sick of having to cross a border to get someplace warm.
p.s. Send the Repulicans to Utah.
Every “democrat” (I use the word loosely) who votes for this bill needs to be replaced when their vote cycle comes up. It will send a clear signal to anyone who decides they want to go to Washington to represent us. They will either do the job we hired them to do (we do after all foot the bill) or they get fired. No games, no chances, if they want to be a repig they should join that party. If we start holding them all accountable they won’t be so lax in their duties.
I have written my Senators.
This bill is a travesty.
Telecom immunity is only the lightning rod, there is much more to this treachery. It makes legal much of what was ILLEGAL that was done by Bush and known about by the Congress while the Democrats were campaigning on civil liberties and the need for the rule of law.
IT IS WHAT ANY CRIMINAL WOULD LOVE TO DO
.
As Jonathan Turley puts it here with KO:
2.22 …change the law to conform to past conduct, it is what any criminal would love to do. That is you rob a bank, then you go to the legislature to change the law to say that robbing banks is lawful.
If I wanted to live in a nation that made no pretense of loving liberty, I’d choose the old Confederacy, or today’s Russia or North Korea. This is the United States of America, goddammit, people come here to get away from shit like this, not to walk right into more of it.
This country is so damaged morally, legally, politically, economically that it may take 50 Fiengolds and Dodds and Kuchiniches (sp?) 10 years to get it back.
I don’t sound confident do I ?
I know Hoyer and Pelosi wanted this off the table for the election. But it is so sad. With victories like this you just know during the next election in 2010, neocons will again be out there chipping away at our constitutional rights using the excuse of fear as a means to the end. If Pelosi and Hoyer don’t have the guts for tough politics it is time they pass the reigns. The cons although fewer in numbers will be back to fight another day. Cave in after cave in to them only energizes the fascists among the repugs and demoralizes the progressive movement.
This guy will go down in history as one of the true patriots
Senator Feingold has displayed much character as an American and as a U.S.Senator.
He does WI proud.
Why is his quality and caliber so rare in WashingtonDC these days?
The Democratic Party surely has some explaining to do for what has taken place in WashingtonDC after the 2006 election.
For that matter for what took place after 9/11/2001 regarding the truly dismal and repeated cave-ins to Bush/Cheney WH and repeated GOP wrongs and abuses in WashingtonDC to game,play and score the system for worse of motives and desires.
Thank you Sen. Russ Feingold for being so rare in quality of character and decency.
As for those in the Democratic Party who appear confused about what party they are in or why it is different than the GOP perhaps it is time to get out and stay out.
After what was given to Democratic Party in November 2006 and then to have to witness how that elections results were thwarted,avoided or just plain voided there is no reason for several current Democratic Party “leaders” in Congress to do anything but leave.
That would be the decent and honorable thing to do
Senator Feingold deserves much respect and support fo his human and political integrity.
As for those others…and they are not difficult to find…have you no decency?
Its a damn shame there aren’t more like Feingold in congress….
That’s about all I got left to say about this FISA shit….
I’ve ranted long and hard and just as it seems to be the case with the few and far inbetween dems who oppose this monstrosity… It just doesn’t seem to matter… The numbers favor the coverup. Yea, I’m beginning to think Bush has fundamentally altered the charactor of our country…for the worse.
These spineless politicians who will toss the bill of rights into the shitter for political expediancy is just one reflection of this… How do we stop this freighttrain to ruin and get our country back???? I don’t know… Maybe it will take violence in the streets, maybe just a lot more people like Feingold voted into power making changes to undo this shit might get the ob done…. I just don’t know anymore. We’re are in some deep deep shit right now.. Even Obama is looking a little more squirrelly and less like a positive ‘agent of change’ than I ever thought a black man making history would ever allow himself to be made to look like on these issues. Just what the hell is his problem all of the sudden….JD
marko @ 14:
15 Patriots
Except for the recuperating Kennedy a plague on the remainder’s houses.
progressive gatekeeper.
This whole god damn thing has been a joke since Fox News called the election for Bush and the Supreme Court interfered with the counting in Florida. Any senator or representative who is not investigating the crimes of the Bush Administration and not calling for charges of Treason or impeachment is a waste of time in my opinion.
It is a test of the American people and political system and we are failing.
*I think it was actually a cousin of George W. Bush working at the Fox News Desk that called Florida for Bush setting the precedent for the media parade in 2000.
Has the massive outpouring of outrage, voiced in the last few days, died down to the faint apathetic whisper yet?
Is Obama off the hook now, with all the people who were outraged at his lack of leadership, bs statements and blatant kow-towing to those determined to gut the Constitution?
Are those crickets I’m hearing?
Alice X @ 24:
Byrd is also recuperating, he is forgiven.
Twice a plague on the houses of the remainder.
assholes….nuff said
The Roll Call Vote.
Fox News calling florida for G.W. Bush on election night in 2000 was actually so a conspiracy.
“John Ellis, a cousin of Bush, helped make the decision to finally (and erroneously) call Florida for Bush in the wee hours of Election Night. ” Salon.com
Is Obama off the hook now, with all the people who were outraged at his lack of leadership, bs statements and blatant kow-towing to those determined to gut the Constitution? Are those crickets I’m hearing?
CHANGE!
HOPE!
Um…and CHANGE!
and HISTORICAL!!!
(Lookit me, Mommy! I’m Progressive! I’m voting for the Black guy!! And anyone who doesn’t is racist!!1)
Feingold has let me down as much as everyone else. They are just varying degrees of allowing this country to go down the tubes. He could be speaking out more forcefully as could we all. We could all be investigating the crimes of this administration more vigorously.
Yeah vote for Barack Obama. And watch him carjack your constitution.
As he drives off, he’ll tell you he’s just doing some valet parking. But you’ll never see that car again.
Wow …… that guy said something sensible ……. and he’s something to do with politics …… is there hope ?
John @ 27:
the PEOPLE will wake up when it’s too late, they’ll wake up when their ass is on the line, when their son or daughter are hauled off to gitmo for not supporting the dictator in chief. People are apathetic because they think, “It won’t happen to me. This bill is actually aimed at making me safer from those evil doers”.
Feingold is fantastic.
They had better filibuster. Barack better step up.
Hoyer– I will remember this.
B
“Yeah well, i know i swore an oath to uphold the Constitution, but there was thing-this donation from AT&T I needed to stay in office…”
Fields of Mine @ 36
That’s just like the German people when the Nazis rose to power. (Not a deliberate Godwin reference. It just happens to be true.)
If, in 20 or 30 years, America is finally taken down by a coalition of nations (probably led by the Russians and Chinese), the American people will have to shoulder their fare share of the blame, and the great experiment called America will finally be consigned to the scrapheap of history.
Once it passes it will be time to Repeal FISA.
No Russ it’s not a joke! It’s a vicious attack on the Constitution of the United States of America!
Harsh, but funny!
I’ll preface this by saying that i love Russ and all, but i was a bit dismayed by his last line — that “i’m sure Obama, when president, will work to fix this some of this…”
Call me a cynic, but i feel that’s a rather naive (and i’m being generous), “party man” response to an entirely valid criticism of Obama.
I’m being polite because i respect what Russ has done as one of the few progressive voices in the legislature, but it still bothers me.
Other than that, kudos to him for at least participating in what should be an aggressive debate about this awful bill.
John @ 39:
Considering that the Nazis were preceded by the Kaisers, preceded in turn by the Holy Roman Emperors, the Nazis merely were more brutal and actually put into action a lot of traditional German beliefs and values. America has at least had a pretense of being some sort of representative state, admittedly for a long time representative of a very few people, but it will be harder to create a true fascism in the American system. Note, didn’t say it wouldn’t happen or it would be impossible, merely harder.
And true.
FMS @ 45:
I see. So McCain will HIJACK our Constitution but blcak people can’t afford plane tickets so Obama will CARJACK our Constitution.
Yeah really racist-i mean funny.
kablooie @ 2:
lern2congress newb!
Impeachment starts in the House. Feingold is in the Senate. I’m sure given Feingold was the only Senator to vote against the PATRIOT act that if the impeachment articles ever get to the Senate, Feingold will support it.
I agree with you, and it’s easier to impeach than break a filibuster, but if you’re going to play in politics you should at least understand the teams.
78 gop filibusters .
Time for 1 dem filibuster.