Monday, March 06, 2006

California Dems voted for Patriot Act

We Californians certainly have a lot to be thankful for: fresh air (most of the time), lots and lots of sunshine, Big Sur and Yosemite, and an organic connection to the earth, most noticeable right about Richter 4.0.

Sadly, we also have some things not to be thankful for: the John Birch Society, Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, all right-wing cranks, but not a wimp in the bunch, and proud of their niches in the California Hall of Cranks.

Sadly, the newest entries in the political wing of the Hall of Cranks are none other than a bunch of limp-wristed political wimps, to wit: Nancy Pelosi, Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein.

Each one of these so-called liberal Democrats have caved (yes caved) under some craven concern that maybe somebody might call them soft on the ‘war on terror,” and VOTED FOR (did not even abstain from) the reauthorization of the USA Patriot Act.

Personally, I am disgusted, and even though Feinstein had responded to my concerned emails with a bunch of platitudes last January, I didn’t think she would really do it.

Shame on you all.

Those who got it right are:

Hawaii's Daniel Akaka, New Mexico's Jeff Bingaman, West Virginia's Robert Byrd, Iowa's Tom Harkin, Vermont's Patrick Leahy, Michigan's Carl Levin, Washington's Patty Murray, and Oregon's Ron Wyden.

And a big thumbs up to Wisconsin’s Senator Russ Feingold, patriot and leader, and Vermont’s Green Mountain independent Jim Jeffords.


In related news, Sen Byrd has introduced legislation establishing a commission to investigate the NSA mess. The bill, S. 2362, would establish a commission to “examine and report upon the facts, causes, and use of executive authority relating to any warrantless surveillance conducted inside the United States.” Read the full text of the bill here:http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c109:s.2362:

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