THE GUN TOTING LIBERAL™

Slightly Left Of Center… But Always On Target!!!

The Latest “Maverick Liberal”, Steny Hoyer, Bravely Dared To Fall On The Sword Before His Peers To Get Democrats To Embrace Telecom Immunity

June 24th, 2008 · 3 Comments · Politics

Thank Steny Hoyer, Nancy Pelosi, Their (So-Called) “New Democratic Congress, And Of COURSE, The Republicans For Expanding The Powers Of The Executive Branch And The Exponential Growth Of Our Oligarchical Police State In General

Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer successfully kill our 4th Amendment civil liberty by granting telecom immunity for their data-mining and wiretapping of citizens at the behest of King George Bush II...Wiretapping by your phone company is just A-Okay. That is, as long as their huge teams of lawers agree to do so just because the illegal order to comply comes on a piece of paper with a huge “Love, Dubya” is displayed prominently at the bottom of it. At least, that’s what the gutless, so-called, “New Democratic Congress”, led by the latest “Johnny Come Lately” of the “Maverick Liberal” crowd, House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer says.

“Hey, we can’t blame these helpless, clueless telecoms!”, said our so-called “representatives”. “They, and their huge teams of lawyers didn’t realize they were breaking the law by just trying to hook Brutha Bush and Shotgun Cheney UP when they sent a note telling them they thought it might be possible your Aunt Lizzy and Uncle Billy-Bob were them terr’ist-types, so let ‘em off’n the hook!”, screamed Steny Hoyer and co-hort, Nancy Pelosi, then BANG — the deal was DONE. Completely unconstitutional, of course — but DONE…

First, let’s look at the right-wing Politico recap — some “snips”:

How Hoyer got the deal done

By JOHN BRESNAHAN & PATRICK O’CONNOR

The Maryland Democrat shepherded a set of FISA amendments through the House last week — winning praise from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and even some in his party to who opposed the deal — but now finds himself subjected to a barrage of criticism from his party’s left. …”

(Snip!)

“… In an interview with Politico on Monday, Hoyer called the FISA legislation a “significant victory” for the Democratic Party…”

(Snip!)

“… While the Senate bill provided retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies that participated in President Bush’s warrantless surveillance program, Hoyer noted that the House version mandates judicial review of the companies’ actions. Legal experts and congressional opponents argue that such review will ultimately be meaningless. …”

(Snip!)

“… Hoyer said he discussed the issue several times with Bush himself, most recently at a White House reception… “

(Snip!)

… “You can take a position and be a purist and sort of sit around yelling at each [other] across the [political] divide and nothing gets done,” Hoyer said. “The American people, they want us to get this done. That’s the whole thing to me.” …

(Snip!)

“… Despite those efforts, liberal activists were furious at what they view as a sellout by House Democrats on FISA, particularly on the retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies. …”

(Snip!)

“… Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) called the FISA compromise a “very terrible bill.” Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D-Ohio) said the bill would allow “large corporations and big government” to “work together to violate the United States Constitution” and “use massive databases to spy, to wiretap, to invade the privacy of the American people.” …

Dennis Kucinich said it all in that last quoted paragraph. Welcome to the United Police States Of America, thanks in kind to the Republicans AND the so-called “New Democratic Congress”…

Darwinesque behavior. There is no other way to describe some of these recent decisions by our highest so-called “leaders” in both of those other once “equal but separate Branches”, the Judicial (SCOTUS) and the Legislative. I just don’t understand it, they, as per our Founders, are PAID to assert and retain their powers, yet, they seem to be content to just stand by idly as the president KING claims to share their powers while his cohort, Dick “Shotgun” Cheney claims to be in a “Superbranch” of his own.

Folks, we have a HUGE, HUGE problem on our hands when a couple of guys and/or gals can claim to be the cop, the judge and the jury simply because “these are dangerous times”. In fact, there was a time, well — about a WEEK ago — where I was convinced the Democrats wanted to impose a “Nanny State” form of illegal, “Big Brother” government upon us while the Republicans wished to impose a “Police State” form of illegal, “Big Brother” government. It is now becoming glaringly obvious to THIS blogger that BOTH of these parties CARTELS wish to impose a “Police Nanny Oligarchical Monarchy” upon us. And, they just DID, my friends.

***

Other blogger reactions well-worth reading (H/T to MemeOrandum again…):

  • Hullabaloo: “… What a guy. Clearly, those who demand that the party should hew closer to the positions that put it in power should be happy to have such a “masterful” leader who will sell out their most cherished principles in order to make a deal with people who would like to turn the US into a police state. …”
  • Crooks and Liars: “… Blue America and the hero role Hoyer played to get a bill passed for the minority party and Bush. Not even a mention as to why we’re all so opposed to the bill. …”
  • Glenn Greenwald (Salon): “… In other words, Democrats achieved a “significant victory” because — by giving Republicans everything they demanded — Republicans are no longer able to criticize Democrats on this issue. What a shrewd strategy: “if we comply with all their demands, then they can’t criticize us for anything.” That’s the Democratic Party’s plan for winning, according to Hoyer. …”
  • Blue Girl, Red State: “… Chris Dodd and Russ Feingold are pissed off, fired up and itching for a fight, and they need your help. If you are represented by one of the senators whose contact information is listed below the fold, get on the phone and call their office and register your opinion. …” (Great list of Senators with their phone numbers listed here — CALL ‘EM)
  • Firedoglake: “… It’s no secret, the Senate is getting ready to follow the House’s lead and screw us on FISA, letting telecom criminals off the hook. …”
  • Comments From Left Field: “… Nancy and Steny are making the rounds, visiting their friends in the media to get the word out on how fabulously clever they were to foil Republican election strategy by giving the right every unchecked power they wanted in a national surveillance bill. …”
  • Donklephant: “… One of the most seductive arguments against voting to maintain divided government is framed like this: “We need a single party Democratic government for a while, just to restore balance and undo the damage that has been created by the eight years of George W. Bush and six years of single party Republican rule.” That illusion has now been shattered. Instead of undoing the damage, we are seeing the Democratic Party leadership of Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, Harry Reid and the Democratic presumptive nominee Barack Obama lead a Democratic Senate and Democratic House of Representatives to make the problem worse, by dramatically expanding the power of the Presidency at the expense of the Constitution, the courts, the Congress and Bill of Rights. That is the meaning of the compromise FISA bill that Obama and McCain support. …”
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    3 Comments so far ↓

    • Brown Buffalo

      Welcome to the New World Order….

    • Marc

      I am highly daunted by the actions of congress as well :(

      I don’t see how they get anything accomplished. There are way too many people in government pretending they are working for the greater good. its completely out of control!

    • Glenn

      Haw, haw! Dick Cheney is going to listen in on your phone calls now, and there’s not a THING your terrorist lovin’ trial lawyers can do to stop it!

      This is just rich. Phone companies don’t go to jail for cooperating w/ authorities means we’re all just a phone call away from the concentration camps. Bit of a stretch, if you ask me.

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