In 2006, try listening instead of eavesdropping

[chat_noir]

Palm Beach Post Editorial

In 2005, it became clear that there are at least two ways to listen to America, and one of them is distinctly better than the other.

The Bush administration has been listening to Americans using secret, warrantless wiretaps and data-mining techniques of dubious legality. Congress — particularly the Senate — has been listening to America in a different way, at least on some issues. As the Bush presidency fell in popularity, primarily because of continuing doubts about the Iraq War, some members of Congress in both parties started to grow a backbone.

snip...

In the Senate, one of the biggest issues will be whether President Bush will succeed in putting Samuel Alito on the Supreme Court. The bipartisan movement that forced the withdrawal of Harriet Miers was based on her lack of qualifications. Judge Alito's disqualifications stem from extremism that is out of touch with the populace. His views on abortion are out of the mainstream — he wants to overturn Roe vs. Wade, a ruling most Americans want to preserve. And his writings also betray a fondness for government power that is severely out of step with most of the country.

Congress still hasn't required the administration to answer enough questions about Iraq. And, facing midterm elections during an increasingly unpopular war, it isn't certain that Republicans adequately will scrutinize plans to begin withdrawing troops this year. The administration and congressional leaders promise they won't cut and run. It's one thing to claim victory — which they certainly will — and another thing to properly finish a war that the public now doubts ever should have been started.

By playing to the far right in his party, President Bush suffered numerous defeats in 2005. Rather than wiretap the country, in 2006 he should try tapping into its more moderate outlook. If he won't, the congressional backbone must grow even sturdier.

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2006/01/01/a2e_newyears_edit_0101.html

[Wilms]

1. Great title. n/t

[cliss]

2. I love the title: listen instead of eavesdrop.

Well, we all know how deeply loved Bush is. I'm sure those phone calls were spiced with some adjectives about Bush.

I hope they wrote transcripts of all the phone calls and let Bush read them.