Democrats are sleazier than Republicans?

[Another Bill C.]

Wolf Blitzer just asked a Justice Department attorney what to say to those people who think the Patriot Act is just fine under an Ashcroft administration but wonder if the Democrats take over and start using it against the Right Wing.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. Wouldn't happen

Dems will likely repeal it as soon as they can.

[seabeyond]

2. i thought this was good

i saw where the right is worried with the legalities of their party and orginization

democrats concerned about indivdual what we do in bedroom

they are worried about their whole orginazation. think about that. says a lot

i did like what the dude said, trust in justice. i dont, but he said it anyway

[LittleApple81]

3. I sure hope they WORRY about that possibility now.. how does the shoe fit?

n/t

[Kadie]

4. The King of Executive Orders

in his last days as president, will put into writing that the patriot act can only be used as long as a republican is in charge. There will be no investigating of any republican allowed, do you understand, it will not be allowed!

[seabeyond]

5. ya i see them working this

this was the greater point. i dont think they can stufff genie back in bottle. but i do see, and if i do, so many other do

what do we have on our side though, with repug everywhere. the repugs dont want it, bush is still gonna go down, and the will leave democrat in to use this thing

[riverwalker]

6. on second thought.....

the idea of another Gitmo for neocons, is sorta appealing to me. Maybe in a mosquito swamp. I can see Wolfowitz, Perle, and other traitorous criminals being paraded around in orange jumpsuits, kept in those dog kennel cages like in Gitmo.

[Cleita]

7. I thought that was hilarious.

It's finally dawning on some of the Repuke propaganda talking heads, like Blitzer, that the Patriot Act could also be used by the Democrats on the Republicans.

We know a Democratic government will reverse as many of those facist acts passed by the Bushistas as they are able to.

[markbark]

8. remember the old saying.....

Before you hand someone a loaded gun, you had better be DAMN sure on where they intend to point it.


--MAB

[RoyGBiv]

9. Sedition Acts

The problem is that what BushCo has done is put in place a system, by his liberal use (Dems should use this phrase repeatedly in reference to Bush's actions, IMO) of judicial appointment, much like what the Federalists put in place at the end of the 18th century with regard to the Alien and Sedition Acts. The Patriot Act as a weapon has a moderate degree of judicial oversight, but it is oversight controlled by extremely conservative judges who no longer seem much interested in the separation of powers except to keep up appearances.

In the end those acts, even when they were being used, had a limited effect on political dissent as a whole since there were relatively few prosecutions, but the unmeasurable element is how much dissent they prevented by their existence. The courts were stacked with Federalist judges who were sympathetic to the intent, in some cases because their own political rivals were the ones under review.

The smartest thing for the Dems to do when they win in November is to let this puppy die a quick and silent death and the proceed to take as many opportunities as possible to reorder the judicial branch with more liberal-minded judges. Jefferson recognized this when he captured the Presidency.

[Daedalus]

11. Funny...

I am an independent...meaning I don't care for either party...but it seems ironic to me that the Republicans would push for a government agency that reduces freedom and creates another beaucratic *sp system, when they have always been the party that was supposedly "pro-freedom" & "anti-big government)...I would strongly support a Democrat dismantling pieces of the crap...

[Az]

10. This plays to the crux of the current cuture war in our society

Repukes are siding with those that want definitive declarations of right and wrong. They want the hero that always does the right thing. They want clear vindication of the innocent and absolute destruction of the villain. They don't want to ponder who the villain is. They want it to be anyone that is not like them.

The Dems are the party of moral relativism. We consider all sides. We even examine ourselves to see if we have overstepped our bounds. We are never absolutely certain and can always change our mind. To the right we seem to be flip flopping and double dealing. Because we think things through we open questions they would rather not deal with. The right believes themself to be Good (not capital G) Doubting this is treasonous in their eyes.

[Daedalus]

13. I couldn't resist...

"The Dems are the party of moral relativism. We consider all sides. We even examine ourselves to see if we have overstepped our bounds. We are never absolutely certain and can always change our mind. To the right we seem to be flip flopping and double dealing. Because we think things through we open questions they would rather not deal with. The right believes themself to be Good (not capital G) Doubting this is treasonous in their eyes."

I would agree that introspection is nice...and the ability to change one's mind based upon the introduction of new evidence is wonderful...but when you change based upon polls...there is nothing noble about that...and this is what both parties do...

And relativism isn't necessarily the best philosophy to have...

[Az]

17. No one said

thinking about things was easy. And yes many do turn to polls for direction. Unfortunately real ideas challenge people and against a populist candidate that is willing to deliver what the people want instead of what they need more and more Dems get caught in a tug of war. Unfortunately there are now far too few Democrats willing to stand up and say what needs to be said. The strategists are focused on winning rather than leading. And those two paths do not lead to the same place.

And on relativism, it isn't there to be the best, it is necessity. You cannot have a diverse cultures such as ours and find a path without the use of relativism. Its the nature of the beast.

[Daedalus]

19. I agree...

"Unfortunately there are now far too few Democrats willing to stand up and say what needs to be said. The strategists are focused on winning rather than leading. And those two paths do not lead to the same place."

I agree...



"And on relativism, it isn't there to be the best, it is necessity. You cannot have a diverse cultures such as ours and find a path without the use of relativism. Its the nature of the beast."

I disagree...

[TheDebbieDee]

12. Nobody's sleazier than the republicans.......

Mickey Rourke's hair isn't as sleazy as republicans.....and his hair is pretty damn sleazy!

[zbdent]

14. Gee, the Right Wing tried to kill the Omnibus Terrorism Act of 1995

using that exact argument . . . "Look at the scary power we would be giving CLINTON!!!"

[Bridget Burke]

16. Let's scare the Right Wing!

I'm all for hoping Kerry gets 2 terms.

But, eventually, there's the possibility of President Hilary Clinton! Let the RW'ers stew about that.

[bloom]

15. Maybe Wolf might think

Huh - that's why we have a constitution and why turning it to mush is a bad idea!

[swinney]

18. Wolf answer these questions you dunce

How many members of each administration were investigted for a crime?

How many of each administration were charged with a felony?

How many in each administration were convicted of a felony?

20th Century.

No contest---Harding-Nixon-Reagan

Carter-Clinton

Reagan had more investigated than all presidents combined. 245.
Reagan had more charged than all combined. 127.
Reagan had more convicted or resign under threat of indictment than all combined. 75.

The great Democratic Criminal--William Jefferson Clinton. You crook.
You louse.

You had one person--one person--read it here-one person--
who was--"convicted" of a-"felony"-which was "commited" --while working for you.

Clinton you ought to be ashamed.

You allowed Mike Espy Chief Of Staff to take trips to sporting events, etc. for total gift of $12,000. Darn evil man. Crook. Crook. Shame on him.

Of course the OIC Don Smaltzsmear said-"There was no quid pro quo".

President Clinton I am ashamed of you.

You did not roll over under the impact of your right wing opponents spending $110,000,000 on Hearings and Investigations to convict one of your employees for a felony.

Shame! What were you doing? Working on the economy? Shame.
Working for Peace On Earth? Shame? Working to create 22.4 million net new jobs? Shame. Working for improvment of the Standard of Living for "all" our citizems? Shame.

You disgust me.

Why did not you spend 45% of your time on vacation playing golf?
You may be able to beat me! Ha! No way. I can shoot under my age. Can you?

President Clinton you have shamed me.

I toast the all time spender-borrower. Ronnie.

Look what you could have achieved had you copied Ronnie and

Increased spending by 80% instead of 28%.

Increased jobs by 167,000 per month instead of 237,000.

Grew GDP by 57% less than you did.

Grew Dow by 700% less than you did..

Grew Nasdaq by 800 Times less than you did

Increased debt by 187% like Ron not 43% like you did.

Increased deficits by 110% not a darn old surplus like you got.

Not doubled national income like you did. Shame.

Not increase our personal income by 110% like you did.

President Clinton you are a disgrace.

Why don't you quit working so hard on Aids and go golfing.

Read books. Learn something.

Shame Shame Shame.