Never thought I'd say this but, hurray for Arlen Spector, who just said:

[pnwmom]

"There may as well not be a Congress. . . And I think that most members don't understand what's happening."

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/05/03/hearing_vowed_on_bushs_powers/?page=2

"WASHINGTON -- The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, accusing the White House of a ''very blatant encroachment" on congressional authority, said yesterday he will hold an oversight hearing into President Bush's assertion that he has the power to bypass more than 750 laws enacted over the past five years.

'There is some need for some oversight by Congress to assert its authority here," Arlen Specter, Republican of Pennsylvania, said in an interview. ''What's the point of having a statute if . . . the president can cherry-pick what he likes and what he doesn't like?"

SNIP

"Specter said that challenging Bush's contention that he can ignore laws written by Congress should be a matter of institutional pride for lawmakers. He also connected Bush's defiance of laws to several Supreme Court decisions in which the justices ruled that Congress had not done enough research to justify a law.

''We're undergoing a tsunami here with the flood coming from the executive branch on one side and the judicial branch on the other," Specter said. ''There may as well soon not be a Congress. . . . And I think that most members don't understand what's happening."

[eleny]

1. Time for him to change parties or stfu

[YDogg]

5. My sentiments exactly. He'll be back in the Rep fold soon enough.

[pnwmom]

15. He's about to hold hearings. If he changed parties, he wouldn't be chair

anymore. So right now, we need him to be a Republican. And a patriot.

[eleny]

21. He's a slick hustler who doesn't fool me for a minute

Hearings shmearings. Read about his influence on the Warren Commission. I see him through a different prism. He's slick and I'm not falling for the mask. He's only personally ticked off because he feels slighted. His image as a Senator has been slighted.

[pnwmom]

24. Well it should be. They are all being slighted. Even if only out of

their own self interest, they should be fighting this administration. But he's one of the few on the Republican side willing to take a stand.

[eleny]

36. Takes a stand and then backs off quickly

That's his pattern. Take a look at the two Supremes he voted for. I'm not buying praise of him. He will do nothing for us. Pfui.

[stevedeshazer]

41. He just read the polls - it's grandstanding

Nothing will come of it. He wants to retain his chairmanship, no more no less.

Hey, if I'm wrong, great...but I bet I'm right. Arlen "Magic Bullet" Specter has been a chameleon for DECADES.

I don't trust him at all.

[hvn_nbr_2]

35. Specter always talks big, just before he gets in line and bends over. nt

[eleny]

37. That's him. n/t

[redirish28]

2. and just when you say hooray...

he'll do or say something else that will make you say, yep, your a repug, and you'll always be one.

[LaurenG]

3. Sounds like he might be the last patriot left on that side

dumb, dumb, dumb congress!!

[Warpy]

4. Well, dawn breaks over Marblehead!

At least one of them is aware of what that gang of criminals in the White House is up to.

They need to act before it really is too late and we're losing a world war that started with Iran.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

Politics

He cares about his own ASS, and the repub majority in the Senate. He'll vote for the next Shrub initiative. He's no different than McCain, he'll say whatever it takes to get elected, then PRETEND like he's suddenly got religion. Trust me, he's the same as all of them. Just another confused tweety bird.

[pnwmom]

22. Time will tell.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

6. Pot Meet Kettle

What a frickin' hypocrite. Like he won't be back voting for the next King george proposal that comes down the pike.

Yeah....and he also cares about abortion rights. Anything to get re-elected in liberal PA. That's all he cares about. As the prior post said, STFU Arlen.

[eleny]

38. I figure he's angling for his cut of the action

He always postures and then backs off. His backroom deals must be legendary.

[NanceGreggs]

7. So Arlen 'rip van Winkle' Specter just woke up ...

... and saw the latest poll numbers. 'bout time.

[napi21]

8. He was very disparaging against the WH yesterday too!

I watched a rerun of the hearings with Mueller (head of the FBI) last night, and Arlen was smacking the admin around for being so uncooperative in providing ANY info Congress asked for.

[acmejack]

18. When he swore in Mueller, all I could think of was what a jerk he

was about swearing Gonzales when the Dems asked that he do so. Everybody on this board knows that the little prick lied through his teeth about the NSA activities & Arlen made a big show of denying their perfectly reasonable request with a display of partisan puffery. He lost any and all vestiges of respect I held for him right at that precise moment.

[napi21]

45. I understand your position, but I get the feeling Arlan is really getting

PO'd. He's a Pub, and he had to fight very hard just to get the chairmanship of the Judiciary Committee. Remember when they wanted to throw him to the wolves? I think he played along...but only as long as he could. He's O'd off now and not remaining quiet aobut it either.

I'm not asking you to like him, just watch what he's doing now. It's not an easy thing for an old time politician to go against his own Party Prez.

[incapsulated]

9. He talks a good game..

And never backs it up.

Still waiting for those hearings, Arlen.

[OrangeCountyDemocrat]

12. Exactly.....And You Know What Talk Is.......CHEAP!! nt

[blondeatlast]

10. (Zips up falmesuit...). I've always had a grudging respect for Spector.

For the most part, I DETEST his politics, but he's always stood up to his party when he thought it was essential to do so.

Since I've been long-involved in pushing for SC research, that's the most obvious thing I can think of, but there are other examples.

He is not happy with the Bush camp and he's willing to go on record with it--that takes guts. And, since I doubt he cares to be re-elected (unless his health continues to improve as well as it has), I think he's doing it for the right reasons.

Flame all you want--I respect the man, even when I've disagreed with him.

[Vincardog]

11. Where was he in 1999 when the coup originally happened? BTW

Why is he speaking up NOW? OH yeah November is coming. Run you NeoConvicts run away for little lord cococbunnypants.

[bullimiami]

13. dont hurrah so quick. he has had a hand in it all along. we will see.

[DoYouEverWonder]

14. Well he's still in the ruling party?

Then do something about it asshole (Arlen)!

[pnwmom]

16. He's announced hearings, which he couldn't do if he were a Democrat.

[DoYouEverWonder]

40. Spector can call all the hearings he wants

hearings don't impress me.

[flordehinojos]

17. what is that saying...?

how doe it go?

something about, "they came for the jews but i didn't say anything because i wasn't a jew. then they came for the catholics but i didn't say anything because i wasn't a catholic, then they came for the ... but i didn't say anything because i wasn't a ...--then they came for me but there was no one to speak for me".

A little too late. Specter, along with others, gave Bush too many passes. Now, i doubt he will be able to take any of it back. Bush has taken his time to lay chains over our democracy. he has. Specter and others gave him many passes. Maybe their eyes are being open now. it is too late.

[wryter2000]

19. If he puts his witnesses under oath

I'll applaud him. Otherwise, it means nothing. It's just an opportunity for them to lie and get away with it.

[pnwmom]

20. Spector is 76 years old, a pre-Gingrich, pre-Delay, pre-GWB Senator

I think he's more along the lines of Robert Byrd, with a sense of the history of Congress and of the importance of the Constitution and the separation of powers.

And we need more like them.

[incapsulated]

23. Tell me what he has DONE in the past five years

To earn such praise and respect? I don't mean "talk" or promises of "hearings" I mean some concrete action to stop the criminals in office and the policies and/or nominees they put forth.

I'm willing to change my mind with some hard evidence.

[pnwmom]

25. Nothing. I'm saying hurray for the hearings he's announced now.

[incapsulated]

28. He's promised hearings before

That never materialized.

If "hearings" mean having some repuke from the administration on for a single afternoon of "I can't comment on that because of national security", what is the point, other than to make himself more appealing to swing voters?

[eleny]

39. .

:rofl:

[pnwmom]

29. Just checked him on Progressive Punch.

His score on progressive issues is a dismal 35/100.

On the other hand, the vast majority of Republican senators score no higher than 10.

[Mr_Spock]

34. He's done nothing more than pontificate

You are 100% correct. Until he does something, anything to back up his words, then he's just as bad as a mindless Freeper IMHO.

[reprehensor]

26. He's right.

Still don't like the guy.

But he's right.

[gratuitous]

27. So is Arlen going to hold another hearing on Brett Kavanaugh?

Because without a judiciary that's interested in holding the executive accountable for following the laws the legislative passes, it doesn't much matter. And the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the DC Court of Appeals puts another Bush lifer in a very important appellate court, all ready to rule that whatever Stupidhead wants to do, he can do, and plant the judicial imprimatur on our national dictatorship.

Hold hearings, Mr. Specter. What are you afraid of? If Kavanaugh is qualified, he can withstand a little extra scrutiny. If he’s not qualified, then he doesn’t deserve a lifetime appointment.

We'll see if Specter's a hero or a zero. I do know that he talks a much better game than he plays.

[radio4progressives]

30. Hello People, this is nothing more than Covering His Ass for the upcoming

impeachment hearings - there will be hearings and INDICTMENTS not only against the WH Officials Bush, Cheney et al, but Congress members for their PARTICIPATION in conspiracy and cover up.

you bet your sweet ass Specter is covering his ass for his previous dereliction as CHAIR of the JUDICIARY who should have SWORN ALL THESE BASTARDS IN and His compliciancy for OBSTRUCTION OF Congressional oversight..

This is a classic CYA/smoke and mirrors op. Don't Credit Specter for any freaking thing - he's just as culpable as Patsy Ass Roberts is. He's playing "Bad Cop" while Patsy Roberts plays "Good Cop".

No fvcking praises for Arlen Silver Bullet Specter from me.

[bdamomma]

43. Yeah I believe that Specter wants to cover his own ass

what no congress, let's see if these guys get it now. I'm waiting to see what is going to happen.

[Sugarcoated]

49. I agree

he's covering his ass. But I think he really does think things are dangerously out of whack as well. If he enables his team in spite of it he's just another RW scumbag snake.

[0007]

31. Where have I've heard this before?

[Mr_Spock]

32. Fascinating. Now if he just once followed up on a pronouncement

I might even have the slightest amount of respect for the man. He's just another McCain IMHO.

[babylonsister]

33. I wish I could believe him, but I no longer can. nt

[Generic Brad]

42. Talk is cheap

Specter talks a good game but he never takes action. This is just the latest in a long line of baseless public threats hurled at the White House from him. Typical Republican - says what you would like to hear and then does the polar opposite.

:banghead:

[Disturbed]

44. Hot air

no action.

[foreverdem]

46. He needs to do more than say it.

He needs to act on it for this to be taken seriously.

[Norquist Nemesis]

47. Interesting Judiciary Cmte on CSPAN3 now

http://www.cspan.org/watch/cspan3_rm.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS3

Markups and nominations
JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS
Mark Up & Nominations
The Senate Judiciary Cmte. will mark up pending legislation & vote on pending judicial and executive nominations. Issues before the committee include the Marriage Protection Amendment, the NSA Act of 2006, the Terrorist Surveil-
lance Act, and the nomination of Norman Smith to be U.S. Circuit judge for the DC Circuit.

[Sugarcoated]

48. If Spector feels that way

than why is he continuing to enable Bush at this bullshit judge appointment? If he feels Bush is abusing his power why is not standing up for what's right in this "appointment"?