Thank you, Russ Feingold

[thesquanderer]

As I commented elsewhere, Obama has stated his priorities of the economy, Iraq, health care, and education. But right up there has to be addressing the Bush administration's assault on civil liberties and excessive use of secrecy... or someday there may be no democracy left to defend.

Cause for optimism in today's New York Times...

Mr. Feingold has been compiling a list of areas for the next president to focus on, which he intends to present to Mr. Obama. It includes amending the Patriot Act, giving detainees greater legal protections and banning torture, cruelty and degrading treatment. He wants to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to restore limits on domestic spying. And he wants to roll back the Bush administration’s dedication to classifying government documents.

more at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/14/opinion/14fri4.html

[TayTay]

1. You can get some background on what Russ Feingold means

from this hearing that he held last September:

http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/hearing.cfm?id=3550

“Restoring the Rule of Law”
Senate Judiciary Committee
Subcommittee on the Constitution
View a webcast of this hearing
DATE: September 16, 2008

good stuff and a great hearing.

[ProSense]

19. Thanks for the link. n/t

[annabanana]

2. Now, THIS is a Senator!

I wish he was MINE.

[dflprincess]

6. Me too!

At least I'm "next door" to him.

[Lifelong Protester]

14. Yep, happy he is ours, and we are happy to share!

Love our Russ!

[gateley]

3. Good to know -- thanks! nt

[mokawanis]

4. Glad to have him in Wisconsin

he is much loved here.

[Eric J in MN]

12. If he wants to be a Supreme Court Justice, then...

...I'd be fine with Russ Feingold leaving the midwest.

[tabbycat31]

5. Russ Feingold 2016

this guy rocks.

[ProSense]

7. Excellent. n/t

[Captain Hilts]

8. FEINGOLD is a progressive. Obama and Clinton are not, though I like both very much.

Go Russ!!!

[thesquanderer]

22. Yes

With all the media talk about "governing from the center" and such, it's nice to be reminded that there are progressives who will have his ear as well.

[thesquanderer]

9. thanks

I'm glad I was able to post something that everyone here could agree about for a change! ;-)

[Golden Raisin]

10. I wish we could clone Senator Feingold.

When things were darkest during the horrible Bush/Cheney years he restored my faith that there were still a few Congresspeople left that were credits to the Constitution, the Founding Fathers and simply first-class. Feingold is gutsy, intelligent, measured, dignified, articulate and has a spine and a set of balls.

[Eric J in MN]

11. 'Mr. Obama also could declare his intention not to use presidential signing statements'

Except that Obama supports using presidential signing statements to nullify part of a bill.

I want the president to veto a bill when he considers part of it unconstitutional.

But that's not what Obama is planning to do:

=====================================================
"The problem with this administration is that it has attached signing statements to legislation in an effort to change the meaning of the legislation, to avoid enforcing certain provisions of the legislation that the President does not like, and to raise implausible or dubious constitutional objections to the legislation," Obama answered. But, he added: "No one doubts that it is appropriate to use signing statements to protect a president's constitutional prerogatives."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/24/AR2008022401995.html
=====================================================

[thesquanderer]

23. signing statements

Signing statements have always been around. I'm okay with them for the purpose of the President offering commentary, or to lay a possible foundation for a certain interpretation of the bill, etc., but not for the purpose of negating the bill or its obvious intent or its effect on the administration itself.

[usregimechange]

13. President Obama, look through this carefully.

[zulchzulu]

15. Russ is my sentator and I couldn't be more proud

I want him to be very vocal and on Barack's heels... I know Barack respects him greatly and wouldn't want it any other way.

[midnight]

16. Thank you thesquanderer for recognizing this important

work being done by Senator Feingold.

Mr. Feingold is convinced that this is a critical moment. If the next president does not reverse the Bush administration’s doctrines, he fears that they will no longer simply be the policies of one extremist president. The danger is that they will be the nation’s new understanding of the Constitution. http://www.buzzflash.com/?track=18867

[undeterred]

17. If Obama listens to just one man, it should be Senator Feingold.

Then he'll be on track.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

18. Highly recommended!

[weeve]

20. Russ may not have ...

... heeded my boys advice a few years back ...



... but at least he took the time to come over and meet us all, and even wrote us a letter upon returning to Wisconsin !

He is truly our political hero, and I hope Obama listens to everything Russ has to say.

[PassingFair]

21. They are ADORABLE.

And SO politically SAVVY!!!

Feingold is the MAN!

[Hope And Change]

24. K & R!