Dodd: It's up to The House

[babylonsister]

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/02/dodd_its_up_to_the_house.php

Dodd: It's up to The House
By Paul Kiel - February 12, 2008, 2:54PM


Speaking to a conference call of reporters this afternoon, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) said that, reflecting on the string of defeats in the Senate today, he thought the House was the best hope for stripping retroactive immunity from the final surveillance bill.

"We've lost every single battle we had on this bill {in the Senate}.... We're not getting anywhere at all" he said. "The question now is can the House do better." After the bill passes in the Senate, as is expected late today or tomorrow, the bill would head to a conference. There, conferees from both houses will try to hash out the significant differences between the House and Senate versions, the issue of retroactive immunity chief among them.

However, Dodd said, if the final bill emerging from that powwow does contain retroactive immunity, he said he'd "absolutely" filibuster that bill; he'd use "whatever vehicles we can" to stop it.

The Senate had "just sanctioned" the "single largest invasion of privacy in the history of the country," he said. When asked why he thought so many Dem senators had crossed over, he replied: "Unfortunately, those who are advocating this notion that you have to give up liberties in order to be more secure are apparently prevailing. They seem to be convincing people that you're at risk politically or we're at risk as a nation if we don't give up rights."

[LSparkle]

1. God bless Chris Dodd

He needs to be MAJORITY LEADER in the next Congress.

[MBS]

4. yeah! I agree! n/t

[MBS]

2. Thanks for this

I'm glad that Dodd at least is speaking up loud and clear on this very very VERY important issue. The behavior of the Senate is a disgrace. But I'm glad at least for the 29-31 senators who voted on the side of the angels -- all Dems (plus Bernie Sanders) .

There's a petition to sign at Firedog Lake to press the House to do what needs to be done to save our Constitution.

[MBS]

3. delete (dupe-sorry)

[lovuian]

5. It will be one more black Mark against Congress

who has rubber stamped everything Bush has done

the World won't agree and neither will History

[Horse with no Name]

6. There really was NO good reason for it to even have come up for a vote

when they didn't have the support to block it.
Too bad Reid scheduled it for one and refused to acknowledge Dodd's block on it. One thing for certain, if a republican had called for it to be blocked, Reid would have honored it. That's why I CRINGE at bipartisanship. It means one thing and one thing only. A republican is going to get their way.

[tbyg52]

15. Yep. Either our Dear Leaders

are less politically savvy than I am (which would be -1 on a scale of 1 to 10) or the fix is in. I know they don't give a damn what the little people think.

[Ichingcarpenter]

7. The thing is they were tapping lines and reading our mail before 911

This is what makes it even more reprehensible.

[ixion]

9. yeah, that really blows the whole "911 changed everything" excuse

they use for their conversion to ultra-fascism.

[rurallib]

8. Dodd for senate majority leader.

[donkeyotay]

10. I hope that for once a democrat will follow through

However, Dodd said, if the final bill emerging from that powwow does contain retroactive immunity, he said he'd "absolutely" filibuster that bill; he'd use "whatever vehicles we can" to stop it.

Wonder if dems like Webb would be more concerned if the retroactive immunity from the law included spying on the loyal opposition. It certainly included the anti-war movement.

[Bonhomme Richard]

11. Left to Nancy.................Forget about it.

[MANative]

12. I'm glad to see Dodd is still

in the fight on this one. Proud of my Senator!

[spanone]

13. in that case, we're fucked

[EndElectoral]

14. Goddmit. I'm tired of this....What is with these people down there? Franklin was right

[formercia]

16. We had to destroy it in order to save it.

"They seem to be convincing people that you're at risk politically or we're at risk as a nation if we don't give up rights."

Those Senators who voted for immunity need to be replaced.