FISA: The Lone Republican

[crickets]

Just in case anyone was wondering which Republican in the House of Representatives showed more spine than most of the Democrats by voting Nay to the FISA bill: it was Timothy Johnson of Illinois.

H.R. 6304: To amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 to establish a procedure... (Vote On Passage)
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2008-437

Now, one Republican is a DISMAL showing, don't get me wrong, but it is worthy of note that there was at least one.

I was happy to find two Dems from my state who voted against, and they will get a phone call of gratitude regardless that they don't represent my district. As for my Congressman, if he can't be bothered to vote for my Constitutional rights, I can't be bothered with him and I hope someone good runs against him, because when the time comes I will donate and campaign my heart out to get him replaced.

[KharmaTrain]

1. It's A Disgrace Beyond Words...

My sell-out blue dog who I used to work for voted to sell out the 4th ammendment. And I'm greatly dissapointed in the many other "Progressives" who caved to Hoyer. One good thing is this helped narrow down the list of congressional candidates I will be donating to this year. Not a dime to those who voted for this sell out!

But even sadder is what this says about how repressive and draconian the repugnicans have become. Their defense of torture, attacks on the rights of due process and now the total invasion of privacy debunks any notion of a party that stands for individual rights. Not that they ever did. They rail against a large federal beauracry yet turn it into a larger one that's totally inept. They claim to favor the rights of the individual to "freedom" yet that freedom is contingent on how much you donate to their party.

Here's hoping Senator Dodd can once again find ways to poison pill this thing...and just send the Congress and Senate home for the elections...enough damage.

[PassingFair]

2. There are many progressives who voted the right way.

Blame the Blue Dogs and the "New Democrats".

Transparent, bootlicking Corporate Whores.

[KharmaTrain]

4. More Like Scared Children

With 150 Democratic votes there's plenty of blame to go around...and what's the use...it's done now. Many feared of being labeled as "weak on Security"...the same bullshit game this regime played that got the Iraq War Resolution rammed through in '02...but this time the Democratic leadership all but begged for this capitulation. Somehow Steny Hoyer was hearing voices in his head that said this shitpile had to be brought up and passed as if the election hedged on this issue...not the economy or Iraq (which they caved again as well). Dare I say my disgust is intense this morning.

Yes, there were those who did stand up for our rights to privacy and not caving to the corporate pressure...and I take solace that there are ways this thing can still be gutted. The shame is a "leadership" that still operates as the minority....fearing the GOOP noise machine and putting up token resistance to these bullies. The leadership likes to claim that they've passed lots of "positive" legislation, but history will judge it on the negative things that endured, not the short-term positive gains.

Cheers...

[PassingFair]

5. Maybe the Senate will stall it.

It's our last hope.

I expect everyone posting here
will contact their Senators
and let them know that they
will be running without campaign
donations if they don't broom
immunity from this bill.

:hi:

[KansDem]

19. MY SENATORS??? Roberts and Brownback???

I call them "Insanators"

Brownback might actually show up for work to vote on this one. He has something like a 67% voting record (but we pay him a 100% salary).

[awoke_in_2003]

20. Not likely

hard to tell who is the weaker leader, Pelosi or Reid?

[crickets]

6. a "leadership" that still operates as the minority

That's what really bugs me. Nothing could be more important than our Constitutional rights, and so many Dems are acting like we can't have freedom and safety at the same time. It's not the terrorists that are killing this country. It's our own damned compromised 'government.'

[KharmaTrain]

9. I've Reached My Limit

I've tried to be realistic about what's been going on. Three years ago, we had Frist and DeLay running the legislative like a brothel and even two years ago, many "pundits" were declaring that the Democratic Party was on the verge of irrelevance. We had little power...hell, we were forced into the basement. Things have progressed.

The game here has never been to shut this regime down...sadly with his veto and 33 enablers in the Senate who will back up any over-ride, the best I was hoping was to limit the damage. In this case, FISA should have been punted to after the elections...take it from being a political football and let the electorate decide which way to proceede. While it might be too late to do much about many of these blue dogs and "new independents" that sold out, notes are definitely being taken.

Cheers...

[crickets]

10. I'm teetering on the brink

As usual, I guess. Yes, I remember the basement days. That was insane, but at least they bothered to TRY. Agreed, FISA should have been punted, and maybe the Senate still will do that. It's doubtful though. If Obama votes for this thing, I'm done for 08. I'll force myself to push a button since it's my duty and all, but for the first time in my life it won't just *be* a potentially meaningless exercise (hello, black box!) it will feel more like one than ever before. It's a farce, and while I still care about my country and want to stay involved (because the people who stay home just make it worse) I get tired of having to choose between sellout and piece of sh*t.

No Presidential candidate will ever be perfect, but the one who cannot uphold an oath to defend the Constitution as a Senator can hardly be expected to do so as a President. And since Kucinich dropped out, I'd gradually but enthusiastically gotten on board the Obama train. Until now. I really thought he'd signaled a change, a takeover from the DLC Dems. I'm going to call his office Monday and see what they have to say...

Maybe if enough people call, he'll stop this sudden triangulation BS.

[spanone]

16. i have lost any hope in this worthless congress...both sides of the isle can go to hell

[tsuki]

11. Allen Boyd, I regret to say, is my rep with a little "r". What he is

actually is a boot-licking Bushbot posing as a Democrat. He'll be hearing from me. Not that he'll listen.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

3. And the touted "Constitutionalist", Ron Paul, didn't vote. Coward.

[slipslidingaway]

13. I read he was not there yesterday. n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

14. That was convenient.

[slipslidingaway]

15. Well I do not know the details so I'll reserve judgement :) n/t

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

21. Last August, when they voted on the extension, Paul didn't vote either. A pattern? nt

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll836.xml

[slipslidingaway]

22. I do not know and do not have the time to find out, right now I

do know that Obama has signed onto to this bill.

:(

[cali]

7. I don't even have to look to know my rep voted against it.

And I know that in the Senate my two Senators will be fighting against it.

[dmosh42]

8. And I accused all the Republicans of being 'for sale'....

And all our leadership sucked up to the corporations when they asked. Does anyone still expect any accounting for the criminal acts that go on in Washington? Doesn't this sort of explain why Congress doesn't seem to respond? And we expect change? Obama said he also supports this bill. Case closed!

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

12. I just emailed my Progressive Rep, John Hall, for voting against FISA and voted against

funding the war. I told him Bravo!!!! I also asked him to support Kucinich with Impeachment.

Everyone, please let your own Reps. know how you feel about their votes, no matter which way the voted.

[U4ikLefty]

17. Thank you again Grace Napolitano for your vote.

You represent the Cali-38th quite well!!!

[varelse]

18. Sam Farr, the rep for my district, voted NAY

<3

Thank you for providing the tracking link for the FISA vote.