Klobuchar, Peterson, Walz Assailed for FISA Vote
Monday, August 06, 2007 at 10:17 am
- 10 Comments
Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Reps. Colin Peterson and Tim Walz broke ranks with most congressional Democrats in voting to authorize the Bush administration to continue FISA wiretapping, drawing the ire of progressive bloggers nationwide.
The blogger Meteor Blades, writing at Daily Kos, expressed anger, saying, “These are the Dems who … failed us. Who failed our country.”
Melissa McEwan of Shakesville also was bitter, saying, “It was bad enough when the Dems were only failing to hold this administration accountable for its abuses of power. To see them transferring more power to them at this point is truly unbelievable.”
Kevin Hayden of The American Street decried the vote, saying, “That’s not how our government was designed. With the Democratic leadership surrendering its oversight responsibility and reducing itself to the roles of a Stepford wife and criminal accomplice, the only check and balance to prevent the continuation of the march to complete dictatorship is you and me Bubba.”
And Glenn Greenwald of Salon said, “Congressional Democrats know virtually nothing about how the Bush administration has been eavesdropping on our conversations because the administration refused to tell them and they passively accepted this state of affairs.”
Most Minnesota bloggers were occupied with the 35W bridge disaster, but a few noted Klobuchar’s defection specifically. Kjell Olsen at Station 11 wrote an open letter to Klobuchar, saying, “By making the crimes of Bush legal at his own behest, under his threats – to refuse your summer recess, and to `hold you responsible for whatever terrorist attacks may take place in the future – you’ve done little better than incriminate yourself. I’m pretty sure that at his inauguration he swore to uphold the constitution of the united states of america, and you the same. I don’t see how you can sleep at night, much less how you can sit in the chambers of the senate and pretend to be doing your job.”
Mischa Beitz also wrote to Klobuchar, saying, “As a Minnesotan and US citizen, I am APPALLED at your yea vote on a FISA bill drafted by the White House.”
At least one Minnesota blogger praised the vote, though. Paul Mirengoff of Power Line said the Senate had done the “right thing, finally.”
10 Comments
Comment posted August 6, 2007 @ 10:49 am
You know who these reactions remind me of? Pre-Renaissance Christian clerics assailing and condemning the onrush of science.
I’d like to gather all the reactionaries into a conference room and say: 75% of the American population begs you to consider the idea that a woman like Amy Klobuchar decided the vote was a good idea. And if at all possible bring ourselves to learn her reasoning and consider it.
Those reactions make them look like fools to a substantial number of people, including some who are just as smart and informed as they consider themselves to be..
Comment posted August 6, 2007 @ 10:59 am
This comment string at one of the links you cite http://letters.salon…
All on its own, this is some kind of near-proof that the most active, engaged Democratic base has, en masse, become incapable of examining its own beliefs and assumptions. It’s like it had part of its brain removed.
Comment posted August 6, 2007 @ 4:04 pm
Paul let me know if you want to change to Paul S. – I can do that for you if you prefer it.
Comment posted August 6, 2007 @ 11:17 pm
I’m not a democrat – but rather a civil libertarian But the constitution and the Bill of Rights is important to me. I’ve written Coleman on a number of issues. Every time I write to Coleman, I get the courtesy of a professional response. Not so with Amy Klobuchar. It’s like emailing a black hole. I just wrote her today (about a different issue) – we’ll see if she writes back. I’m not holding my breath.
I actually expected Amy Klobuchar to vote this way. I don’t expect much of her. I was more surprised by Tim Walz’s vote.
What was it Benjamin Franklin said about giving up liberty for security?
Comment posted August 6, 2007 @ 5:49 am
You know who these reactions remind me of? Pre-Renaissance Christian clerics assailing and condemning the onrush of science.
I'd like to gather all the reactionaries into a conference room and say: 75% of the American population begs you to consider the idea that a woman like Amy Klobuchar decided the vote was a good idea. And if at all possible bring ourselves to learn her reasoning and consider it.
Those reactions make them look like fools to a substantial number of people, including some who are just as smart and informed as they consider themselves to be..
Comment posted August 6, 2007 @ 5:59 am
This comment string at one of the links you cite http://letters.salon…
All on its own, this is some kind of near-proof that the most active, engaged Democratic base has, en masse, become incapable of examining its own beliefs and assumptions. It's like it had part of its brain removed.
Comment posted August 6, 2007 @ 11:04 am
Paul let me know if you want to change to Paul S. – I can do that for you if you prefer it.
Comment posted August 6, 2007 @ 6:17 pm
I'm not a democrat – but rather a civil libertarian But the constitution and the Bill of Rights is important to me. I've written Coleman on a number of issues. Every time I write to Coleman, I get the courtesy of a professional response. Not so with Amy Klobuchar. It's like emailing a black hole. I just wrote her today (about a different issue) – we'll see if she writes back. I'm not holding my breath.
I actually expected Amy Klobuchar to vote this way. I don't expect much of her. I was more surprised by Tim Walz's vote.
What was it Benjamin Franklin said about giving up liberty for security?
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