AP just reported that the Democratic Senate leadership agreed not to filibuster, in exchange for Sen. Frist’s agreement to let four amendments come up for a floor vote.  Strange trade off, it seems to me, but anyway the most important amendment (Specter/Levin) failed by three votes, with two Democrats not supporting it.

Is it possible that since the Dems are going to get swift boated anyway on this issue, that the DNC will stand up and run a media campaign castigating the GOP as the party of torture?  I’ve long believed Bush’s torture policies were a values issue handed on a silver platter to the Democrats, who mysteriously never fail to miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. 

If nothing else, TV spots like those advocated at http://www.geocities, which simply state “Bush and the GOP support torture, Do You?” might start some interesting debate within Evangelical Christian circles.  Can’t hurt.

But don’t bet on it really happening.  And don’t bet on the ability of the federal courts to strike down the provision of the McCain “compromise” bill that forbids use of the Geneva Conventions in court proceedings, Hamdan notwithstanding.

What a pitiful, sorry day for American democracy and for the international human rights movement.

              Bill Street
              Saginaw, Michigan

I can’t believe this. The Bush backed terror bill is just the administration asking for the right to continue the torture and instilling of terror upon others.
And for what? All the president has done is to make the world a more dangerous place. The leaked CIA report documents this.
Do you feel safer? Heck no.
.
This congress and the president have gone mad.

Liberty is never defined by the whip…
Its time to reclaim the ideals of liberty and human decency.

If it’s a question of what action.

Well its time to do what Martin Luther king did in the 60’s and speak out and start by refusing to play by their games. To stop living in fear and to start acting out in humanity.

The question is , where is the leader to speak up and pull the people together on the issue?

Such a sad day for this country ...

We have the list of how we will likely be viewed now

Top Ten Cloves: In Words, What America Means Now To The International Community
http://puregarlic.blogspot.com/2006/09/top-ten-cloves-in-words-what-america.html

Peace
JTD

fact is, you cannot pass such a law; the war crimes law forbids it. EVERY member of the house aan senate voting for this law is guilty of conspiracy to undermine the constitution, and crimes against humanity.
we must gather the law enforcement, domestic and world to arrest and imprison all these chumps.
You can not imagine the feeling we will get when we finally overcome our fat and cowardice and make these arrests. We will learn, in Instant Karma fashion, that we can never be so lazy, apathetic and suck-uppish to power, wealth, and status quo institutions again.
We will start working with our hands again. We will participate in our own lives. We will allow ourselves to learn and grow. And we must have a 24 hour a day cable station with a fixed camera on the solitary cell of each of these war criminals as a reminder of where we drew the line for justice.

It seems we Truthdig afficionados are somewhat at odds with the thinking and views of the majority of our political representatives. I cannot believe that both the House and the Senate will actually PASS legislation that completely TRASHES America’s compassionate image.

Or… perhaps this decision is simply illuminating the ugly fact that America really isn’t a compassionate nation at all.

Either way this travesty is making me ill. Bush wants us not to forget there evil people out there who want to do harm to America. WHO or WHAT could POSSIBLY DO MORE HARM TO AMERICA THAN WE OURSELVES WITH THE PASSAGE OF THIS LEGISLATION?

This is a bad dream. I hope I wake before “THE END” is stamped across the adventure that WAS America.