Purple, I am happy to see you and others recognize what is happening to our country. I sometimes worry there are too few citizens who even want to know we are losing our rights and freedoms.

Thanks for your effort, Dan

Closed late night sessions are indicative of the regard congress has for the citizens it is supposed to represent. I believe the democratic and republican parties are far more philosophically accepting of each other than most people would like to think. The voting constituency of both parties is of little importance to either party unless it is election season.
The primary issue for both republicans and democrats is their ability to “rule” this country with as little oversight as possible from its citizens. The divisions of race, creed, socio/economic status and religion (mixed with bigotry, prejudice and hate) are the mainstays of political manipulation by both parties and have been for sometime. The only response short of revolution is that all of us examine our reasoning in supporting our favored politicians and ask ourselves if what they represent is what we want to leave our children and grandchildren. I for one am going to vote for change and sincerity. I do not think this is will solve all the problems we face as a nation but it is a real “first step” in taking our government back from those who show blatant contempt for the very people they are supposed to represent.

So our Public Servants are granted rights and Freedoms we the Citizens no longer are possses?
So our Constitutional rights and freedoms have not only been confiscated by the Corps, but by those who were hired to work for US?
So this ‘democracy’ they claim we still have, and are eager to ‘spread around the world’ requires no informed consent from US?
As far as I’m concerned everyone sitting in that Chamber should be sittin gin a Cell-  Conspiratorial TREASON! Then add the topic they were ‘deciding’ for US, and the charge is magnified.
this is not the America I want to hand over to my daughter, this is a Facist Dictatorship, with the illusion of a democracy. I refuse to allow our Founding Fathers Great Experiment to be contaminated by the likes of such Unamerican Activities.
Indictments should be leveled - first for Cheney, then work our way Down- right to the State Reps (Esp in MI who rigged our Primary). these are NOT Americans they are Corporationist.
Let’s show them how much We love Reality/ Court TV
Book the mega Stadiums for the next few Decades- we have some TRAITORS to Convict (present and past- We’ll Try them in absentia- and level fines against their estates and their decedants for teh ‘blood ’ money they accumulated through their ILLEGAL activities from decades past, (HIDE THE FUNDS AND WELL THROUGH YOUR ‘DECENDANT’ ASS IN PRISON). PAY BACK’S A BITCH!
Teh Cahnge WE are Talking About has not even Crossed their minds- but it has ours an dwe will be taking it ALL back for our childrens future

I would vote it.

Not to worry Expat. I’ve already selected Dennis for the VP slot if he’ll take it.

Can’t say I’d blame him if he turned it down, but I think he’ll be willing to help. Obama can’t do it by himself.

It won’t make up for us not getting him the nomination, but hey, maybe this works out to be a dream team after all. (no matter what Pelosi says about that).

OBAMA/KUCINICH ‘08

(now that should get a few of the Archie Bunker types all riles up.)

But believe me, I do. It’s no longer a matter of ‘suppose’ they change the law. By now, we’ve actually SEEN them do it!!

And, it’s gotten to the point where ‘they’ don’t even bother to make any recorded changes. It’s more like, what you said or did 5 minutes ago might have been ‘legal’ enough, and now…it’s not.

But, gomers isn’t gonna get that, even as the special police are hauling him off. (probably a blackwater brown shit.)

Outraged, I’m with you loud and clear on this…

“And all I can say is:  Oh happy day. Good job!”

It IS a good job. It’s been a real long time coming, but after the past 7 years, I’m learning to be thankful for stuff I used to take for granted.

Like, Congress doing its job.

A lot of them didn’t. Not only because they didn’t like the idea they couldn’t explain it to the folks back home, but because they thought it was probably bogus. Which turns out, it must have been because that “secret” stuff doesn’t seem to have affected the outcome of the vote.

It was interesting watching the debate on whether or not to have a “Secret Session” Thursday night. Because so many dems did question the legitimacy of House Republican Whip Roy Blunt calling for the session. And House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer agreeing there probably should be one.

I remember wondering at the time how come Blunt rather than House Republican Leader John Boehner was calling for the session and why Hoyer, rather than House Majority Whip James Clyburn was leading the response to Blunts position.

In hindsite I realize Hoyer was patronizing Blunt [something he’s very good at] and that Boehner might have realized that could happen, leading him to decide to stay out of the fray. And now it seems obvious Blunt was being used, probably by Bush. We cant blame this one on Rove, can we? Actually I’m beginning to think we may have given Rove far more credit than he deserves. Maybe he’s not Bush’s brain. Maybe BUSH is Bush’s brain.

Anyway, thanks for this heads-up expat!
Maybe there is still hope.

Be careful what you say or you may end up on the terrorist no-fly watch list now 700,000 and growing.

^ “Democracy Now” on Friday.  Dennis Kucinich didn’t attend the closed session because then he couldn’t speak about it.  Dennis is the MAN!  Shame on us for not getting him the nomination.

^ chuckle from this; “All you have to do is stand next to a rude S.O.B. with a cell phone and you learn their life story anyway.”

So true, however: Can you explain this apparent contradiction;
“I don’t see a problem with this, Democrats do it all the time. why does the slanted press need to know everything.”
I personally don’t want anybody to “know” everything.  Our “original” constitution kind of guarantees our privacy.  Specifically it does guarantee our privacy……why ever would you want to give this up?  Also; what you do now may be law abiding, but suppose “they” change the law?  Think about it.

Re: Gomerspile, March 14

Thanks, I would truly enjoy listening in on your private phone conversations, and since you have “nothing to hide” I’m sure you’ll agree.  So let me know exactly what I need to do to accomplish that, I mean really….you have NOTHING to hide, so.. how do I get “in on” your party line.  Seriously, I for one find it very generous of you to offer.  Just post the link and the verbatim that is needed so that everything is “above board” so to speak.  I’ll link right up.
**************

Thankfully the House did not waver on this measure.  The Washington Post:
“Then the House went off script. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) responded by all but calling the president a liar.

“We understand our responsibility to protect the American people. What the president is trying to do is something that we think should be stopped,” she said. “I am stating a fact. The president is wrong, and he knows it.”

It also said:
“The House’s action ensures that Bush will not receive any surveillance legislation for weeks—if ever.”

But better yet, it said:
“Lawmakers from both parties said the gulf between the administration and House Democratic leaders is now so wide that the issue may not be resolved until a new president takes office next year. Bush, who has threatened to veto the House measure, and Republicans have shown no desire to move further toward the Democrats’ position, and Democratic leaders show no sign of buckling under continuous political pressure.”

And all I can say is:  Oh happy day. Good job!

Washington Post link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/14/AR2008031400803.html?hpid=topnews

No pardon for the telecom companies from the house or senate.  Let Bush use his power.

The House voted to hold the telecoms liable—no immunity.  Bush will veto and the dance goes on.  From this point on I hope the dims will pass legislation agreed upon by the majority of the country.  Bush will veto providing a bigger weight to tie McCain to all the failed neo-con policies.

The problem is our basic rights, as citizens, are being infringed upon.

“House Republicans succeeded Thursday in delaying the vote by one day by requesting a rare, late-night closed session of Congress to discuss the bill. It was the first secret session of the House in a quarter century.”

And that probably sums up the whole motive for the “secret” session, “delaying the vote by one day.”

No actually it was probably designed to throw the mindless and the obedient into a fit of panic. “Oh my gawd, they’re coming, they’re coming!” Which of course would lead to plea’s from the public to the congress to just do whatever the president wants!

But I doubt that happened. Everybody’s still busy buzzing about Spitzer.

From what I’ve seen and heard this morning, whatever the big secret was, it doesn’t seem to have had much of an impact. Except maybe on the blue-dog dems, who are really red dogs in blue coats, standing patriotically behind Bush.

Following dems questioning last night whether or not this was just a political ploy, Blunt (repub) basically admitted it really wasn’t a big deal. Although not necessarily in those words. So a lot of dems didn’t even bother to go.

Oh, duh ... it just occurred to me this was done so the congressaurs who are afraid to stand up to Bush will have an excuse!

So when their constituents ask why they didn’t listen to the voice of the people they can say,

“Well, the things I learned compelled me to change my vote.”

“What things?”

“I cant tell you, it’s secret.”

Oh these reps, they’re just a laugh a minute.