A Failure of Leadership
By PaganPower on July 9, 2008 at 9:10 AM in Barack Obama, Bill of Rights, DNC, FISA, Hoodwinking, U.S. Constitution
The Democratic party led by Barack Obama will join with the Republicans to assault our Constitution. They will codify into law the abuses illegally perpetrated by George W. Bush. The silent left remains mute against this heinous disregard of the founding principles of our democracy. This sudden embrace of post party unity at the expense of the freedom of the American people is most troubling.
As Will Bower so brilliantly puts it.
If the parties won’t uphold democratic principles, who will?
If the voters don’t hold the parties accountable, who will?
Politicians that would ordinarily be vehemently opposed to this travesty are not only embracing this compromise, they are making excuses for their behavior as if this bill is the slickest thing since sliced bread. At least they got the slick part right. This is hoodwinking at the master level.
Lawmakers are already justifying their votes for making major changes to that proven regime by saying that the bill is a reasonable compromise that updates FISA technologically and will make it somewhat harder to spy on Americans abroad. But none of that mitigates the bill’s much larger damage. It would make it much easier to spy on Americans at home, reduce the courts’ powers and grant immunity to the companies that turned over Americans’ private communications without a warrant.
I never thought I would hear a single Democrat say that we need to overturn our constitutional freedoms because of national security. But that is exactly the message from the presumptive nominee of the Democratic party, Barack Hussein Obama. That is his leadership.
Like lambs before the slaughter his followers blindly fall in line. And they want to take the rest of us out to slaughter with them.
This PUMA roars No Deal!
If you overturn constitutional freedoms there is no nation to secure.
It would allow the government to bypass the FISA court and collect large amounts of Americans’ communications without a warrant simply by declaring that it is doing so for reasons of national security. It cuts the vital “foreign power” provision from FISA, never mentions counterterrorism and DEFINES NATIONAL SECURITY SO BROADLY THAT EXPERTS THINK THE TERM COULD MEAN ALMOST ANYTHING A PRESIDENT WANTS IT TO MEAN
(emphasis mine)
Isn’t that convenient?
It allows the president to dictate law simply by saying that it is so.
I roar No Deal!
We had one imperial presidency. I do not recommend that we allow another. In fact I insist that we don’t.
The real reason this bill exists is because Mr. Bush decided after 9/11 that he was above the law. When The Times disclosed his warrantless eavesdropping, Mr. Bush demanded that Congress legalize it after the fact. The White House scared Congress into doing that last year, with a one-year bill that shredded FISA’s protections. Democratic lawmakers promised to fix it this year.
And this compromise is their fix. The fix is in. Just like when they fixed that Michigan and Florida problem. Brought about all this unity. Doing what Barack says. Shredding the constitution in the name of post partisan absolution.
Restoring some of the protections taken away by an earlier law while creating new loopholes in the Constitution is not a compromise. It is a failure of leadership.
Time to roar
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Obama supports the bill so that once he is coronated President if somebody disagrees with him, he can that somebody thrown in prison without benefit of a trial. That may come to pass, but I don’t have to help.
What stupid hypocrisy. You oppose Obama because he supports the admittedly weak Democrat compromise on FISA and then back the Republicans who want in addition full retro immunity for the Telcos.
Darragh Murphy has her Repub money spent well here.
Look, sugar lips. If Democrats wanted a Republican on the Democratic ticket as a candidate, why go through the primary shenanigans? I don’t know about you, but the rest of us wanted a BIG D Democrat — not a shriveled little dick democrat. We voted for someone who has principles and supports them. That’s the difference. So today, when he gives another vapid speech — words, just words — and the koolaid swiggers find their comfort the rest of us will know that you’ve been given the old okie dokey on hopey changey … you’ve been HOODWINKED and BAMBOOZLED …
Sinc the DNC decided to run with a Republican on the ticket, the least we can do is vote for a Republican with experience. And. Actually, with 6% supporting Nader, there does appear to be a choice. If you want a liberal, vote for Nader.
Being accused of hypocrisy by an Obama cultist is like being called ugly by a frog. As for backing Republicans, my post said nothing about that. In any case, party loyalty counts for zero. It is up to the Democrats to run a candidate who is better than McCain. Too bad Obama would be worse for the country than McCain. Clinton would be better, but the Obama cultists have done their very best to make that impossible.
obama is not a democrat. I would expect different behavior if he was. this is an enormous failure of leadership on the part of all of our so called representatives.
obama is just an opportunist taking advantage of a lousy situation. he will make it worse, and entrench those constitutuional abuses by bush.
obama is the third term of bush.
failure of leadership yes…
and they aren’t even good criminals:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGeu_4Ekx-o
what a half-assed con job…
i’ve never heard the tv crew laughing at the lame ass person on one of these news shows before… wow! breathtaking…
so, he finally comes up with Baracktrack is inspiring…. well, he is so inspiring that he has done ZERO for america…
zero…
can you believe that?
oh deear….
a. hillary
b. mccain
america first!
Sometimes I think one thing that scares the “powers that be” so much about Hillary is her campaign promise to repeal the great majority of Bush’s “executive orders” immediately after becoming President. The real threat to our democracy lies in the huge number of these orders that Bush has issued that circumvent the Constitution in so many ways. Barky looks like another one who would love to issue tons of these “orders” and complete the job Bush started- that of dismantling our Constitutional freedoms and rights. Makes me wonder YET AGAIN who is really pulling the strings and what their ultimate aim is.
Totally agree and the proof of Obama’s admiration for Bush policies is shown by his quick embrace and promised expansion of Bush’s “faith based initiatives”; although I don’t know if he’s toting up the added funds he can toss Rev. Wright’s way or he just doesn’t believe in “Separation of Church and State”. Either way, it spells disaster for our Democracy.
And so far most of his “changes” he “hopes” to make can’t be made in a Democratic/Republic without ratifying a Constitutional Amendment and are as illegal as any Bush made.
The cunning treachery of both of our political parties and the candidates they select proves the adamant belief our Founding Fathers held that “absolute government corrupts absolutely.” And stopping that corruption is much harder than preventing it.
Nothing in DC is making much sense anymore. I think too many in congress have taken too many favors from the big corporations and can’t point the finger at each other without risking their own downfall.
We need to demand term limits on all the elected ones and stop the Selection process across the board!
NOBAMA! Go PUMAs!
I used to be a staunch opponent to term limits because I believed that it was simply a ploy by the Republicans to regain power (at least in my State). Given what the Democratic Party has become (the Republican Party of 2000 and 2004), I no long think term limits is a bad idea. If that is the only way we can remove those members of Congress who have gotten too comfortable with the perks of their office and who have forgotten who they are supposed to work for, I say let’s do it.
I think I read yesterday that a Rasmussen poll now shows Congress with single-digit approval ratings. So, throwing these bums out will be no great loss!
The cowards leading the Democrat party have let Bush get away with this. He subverts the Constitution while Reid and Pelosi wring their hands and threaten to write a nasty letter or rebuke.
Is there any wonder congress has a lower approval rating than Bush. Now along comes the Knight in Shining Armour, Sir Obamalot, declaring he’ll be our champion. With Reid and Pelosi’s scarves tied round his lance Obama took the field and promptly turned tail. Wonderful.
Note to the Kossholes, remember that old Chinese proverb about getting what you wish? Looks like it’s biting you on the butt.
I really want to hear from Hillary Clinton on this issue. I have not seen or heard a word about how she feels or how she intends to vote. I am holding off contributing more to help her debt burden until I get a message concerning her position on FISA.
FISA and torture are the most important issues to me, and she is keeping mum. I support Hillary, but only as long as she supports the ideals I believe in. I want her to speak up.
I’m at the point where I don’t care what Obama and the DNC either threatened Hillary with or promised her; I want her to speak out. She should know by now that she can’t trust Obama or the DNC elites to keep their word.
I also want the politicians in the Democratic Party who have an ounce of integrity left to speak out. People like John Lewis who caved to the pressure only to find himself with an Obama opponent anyway should wake up and do what is in the best interests of their constituents. And putting Obama and his baggage in the White House is definitely not in the best interests of most Americans.
~”…should wake up and do what is in the best interests of their constituents…” is their job description.
Employees who perform as the whole government has for all these years would have been fired. We’re their employers and we pay their salaries, why can’t we fire them all and start over; maybe add competency test to the application like companies do. Just because they think they’re superior doesn’t mean they are. All these great P.U.M.A ads prove that.
she voted Nay
Video. Obama to Americans: “You Need To Make Sure Your Child Can Speak Spanish”
BO says he is “embarrassed” at Americans who can’t speak foreign languages, but he’s got not problem with foreigners who can’t speak ours. All American boy, that guy.
http://patriotroom.com/?p=511
HOW MANY LANGUAGES CAN OBAMA SPEAK? WOULD LOVE TO KNOW.
HE can speak Arabic. He has to know in order to read his Quran. He also speaks Doublespeak. Learned well from 1984.
I heard that and speaking multipule languages is fine. BO sucks the hind leg of a flea for kissing off the Indie’s and others that view English in the USA for what it is. This facist multi-cultural BULLSHIT is what is shredding the fabric of this nation.
BO is pandering again and under the bus goes all the English speaking people. Just because I should be “guilted” because English IS required by law to become a citizen of this country.
The putz tells me I need to be worried about speaking Spanish and he doesn’t know what launguage the Afgani’s speak. So lets hear some of your Arabic BO eh?
Gawd help us. This BO is a flat out ass backwards moron.
Obama promised to repeal the Patriot Act; then voted to reauthorize it
Barack Obama: FactCheck: Promised to repeal Patriot Act, then voted for it
During the Primary Debate: Clinton took direct aim at Obama and connects fairly solidly: “You said you would vote against the Patriot Act; you came to the Senate, you voted for it.” Clinton is correct to say that Obama opposed the Patriot Act during his run for the Senate. She’s relying on a 2003 Illinois National Organization for Women questionnaire in which Obama wrote that he would vote to “repeal the Patriot Act” or replace it with a “new, carefully crafted proposal.” When it came time to reauthorize the law in 2005, though, Obama voted in favor of it. He started out opposing it: In Dec. 2005, Obama voted against ending debate–a position equivalent to declaring a lack of support for the measure. Then in February of that year, Obama said on the floor that he would support th Patriot Act’s reauthorization. In March 2006, Obama both voted for cloture and for the Patriot Act reauthorization conference report.
Is there anything left that Obama hasn’t switched positions on?
Appears he’s been at this a long time. And so have the “Democrats”. FDR is spinning so fast in his grave he could be used as an alternate energy source.
Funny you don’t give the final line in that discussion - “Clinton, by the way, followed exactly the same path on the 2005 bill, from speaking in opposition to voting for it.”
http://www.factcheck.org/elections-2008/nh_debate_the_dems_turn.html
Anyone voting for either Dems or Reps is missing the point that neither care about us and the only way to fix the mess we’re in is to start voting third party.
This FISA bill is a bunch of HORSESHIT. What’s next little cameras to trace our every move? They dont’ need unlimited access to every single person’s private records. If they have reason to suspect someone they can get a warrant and permission from a judge pronto.
Good post too!!
You’re assuming they don’t already have little cameras to trace our every move!
I assume no such thing. I’m quite sure there are plenty, since it is now technologically so simple to do. Nanny cams are common in today’s society, and I’m sure there are more of them than we’d like to admit. If an average Joe can set one up to monitor their babysitter, just imagine what someone with the ability to accumulate a large presence on the web to literally take down websites that oppose them would be able to do.
Seig Heil!
Pagan you have nailed the issue on the head. The failure with FISA began with our illsutrious Democratic majority that was going to “clean up” after Bush in 2006/7. When Pelosi and Reid started shying (then galloping) away from punishing Bush and making a single substantive change, we should have realized that the fix was in.
Clinton would not allow the Democrats to exploit the holes W poked in the Constitution to be expanded, she wanted to sew them back up. She sealed her fate before Obama came on the scene, because who wants a politician that’s for the people? How does that profit us.
It’s time to vote every single Democrat out of office. If you don’t like the Republican alternative, then we need to put up legitimate, strong third party candidates. It’s time to clean house, America! Let’s dump the criminals and take back our country!
Sorry - should be “illustrious” and “without making a single substantive change”
This is why I don’t understand the argument that we need Obama in the White House to protect the Supreme Court. The Democrats in Congress rolled over for Thomas, Roberts, and Alito; they had enough power to protect the Court then and chose not to do so. Given their cravenness on FISA, why should any sane voter believe Obama and the Democratic Congress would stand up and fight for any of our rights. Honestly, I think the biggest danger to our country is the Executive and Legislative Branches of government in the hands of these Democratic politicians.
BINGO!
Once the Dems in the Senate approved Roberts and Alito and refused to filibuster these two creeps — the Dems LOST their ability to bully women’s votes.
We now know that the Dems are lying SOBs and that Americans are on our own (and WOMEN have always had to fight for our rights = human rights).
Also Obama wanted to VOTE FOR Roberts until someone told him that wouldn’t be good for his “record”.
Obama has no real leadership ability — he can play the cult leader and bamboozle — but he has no innate leadership ability. He can only copy a mentor or copy someone words — he can not come up with anything original on his own.
PUMA!!!
Hillary lost because America knows exactly how much self-respect and principle she has. If she tolerated her husband screwing other women in order to preserve her political career, imagine how much screwing she will allow the US to take in order to keep her power. She’s a parasite who rose to fame through her husbands achievements. She should (and will) disappear from the American political scene. Bye-bye Pumas.
she didn’t lose you MOE RON!!
She still has the popular vote.
Guess what ELSE she can be PROUD of that neither OBAMBI or GWDOUCHE can claim????
She’s not an X ADDICT and still wearing the mental and physical scars from it!!
She’s as clean as they get in the political world!
IF she wants to forgive her “very charismatic” husband that’s her right. YOU have ZERO say so in the personal matter. You may THINK you have a say so but you really don’t. You are a ZERO on anyone’s radar! Also an obvious HILL hater. ESAD!! btw! SOON perhaps!
First, Hillary didn’t lose. The DNC and the slimy crook Obama conspired to coronate him and steal the nomination, which makes him (AND YOU) no better than Bushco in’00 and ‘04. Indeed, I’d say your messiah is far worse than a woman who made a choice to stand with her husband when he embarrassed her in such an awful way. There’s Obama’s blow job- and-coke-connection, Larry Sinclair, which he denies. There’s his mansion with preferred interest rates and the purchase itself, courtesy of political hacks and crooks like Rezko. There are his constant lies about anything and everything http://www.theotherdemocrats.com/index.php?s=&showtopic=196&view=findpost&p=907. Flip Flops. His never taking a stand on anything in his life thus an ineffective, almost nonexistant legislative history. He’s never really ‘worked’ a day in his life unless you count constant campaigning and ladder-climbing as a ‘job’. Let’s not forget his radical racist wife, his radical racist church.
So, keep those blinders on, bobo and grab your trusty bong. You’ll be much happier in la-la land.
I think old BOBBY would be MUCH more agreeable if he were in fact smoking a bong!
ME thinks he’s needing that first HAIR OF THE DOG which has him ALL PISSY this day!!
NOT NOON YET IN YOUR COUNTY? MOE RON??
I was going to comment, but you and FloridaDem said it much more eloquently than I could.
The Politics of Hope have failed. Hope can’t fill your gas tank.
Obama’s FISA flip continues the attack on American Freedoms, and the Constitution.
Assaulting the Constitution is an act of domestic terrorism.
Every US soilder pledges to protect the Constitution against enemies both foreign and domestic.
SCOTUS recently decided by only 1 vote to allow Americans to keep thier right to bear arms.
These are dangerous times. Will anyone step up to defend our Republic?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht4lVC6PdPc
How ironic that this clown taught Constitutional Law!
You got part of that right, Bob-o. Clinton lost because the power-hungry “Democrat” machine
As far as your crap about her tolerence for Bill, that a non-starter. She would never have been elected as a dog catcher if America didn’t respect her for standing up for true American values. She actually loves her husband, and felt it was more important to forgive him than punish him (although I’m sure there was plenty of that). I’ll bet you’re one of those people who believe so much in the sanctity of marriage that you’re on your third spouse, yet think that gays shouldn’t be allowed the right to marry because it’s so “sacred” that it’s disposable for you. Get real, hypocrite! Many Americans still have true family values.
And as far as this gem:
That’s just sheer genius from someone who supports a man that ran on a totally bogus platform in the primaries and has since reversed himself on every single issue of importance. Obama has made it clear that he intends to be the one doing the screwing, and after he’s done with us he’ll turn us over to his Corporate supporters, Arab friends, and Republican buddies for the rest of the gang rape.
You literally make me sick! Time for you to move to the Middle East, pea brain!
Dawnelle is correct, Senator Clinton did not lose; you can’t lose a stolen election and until Senator Clinton - and all the other candidates - votes are returned he won’t be elected no matter what the total is. It’s a fallacy to think that by stealing something it makes it yours. Look at it this way, how long can a car thief keep your car before it is legally his?
(And she did set a record for most primary votes which makes her the winner.)
What an ass boboblowjob is.
just like bambi
this must be the infamous BJ of daily kasshole.
you’re just plain wrong, troll. do some reading. HRC didn’t lose. Obama, just like bush, bullied and bought himself a nomination. does it make you feel good that you supported this crook?
nobama EVER.
Hillary or McCain, ‘08.
I want to see obama continue to implode so that by the time he makes it to august, he is a laughing stock.
Bobo:
People stay married for many many reasons…
-They might LOVE each other.
-They are a FAMILY.
-Maybe they don’t believe in DIVORCE.
Maybe a BJ isn’t worth throwing away 4 decades of friendship and memories…
Maybe it’s sometimes stronger to stay and fight for the family.
EH, what’s the point. So many of Obama’s supporters are so gung ho about Hillary divorcing Bill…maybe that’s partially why Obama had a tough time getting the Catholic vote.
One more time — moron Obamabutt idiots.
Hillary Clinton WON — she won ALL the swing states needed for the GE.
Hillary Clinton WON 18 million votes — she has the popular majority.
Hillary Clinton WON with both hands tied behind her back.
The American voters KNOW Hillary Clinton won — and we are pissed.
We will NOT turn around and vote for the loser Backtrack Obama.
McCain WON the primary fairly — he didn’t cheat to win the GOP primary.
Backtrack Obama has no core values — he is a flip flopper.
WHY are you idiot Obamabutts here IF you think your guy really won? EVEN you idiots know he lost — that is the ONLY reason you are here. You idiots bought the lie — and now you are trying to force truth seekers PUMAs to follow the liar.
PUMA
Isn’t this exactly the problem why would it be a Parties responsibility to do this???? The DNC’s a business with their own special interest, Congress has an approval rating of 9 percent, these are the People that take and oversee 30 percent of your hard earned money your SOC SEC trust and where is the demand that FAILED LEADERS Pelosi and Reid be replaced fired removed where is the march on Washington to demand that elected officials act in our interest spend our earnings wisely and in our communites intrest. The responsibility lies with We the People your post is actually what’s wrong, it is We who have the ownership, We who have the power and We who should be kicking out of office anyone who violates our rights regardless of which secret ring they wear, it is WE who have capitulated our empowerment as a country to corrupt Party’s run by fringe political sects wielding manufactured wedgies.
Americans need to awaken it is exactly the Parties that are the problem their Puppets, their failure to act in our interest, their failure to clean their own house, their failure to lead …CAUSE ITS OUR JOB ANYWAY. It is We who are failing to perform our role in our governance it is we who fail to hold our official accountable it is we that keep putting anti social wacko in office while we do nothing but call each other names and pout that it’s someone else some other entity a bunch of boo hooing poodles who are trained to BOHICA and enable this outrageous failure.
I ask you WHY is their no demand that Pelosi and Reid be removed as leaders from Democrats WHY?
If they wouldn’t remove Larry Craig for toe tapping in the men’s room
OR the REpuke that paid for SEX (I forget his slimy name) recently! The one whose wife once said she understood Ms BObbit? Or something similar?
IF those two are still in office (and there is a HUGE list) I don’t think Pelosi and Reids offenses are worth being kicked out.
The impeachment thing still blows my mind. Even though she didn’t get elected for that reason alone. I think Harry is just getting senile early. Blame the desert!
Don’t give them such a free ride, Dawnelle. Pelosi and Reid are neck and waist deep (respectively) in the travesty going on in both Congress and the Democratic Party right now.
The whole push for electing a Democratic majority in 2006 was to clean up after W and start the withdrawal from Iraq. The American people sent a mandate, which Madame Pelosi began to ignore the moment she was sworn in as Speaker. It happened too quickly - there was no time for her to examine the facts before she declared that impeachment was “off the table”. It was planned, premeditated, and a pre-amble to Obama love-fest we are now watching ruin this great nation.
Salt is right - we are to blame. We elected them, then accepted their failures. We all (except 9%) agree that they are not doing their jobs, yet we are allowing these same miserable failures to be the ones that literally select the next Democratic candidate for President (most SDs are offcie holders) over the choice of the American people!
It is time for a political revolution, and nothing else will save us!
I know she’s not been the sterling example we all hoped but that POLLING congress crap is bogus imo.
When I vote against congress (in the past) the bad grade was solely or mostly for repugs (mcconnell, boener, goofballs like that)
I am not that unhappy with MOST dems in congress
the SENATE dems I have itemized lists for… lmao!
Obama is redefining Progressive and refining it daily. He is not flip flopping. We need a leader to follow and I will follow despite your jealousy.
shame on you and your US of KKKA loving candidate! Hate following lemming.
Obuma is a Liar!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yixPgq1Mh2A
talking is cheap, people follow like sheep…..
Oh, so this is the new way to obfuscate what Obama is really doing–flip flopping. “Redefining” and “refining” his positions–how cute! If you want to follow this charlatan, be my guest–one more lemming over the cliff will not bother me one bit. Oh, and trust me when I say, I am most definitely not jealous of you or your Chosen One.
Obama can’t redefine anything; if he somehow gets to the executive office HE IS BOUND BY THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, WHICH HE HAS NO LEGAL RIGHT TO REDEFINE.
It’s right there in Article II, Section 1
(sorry for shouting but you just can’t get through to Obama disciples that the guy they’ve chosen to follow does not supersede our Constitution.)
obama is the farthest thing from progressive you can imagine. look it up. you’ll see. Obama is an opportunist and a liar. the only true progressive was kucinich.
obama is “refining” the art and practice of opportunism, not progressivism.
an economic populist he is not,. either.
educate yourself, you might like it.
Bob Bobolino,
Exactly what does keeping a marriage together have with a persons ideals? MLK had affairs, was he wicked?
Michelle Obama takes a shot at Hillary Clinton
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN1qZMBE9Gc
I guess by Michelle Obama’s comments and yours, MLK couldn’t have run for the White House. http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/outrage/mlking.asp
FYI: It takes greater courage to save a marriage and make it work than to EXIT stage left. Bill took responsibility for his issues. Now explain why Obama doesn’t fess up to his fathers affairs and multiple wives, but simply praises him as if the ultimate role model. Next to Obama’s father Bill looks like a saint and one with experience in running the country.
Throughout history, you can look back and see that women were in the background giving support, what you seem to think as an act of a parasite. The only parasite I see are the ones that are taking credit for doing the work of others like WELFARE REFORM.
And Iran test fires missles today.
Who would you rather have dealing with a nuclear weaponed Iran, or better yet preventing it?
a. HRC
b. JM
c. Bobo the clown
John McCain On His Jobs For America Economic Plan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgpbo3ReNhs
thanks for posting that video…
wow, Baracktrack earmarked over 100 million dollars of wasteful cash in 2007 and Mccain has earmarked ZERO dollars in his whole career…
just take a look at the waste, cost overruns and debt on the denver convention so far for a clue to how badly the country would be economically if Baracktrack steals the election…
a. hillary
b. mccain
america first!
[...] of the freedom of the American people is most troubling. As Will Bower so brilliantly puts it. [Read original] addthis_url = ‘http%3A%2F%2Fembrace.tobuyautoinsurance.com%2Fa-failure-of-leadership%2F’; [...]