Absorbing Defeat

Some passing thoughts on the FISA bill:

  • The ACLU is taking the government to court on the matter. There’s only limited hope that this effort will succeed, as the Bushies have been busily packing the courts these past eight years with right wingers. But right now the courts are our only hope. It’s important to see that the two-party system did not protect our liberties. It rarely does. First, unwanted change is forced upon us (Republicans) and then that change is incorporated into our status quo (Democrats).
  • As Glenn Greenwald notes (linked here, but only to main website), we don’t know and now will never know what abuses took place. I have suspected from the beginning illegal eavesdropping on politicians, journalists, and ordinary citizen activists. To suspect less of this administration is naive and foolish. These people have not missed an opportunity to abuse power, and to assume that they have been doing what they say they have been doing, using extra-judicial powers to spy on supposed “terrorists” requires suspension of disbelief.

    Consequently, I naturally suspect that many of those in Congress who voted for the FISA bill have themselves been compromised by eavesdropping, and are therefore powerless to stop Bush. I know that sounds paranoid, but let me ask – when it comes to lowering standards, to achieving objectives by whatever Machiavellian scheme he and his advisers can devise, has Bush ever let us down? Is there a bottoming out with that guy?

  • The Democrats are the prime reason this bill passed. Obama was the prime reason the Democrats were unable to mount serious opposition. He cut their legs out from under them.

    It’s an interesting spectacle. Not too long ago Democrats were poised and quite able to stop the nomination of Bush operative Michael Mukasey to the post of Attorney General. But at the last moment two quislings, Diane Feinstein and Charles Schumer, pulled the rug. Even when they can win, and win easily, they choose defeat. (Interestingly, at final count there were 40 votes in opposition to the Mukasey nomination, enough to filibuster, but no leadership to organize the opposition. Two conclusions: One, there was no will to fight, and two, many of those votes were probably not sincere.)

    This time it was Obama who sold us out. It’s always someone. Democrats now are doing their usual dance, accepting this defeat but claiming he will be there for us in other battles, that once elected and with a stronger majority in Congress he will fight a better fight.

    Don’t bet on it. This was his moment. This was the time to fight. We know him now. Nothing new going on here. Move along.

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