Home Sweet Home

Sarcasm aside, I'm not getting my hopes up on a Rove indictment. Too many times over the last 5 years, something has happened that should have signaled the downfall of the current administration. Voting discrepancies, Katrina, Libby's indictment, NSA spying, and the list goes on and on. Yet either the topic was next thing to ignored by the media or by those who could actually take some action (Democrats), or it was somehow forgotten by the angry masses because of something new happening to divert our attention. In that way, Rove has been successful.
I fear for our country for the next 2-3 years. I've learned the hard way that bad things don't take long to happen, but it takes a helluva long time to correct them. Will we ever be able to crawl out of this hole or will this continue until there is nothing left of the U.S.A.?
Posted by: RD April 30, 2006 at WE Blog

What’s it going to take for you spineless good for nothing coward Democrats wimps to do something? Will you Censure Bush&CO now? Are you ever going to crawl out from under that rock and do something! It’s your fault we are in this mess; you Democrats did a piss poor job the last time you were in office so Americans voted for every Republican on the ticket. You Republican Gangsters and you Democrat Cowards are nothing but a big joke and you are laughing all the way to the bank, and we Americans pay.
Russ Feingold doesn’t have a problem standing up to the Republicans. To bad he is all alone. Americans need more like him!
Posted by: BackyardPit

Troop Return By End Of Year

Sen. Russ Feingold said Thursday he will introduce an amendment to a spending bill requiring that U.S. troops leave Iraq by the end of the year.

Feingold, D-Wis., had proposed last year a target date of Dec. 31, 2006 for the troops to return. His latest amendment takes that concept a step further by requiring the troops to leave by that date.

"Our country desperately needs a new vision for strengthening our national security, and it starts by redeploying U.S. forces from Iraq," Feingold, a potential presidential candidate, said in a statement.

"Our military has performed valiantly in Iraq, but the indefinite presence of large numbers of U.S. forces there tends to weaken our ability to fight the global terrorist networks that threaten us today."

Feingold plans to offer the amendment to a $106.5 billion emergency spending measure for Iraq and further hurricane relief. The amendment might not come to a vote until next week.

Give Me A Brake

Give me a brake, regarding your article “Sen. Russ Feingold's Leadership PAC suggests the White House wants to wiretap political opponents” on April 25, 2006 by Brooks Jackson and Justin Bank.

Let’s see, you have Sen. Russ Feingold, Bush, Rove and Gonzales and you want to nail Sen. Russ Feingold.

Ho I get it, you what to get a job with Fox News.

My Dinner with Feingold

Russ Feingold blew through town this weekend, and called on a few bloggers to meet him for lunch.

I'm happy to report that upon introducing myself, he informed me that he's well familiar with The BRAD BLOG. On the other hand, he's a very good politician, so I'd have said the same thing to me too ;-)

I'll mention up front, that of the current cadre of '08 Democratic Presidential contenders -- which, of course, he claims not to be thinking about -- he's just about the only one I'd seriously consider supporting at this time (though I'd certainly be open to the idea of Al Gore if he jumped back in, and Wes Clark hasn't yet done anything to piss me off yet, but barring any other fresh ideas, I'd likely be forced to go the third-party route as usual. But I digress.

Read The Full Story…

Leaving Feingold To Hang Out To Dry Is Asinine

Letting Senator Feingold hang out to dry only cements the Republican lie about our spinelessness for the as-yet undecided electorate. Just as John Kerry lost the election by not immediately tearing the Swift Boaters a new one, we might lose again by not seizing this moment. As Josh Marshall wrote then about Kerry, "If you can't defend yourself against this attack how can we trust you to protect the country." The same will be asked about Democrats and Feingold. "If you won't protect one of your own, how can we trust you to protect the rest of us."
MORE…

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Republicans should be worried

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The Republicans are TRAITORS

The Republicans are TRAITORS

Watching the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Feingold's censure resolution, I am struck, ONCE AGAIN, by the abysmal lack of integrity of the Republicans in Congress.

They have made their stand, behind the most criminal, deceitful and incompetent President in the history of the United States of America -- and they will not be moved. Not by facts, not by arguments, not by the very Constitution they swore to uphold and defend.

In this execrable display of mindless partisanship, the Republicans in Congress neither uphold nor defend that Constitution. It is patently clear that the Republicans hold partisanship above all else -- above truth, above country, above the Constitution.

They are traitors. They are GUILTY OF TREASON AGAINST THEIR COUNTRY.

Read The Full Story…

United States of America for Feingold

Available

1. Alabama for Feingold
2. Alaska for Feingold
3. Arizona for Feingold
4. Arkansas for Feingold
5. Colorado for Feingold
6. Connecticut for Feingold
7. Delaware for Feingold
8. Florida for Feingold
9. Georgia for Feingold
10. Hawaii for Feingold
11. Idaho for Feingold
12. Indiana for Feingold
13. Kansas for Feingold
14. Kentucky for Feingold
15. Louisiana for Feingold
16. Maine for Feingold
17. Maryland for Feingold
18. Mississippi for Feingold
19. Montana for Feingold
20. Nebraska for Feingold
21. Nevada for Feingold
22. New Hampshire for Feingold
23. New Mexico for Feingold
24. Carolina for Feingold
25. North Dakota for Feingold
26. Oklahoma for Feingold
27. Oregon for Feingold
28. Rhode Island for Feingold
29. South Carolina for Feingold
30. South Dakota for Feingold
31. Utah for Feingold
32. Vermont for Feingold
33. Virginia for Feingold
34. West Virginia for Feingold
35. Wisconsin for Feingold
36. Wyoming for Feingold

All Hands On Deck

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Let Russ Know That We've Got His Back.

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Democrats: Waiting Until The Time Is Right

Maybe the electorate is waiting until the fall to make up its collective mind, when the people can watch endless distorted attack ads on television paid for by special interests. Maybe that's what they crave, followed by a two-year presidential campaign decided by a couple of thousand rich people and a handful of voters in Iowa and New Hampshire.

Right now the best thing President Bush and the Republican Party have going for them is the Democratic Party. God forbid someone should stand up and start connecting the dots, linking the permanent interests of urban America and rural America, pulling together the soccer moms and the NASCAR dads.

Feingold Is A Patriot

Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman came to Madison last week with an important message for his party's members in Wisconsin and nationally.

Mehlman said that, while he may disagree with U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold on particular issues, "I recognize Senator Feingold is a patriot and a good man."

Read the full story…

Feingold's Principled Stance Deserves Support

Once again, the Democrats have shown why they do so poorly in elections.

The recent resolution for censure of President Bush put forth by Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin illustrates the point, as no other senator has joined him in this effort to expose the crime of illegal wiretapping by this president.

One has to wonder why other senators do not rush out to join a senator speaking out about an actual crime. Isn't it the duty of senators to uphold the law, no matter which party they belong to?

Perhaps this explains why fewer than half of eligible voters go to the polls. They already know the game is rigged.

But every now and again, a patriot like Feingold shows up to do his job, and wouldn't you know it, he's the only one crying in the wilderness of a Congress that will let this administration do anything in the whole wide world its wants to.

As former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor said recently in a speech, and I paraphrase, we are at the beginning of dictatorship, and it would be better to fix it now rather than later.

Looks like only Feingold is willing to act.

William Johnson…

Election 2006 Is the Key

In the end, this issue is going to be resolved by the 2006 midterm election. If Republicans lose control of either the House or Senate, the investigations of the Bush/Cheney White House will begin. It won't be pretty. It will make dealing with lying about sex look like High School hazing. It will even make Richard Nixon look like a piker when it comes to staying within the law.

If the early polls are half correct, independent swing voters have had it with Bush. Democrats want no part of him. Moderate Republicans are keeping their distance; they are no longer willing to hold their noses and vote for him.

It will be up to the voters in this Fall's election to judge him, and to decide whether to sweep out of office those legislators who are preventing a full investigation of this matter.

But if this issue goes to court, Bush should worry. Even Republican-appointed judges would have to comprise their judicial integrity to rule in his favor.

READ THE FULL STORY… Good

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Applaud Feingold

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Congress has the responsibility to provide oversight and to check the power of the president. This is our country. It is our Constitution. Feingold should not be the only one to stand on this serious matter. America is watching, and we don't expect him to stand alone.

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Democrats, Excuses Excuses Excuses. Republicans, Lyres Lyres Lyres.

Myth-making and excuse-making on the Feingold Resolution

Counteracting negative reactions to censure with facts and frames.

In order to generate further support for the Feingold Censure Resolution, numerous bloggers are encouraging everyone to pay an actual physical visit to their Senators' local offices in order to urge support for censure. Anyone doing so is likely to encounter the two primary myths/excuses which have been concocted by Senators and others in order to justify their refusal to support the Resolution. They are both plainly false:

MYTH/EXCUSE NUMBER ONE: An investigation is needed before it can be known whether the President broke the law.

MYTH/EXCUSE NUMBER TWO: Republicans want this scandal to persist because it benefits them politically.
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History is on Feingold’s side, even if Democrats aren’t

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Ganging Up On Feingold

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Republicans Release New Ad That Mischaracterizes Feingold's Censure Resolution

Republicans release New Ad that Mischaracterizes Feingold's Censure Resolution

FactCheck.org states, "A GOP radio ad falsely characterizes Sen. Feingold's censure resolution as reprimanding the President for pursuing Al Qaeda"

The nonpartisan, nonprofit, voter advocacy group FactCheck.org has revealed several falacies in a new Republican advertisement that takes aim at Senator Feingold and his resolution to censure President Bush for the illegal wire tapping of American Citizens. FactCheck.org monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews, and news releases. Their goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.

The GOP radio ad accuses Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin of proposing to censure President Bush "for pursuing suspected members of al Qaeda," which isn't true. Feingold has stated he supports wiretapping suspected terrorists. His measure would censure Bush for ordering wiretaps on US soil without a court warrant, for failing to notify all members of the Senate and House intelligence committees, and for "efforts to mislead the American people" about the legality of the program.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) released the radio advertisement on March 21. The RNC would not disclose how much they spent on the ad, but an RNC spokesperson said the advertisement is scheduled to run for a week on Wisconsin radio stations.

The ad characterizes President Bush as "working to keep American families safe," while accusing Sen. Feingold of leading Democrats who are "working against . . . efforts to secure our country." The ad claims that "Feingold and other Democrats want to censure the President. Publicly reprimanding President Bush for pursuing suspected members of al Qaeda." That is a false characterization.

You can read the complete analysis of the ad, the copy of the ad itself and the respective references at the following FactCheck.org page:

Southern Maryland Online

FactCheck.org

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Feingold Is Right To Ask For Censure

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The Republican Spin Machine is up and running.

Can you see Karl Rove’s finger prints?

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Back to the Big Lie

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If Senate Won't Vindicate Feingold, History Will

How can we know if a President isn’t abusing his authority to eavesdrop on American citizens?

We can’t, at least under President Bush’s sweeping claim of wartime executive power.

That’s the issue at the core of Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold’s brave and lonely attempt to censure President Bush. Feingold has never asserted that “we shouldn't be listening to al Qaeda communications” as White House Communications Director Scott McClellan falsely claimed. Feingold is challenging the President’s interpretation of the law and whether government can ever spy on Americans without a search warrant, even when Americans are communicating with someone in another country.

Such warrants aren’t hard to get. In 1978, Congress established special courts under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. The law recognizes that emergency circumstances often require immediate action and allows the executive branch to obtain a warrant within 72 hours of the search. Not only does the law strike a balance between national security and civil liberties, it also respects the balance between the executive and judiciary. America has a long and wise history of checking unlimited power of any single branch of government, especially when individual rights are at stake.

Even if the searches are legal, which many legal scholars vehemently dispute, there’s a public policy issue that goes beyond President Bush. Would Republicans feel comfortable giving a Democratic President this kind of clandestine power? What would keep a Democrat from eavesdropping on Rush Limbaugh hoping to uncover embarrassing information on Limbaugh’s prescription drug history or failed marriages? It was only 40 years ago when FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, unchecked by search warrants or judicial oversight, abusively wiretapped Martin Luther King, Jr. We can only hope that President Bush is limiting eavesdropping to genuine terror suspects and not gathering information on political adversaries exercising their First Amendment rights.

Nobody argues against eavesdropping on terror suspects. Nobody argues that warrants shouldn’t be classified or post-dated under exigent circumstances. However, it doesn’t take a pacifist to insist that a magistrate -- someone who doesn’t serve at the pleasure of the president -- review electronic eavesdropping requests. It’s not only the law; it’s the only way to conduct surveillance consistent with the Fourth Amendment. Senator Feingold is right to insist that the President honor both the law and Constitution. If Feingold’s fellow Senators won’t vindicate his stance, history will.

The Tomah Journal…

Feingold Is Right; Now Congress Must Fulfill Its Oversight Responsibility

Norman Stockwell: Feingold is right; now Congress must fulfill its oversight responsibility

A letter to the editor
Dear Editor: In Monday's paper you ran a story on Sen. Russ Feingold's efforts to call for censure of President Bush. "The president must be held accountable for authorizing a program that clearly violates the law and then misleading the country about its existence and its legality," said Feingold.

I agree, but I believe the responsibility goes further. Senator Feingold sits on the Judiciary, Foreign Relations, Budget and Intelligence committees, all of which have oversight components related to the conduct of the "war on terror."

It was revealed this week by National Public Radio reporter Jackie Northam that sitting in Guantanamo, Cuba not on U.S. soil are "more than 120,000 documents," which Major General Jay Hood says were "hastily inventoried, stacked up, sealed and then transported here to Guantanamo ... Frankly, it's just in the last year that we've been able to take a closer look at what we've got here."

This is either gross negligence or total incompetence. Why were these documents, if they are such valuable clues in the investigation of terrorism, remanded to hurricane-prone, tropical storage in a foreign country and not even examined for the first three years? Why were they not brought to a state-of-the-art U.S. forensics laboratory following standard investigative process?

If, in fact, this disrespect of process and just plain common sense is any indication, Senator Feingold and other privacy advocates have good reason to voice concern over the way in which the mountains of data collected through an illegal wiretapping program are being handled.

I applaud Senator Feingold's bold statements, and I call on Congress to truly fulfill its oversight responsibility to the people of the United States, by whom they were elected.

Norman Stockwell
Madison

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Dems won't win by hiding

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Most Democratic Senators Fail As Presidential Candidates Good

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Feingold's Call For Censure Makes Us Proud.

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Feingold Jumps 30 Points

A new Rasmussen Reports survey indicates that:

Initially, 22% of Democrats had a favorable opinion of him while 16% had an unfavorable opinion. However, knowing he advocates censure, Feingold's numbers within his own party jumped to 52% favorable and 14% unfavorable.

Oddly enough, the poll also finds that a majority of Americans oppose censuring President Bush. These numbers contradict another poll taken this week, which show that a majority of Americans are in favor of Russ' censure resolution.

Scott Shields compares the wording of the respective polls:

Rasmussen, known for being fairly reputable despite its partisan leanings, asks this question:

Senator Russ Feingold has introduced a measure to censure, or publicly reprimand, President Bush for authorizing the NSA wiretapping program. Should President Bush be censured for authorizing the NSA wiretapping program?

American Research Group's question was as follows:

Do you favor or oppose the United States Senate passing a resolution censuring President George W. Bush for authorizing wiretaps of Americans within the United States without obtaining court orders?

Do with that what you will. I see a definite bias opposing censure in the first question, which would naturally slant the response. The truth is probably somewhere in the middle of those two results, however--which is still significant if you stop to think about it.

What does a right-leaning poll that says Democratic support for Russ has jumped significantly since the beginning of this week mean? I think Russ is doing something right.
Read the Full Story…

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Sen. Russ Feingold, who I believe is running for president, said over the weekend he's pushing the Senate to censure the president over spying. Bush, he isn't worried about it, he knew it was coming. He'd been listening to Feingold's conversations for three months.

TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO

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Gestures of Conscience Bring Solace

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Down and Dirty

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Democrats Attack Feingold

Despite an apparent defeat for Russ, there can be no doubt that he did what needed to be done. In so doing, he brought the NSA wiretapping issue to the forefront of the news cycle again--and unofficially put every Senator "on the record" for their position on the illegality of what the Administration has done.

This from a Raw Story exclusive:

Though all say they believe the program warrants "more investigation," several Senate aides rebuked Feingold for proposing censure. They say that his move had the potential to derail Democratic efforts to strengthen the party's image on homeland security issues, noting that a large part of the country believes the eavesdropping program should continue.

Pardon my French, but give me a fucking break. Instead of taking a stand with Russ on an issue as important as a sitting President breaking the law, Senate Democrats instead choose to hide behind polls--and what polls are they using anyway? This is their chance to back a censure--simply a rebuke and nothing more--to hold a criminal President accountable.

One longtime Senate aide was particularly scathing.

“Feingold’s grandstanding screwed the pooch and played into Bill Frist’s hands," the aide said. "Thank God Dems punted this down the field. Frist was going to force Democrats to vote on a resolution Feingold had kept a big secret and he would’ve split the caucus on an issue that needed time to get the whole caucus to support.

There is no excuse for this. After knowing for months about illegal NSA wiretapping, if the caucus can't get its act together and take the President and Senate Republicans to task on something so brazen, they have shamed themselves and our Constitution into irrelevancy.

Feingold fired back:

Feingold, defending his censure plan today on Fox News, said: “I’m amazed at Democrats, cowering with this president’s numbers so low. The administration just has to raise the specter of the war and the Democrats run and hide…too many Democrats are going to do the same thing they did in 2000 and 2004. In the face of this, they’ll say we’d better just focus on domestic issues…Democrats shouldn’t cower to the argument, that whatever you do, if you question administration, you’re helping the terrorists.”

I sincerely wish that this lack of spine on such an important issue comes back to bite each and every "Bichey Democrat" in the ass.

Read the Full Story…

Feingold Censure Move May Give Bush a Boost on Security Debate

A Democratic senator's attempt to censure President George W. Bush over his eavesdropping authorization is getting a warm welcome from unlikely sources: the Bush White House and the Republican Party.
MORE…

YOU COWARDS, YOU DEMOCRAT COWARDS the Republicans have you right where they want you. You Democrats are afraid of the Republicans you spineless good for nothing wimps. The Republicans are nothing but lying gangsters and you Democrats, are nothing but spineless, good for nothing wimps. Russ Feingold is the only true Democrat out of all of you. STAND TALL RUSS FEINGOLD, The rest of you can go to HELL! The Republicans are nothing but lying gangsters and they are robin us blind and all you Democrats can do is WINE. And when you spineless good for nothing coward Democrats wimps finely get someone to stand up to those Republican lying gangsters you COWARD OUT. I'm about as pissed off as a person can get but you know what Democrats, the Republicans are laughing at you.

WestTexasBliss

Mr. Feingold...You Had Me at Censure
Senator Feingold is right you know, the President did 'plainly break the law' when he approved surveillance without warrants.
I don't want to get too into politics on this blog because, frankly, I don't have the stones for it right now, but I will say this:

The reason that the overwhelming American populace is so willing to allow our civil liberties to be the 'baby in the bath water', is because this administration has so easily replaced logic with fear - a fear that, again, for the vast majority (sadly), was already well established in the zealousy of a 'good vs. evil' mentality. Thanks religion!

As a social outcast, a title I accept with great pride mind you, I happen to enjoy learning about how this kooky human brain of ours works. The part of our brains that ignites fear, doesn't even bother with connecting to any thought process - the brain sort of figures if you are afraid, you don't have time to actually 'think', so you just...react. It's one of, it not the oldest parts of brain evolution and every animal on our spinning marble has one.
So, for me anyway, it stands to reason that the ease with which our once amazing nation is shitting themselves 24/7, is that we are all together a herd of zebra panicking because the big dumb head zebra snorted.

Okay wait...I just got lost in my own imagery here.
My point is, a good many Americans are NOT playing into this cave-man reactionary prompt and are actually THINKING. Mr. Feingold just had the courage to call it. And now all of his colleagues are getting antsy and cowering. Shameful.

Just Angela

You Cowards You Democrat Cowards

Feingold Draws Little Support for Censure

Democrats Distance Themselves from Wisconsin Sen. Russell Feingold's Effort to Censure Bush

Democrats distanced themselves Monday from Wisconsin Sen. Russell Feingold's effort to censure President Bush over domestic spying, maneuvering to prevent a vote that could alienate voters. Republicans dared Democrats to vote for the proposal.
More…

You cowards, You Democrat cowards the Republicans have you right where they want you. You Democrats are afraid of the Republicans you spineless good for nothing wimps. The Republicans are nothing but lying gangsters and you Democrats, are nothing but spineless, good for nothing wimps. Russ Feingold is the only true Democrat out of all of you. STAND TALL RUSS FEINGOLD, The rest of you can go to …..!

You spineless good for nothing coward Democrat wimps, you left Russ Feingold out their all alone. If you Democrats think I am going to vote for anybody other then Russ Feingold you better think again! If this is an example of how you Democrats are going to run this country you can forget it. The Republicans are nothing but lying gangsters and they are robin us blind and all you Democrats can do is wine. And when you spineless good for nothing coward Democrats wimps finely get someone to stand up to those Republican lying gangsters you coward out. I'm about as pissed off as a person can get but you know what Democrats, the Republicans are laughing at you. I’m about ready to dump you!

Russ Feingold: Censure, Possibly Impeach, Bush

Sen. Feingold added, however, "I think we are required to do our job, to live up to our oath of office, and say, wait a minute - there has to be, at least as a first step, some accountability."

Read the full story…