Thursday, December 22, 2005

Obstructionsts or Guardians of Freedom? You be the Judge

So, hmmm, correct me if I am wrong, but aren't these folks called politicians for a reason. Here's the catch twenty-two of it: If you suggest that folks are playing politics, does that mean you are in on the game or not? Really, if you think that the Patriot Act is not progress, but shooting holes in the Constitution don't you have a moral obligation to do everything in your power to stop it? I don't look at this as "obstructionist" like the W, Rove and Co. I look at this small group of Senators as Guardians of Freedom. The W, Rove and Co. are turning the very foundation and fabric of our wonderful country into wormwood.

Will the W play politics with his veto powers and strike down the extension? Here's a fun exchange from yesterday's press briefing where one reporter tries very hard to get Scotty McMessage McClellan to use the words he said at a prior briefing. Enjoy:

Q Scott, would the President veto a three-month extension of the Patriot Act? Is that something you can accept?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think we need to talk about what's going on here. What's going on here is pure obstructionist politics. A minority in the Senate, led by Senate Democrats, are putting politics above our nation's security. This bill has been thoroughly debated. It enjoys majority support. They need to give it an up or down vote and quit playing politics with our nation's security.

Q So would the President veto a three-month extension?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, the President has already made his views known on that -- I expressed his views last week -- and nothing has changed in terms of our views. That's why it's important for them to go ahead and get this passed now.

Q So you would veto a three-month extension?

MR. McCLELLAN: I expressed our view last week; nothing has changed.

Q Can you tell me what that was again?

MR. McCLELLAN: You can see what I expressed last week. You know very well what it was.

Q Sounds like you're backing down from that.

MR. McCLELLAN: No, nothing has changed in terms of what I said last week.

Q So just say it. Just say --

Q Will you use the word "veto"? Why are you not using the word "veto"?

MR. McCLELLAN: I expressed our views on that last week --

Q But if you still stand by them, why won't you reiterate it?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, what I said last week still stands.

Q Which is what?

MR. McCLELLAN: I talked about a short-term extension. And Senator Frist has already said that there's not going to be a short-term extension of three months. And Speaker Hastert has already said it would be irresponsible to move with a short-term extension.

Let me talk about the Patriot Act, because when it went through the debate this year, extensive debate, in the conference committee there were changes made to it. There were some 30 additional protections put in there relating to civil liberties. And it seems some Senate Democrats are claiming that's the reason, but we now know from the leader of the Democrats in the Senate that all they were interested in was killing it. All they want to do is extend it in order to seek a way to weaken some of the authorities in the Patriot Act. And that's why I said they need to quit obstructing progress on reauthorization of the Patriot Act and get it passed.

1 comment:

Neil Shakespeare said...

god what a dipshit. no matter how small the corner gets that he paints himself into he'd rather just sit there till the paint dries than admit to his own stupidity.