The Great Democratic Cave-In

George Bush's “war on terror” has provided a pretext to transform the American republic into a new form of police state. Despite the Founding Father's carefully construed "checks and balances," Bush has granted himself unprecedented and unconstitutional executive powers.

These broad powers allow Bush to make unilateral decisions and take sweeping action without any input or oversight from Congress. And, Bush's use of his dictatorial powers have shown no regard for the rights of American citizens.

One of the most egregious powers Bush created for himself is the power to spy on American citizens without a warrant. In the name of fighting the never ending "war on terror," Bush and his criminal accomplices have claimed that the Constitution's guarantee of due process (no search and/or seizure without a court order) is too dangerous.

Of course Bush would not have been able to destroy rights and liberties if Congress acted like the co-equal branch of Government that they are supposed to be.

The Democrats are especially despicable because they are armed with the authority of oversight and reign in Bush's power-grab.

But they did not try then and are still capitulating to the President, even as they claim that the "compromise" is a legislative success for the Democrats.

Did you ever wonder why the Dems keep caving to Bush? Call us paranoid, but we are not alone in suspecting that there is plenty of guilt to go around if an investigation should ever uncover the truth about the Bush crime family. And then there is also a matter of money. The Dems who signed on to the "compromise" have benefited the most from the generosity of the telecom industry.

There is hope though that the filibuster planned by Senators Dodd and Feingold will further delay the bills passage. If you care to let your own Senators know how you feel about FISA and telecom immunity, click here to send them an email.

I a joint statement released on Tuesday, the Senators said:

“This is a deeply flawed bill, which does nothing more than offer retroactive immunity by another name. We strongly urge our colleagues to reject this so-called ‘compromise’ legislation and oppose any efforts to consider this bill in its current form. We will oppose efforts to end debate on this bill as long as it provides retroactive immunity for the telecommunications companies that may have participated in the President’s warrantless wiretapping program, and as long as it fails to protect the privacy of law-abiding Americans.”

Question is, what will you and I do about it?

PLEASE! Call Congress Today!!

Tell the Democratic leadership -- and your own representatives that even if they do not have the votes to override a veto, there is another way to de-fund the war!

Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich (also running as a Democratic Candidate for President) said this morning on Democracy Now! that Congress does not have to introduce ANY bill AT ALL regarding Iraq war funding.

If there is NO BILL there will be NO VETO and thus the argument that there are not enough votes to override an inevitable veto is moot.

Kucinich says there is enough money in the pipeline NOW to bring the troops home! Keith Olbermann also stated in a "Special Comment" on his MSNBC show Countdown, that if Bush really cared about the troops having everything they need for protection, he could take some of the money earmarked for Blackwater and Haliburton and divert it to the troops.

It is BUSH who DOES NOT SUPPORT THE TROOPS -- first by lying to us to make the case for war, then by mismanaging it for the last 4 & 1/2 years, and then using unrealistic fear (and more lies) to perpetuate the war that was being planned long before 9/11/2001 -- NOT anti-war politicians and other Americans.

Please let Congress know TODAY that we will NOT reelect ONE SINGLE politician who votes yes to the funding bill OR who stands by and does NOTHING as it goes forward!

Democrats Backing Down on Troop Withdrawal Date

We hate to admit it but... Pat Buchanan is right about the Democrats!

Recently on Scarborough Country, we heard Buchanan say that unlike Bush, Democratic leaders in Congress would cave and completely fund the war because they "do not have the courage of their convictions."

And then yesterday, we read this in the Houston Chronicle:

"Congressional Democrats relented Tuesday on their insistence that a war spending measure set a date for withdrawing U.S. combat troops from Iraq. Instead, they moved toward a deal with President Bush that would impose new conditions on the Iraqi government."

Americans voted the Democrats into the majority last fall to put a stop to this madness! Why are they caving on the issue of setting a timetable? Do they think we are stupid? Do they believe we will do nothing?

TAKE ACTION AND TELL CONGRESS NO MORE BLANK CHECKS!

UPDATE: MoveOn sent the following email which we urge you to read and take action on!

MoveOn Opposes Iraq Bill -- Urges All Democrats to Vote Against

Statement by Eli Pariser, MoveOn.org Political Action Executive Director

Voters elected Democrats in November to lead the way out of the mess in Iraq, but the supplemental bill to be voted on this week won't end the war.

There are no real timelines or real accountability for the Bush administration -- just a blank check for an endless war.

A vote for this bill is a vote to continue President Bush's failed Iraq policy, and we'll be urging every last member of Congress to vote against it.

MoveOn members are asking us to consider all options for Democratic members of congress who ran on ending the war but vote for more chaos and more troops in Iraq -- including in-district advertising and recruitment of primary challengers.

And we'll work hard so that Republicans who refuse to listen to the country on Iraq face a great political backlash in their home districts.

In an email this morning, MoveOn encouraged all 3.2 million of its members to urge Congress to vote no. In part, the email reads: "Every single Democrat must vote against this bill. This is a key test vote on whether your representative is serious about ending the war." The email was sent by MoveOn's Nita Chaudhary.