The Wall Of Shame

[icarus]

They passed the unconscionable bill that gives the government the right to hold you indefinitely. I don't believe it.

It wasn't even close.

Here is the wall of shame, the Democrats who voted for this. Picture these Democrats holding up a number for their mug shot.

Biden - Delaware
Carper - Delaware
Johnson - South Dakota
Lautenberg - New Jersey
Menendez - New Jersey
Lieberman - Connecticut
Nelson - Florida
Nelson - Nebraska
Pryor - Arizona
Rockefeller - West Virginia
Salazar - Colorado

Their punishment? These senators will be accused of vague ties with terrorist groups and meeting with Muslims (never mind the Saudi ambassador was in town), resulting in their being held indefinitely in Guantamino Bay with no charges filed. The military will then "question" them, quite thoroughly, until they lie and confess to whatever the military wants to hear just to get it to stop. As a result, they will be imprisoned, and we'll be chasing after the easter bunny as a terrorist suspect.

We do have one sole hero here today. One Republican broke rank and voted his conscience:

Chaffee - Rhode Island

May he be senator for life. That took character.

Comments

[monanotlisa.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing. And yes, that took character.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Hooray, Chaffee. At least there's some good news.

Icarus

[jaig.livejournal.com]

Actually, the collective shame of everyone won't do a thing, because it's useless unless they feel it themselves.

>

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, anything's better than the sense of helplessness I feel at the moment.

Icarus

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Ouch!

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

The torture or the post?

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

We hear all about that Guantamino Bay because there is an Australian locked up in there. Some British guys and I'm sure others are in there too. It's amazing that they can hold international prisoners on those same ridiculous laws. They won't allow them to return to their own countries, I'm assuming because they would most likely be released.

So, yes, Ouch! that the bill was passed. Ouch! to the torture. Just Ouch!

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Oh sorry, I see. No, I agree with you. Not ouch to the sentiment. I disagree with any bill that takes away a person's rights. To lock a person up indefinitely without a definite reason and no evidence of a crime is taking away so many rights that it makes me physically ill.

Now that I think about it, I think Blair may have got the British prisoners out. Bush needs Britain as an ally in a bad way, whereas Australia is just a bonus. ...and besides our prime minister is like a little puppy dog following Bush around like he's god. *sighs*

[fullygoldy.livejournal.com]

2006 has been such a trying year, that I've really been living in an ever-decreasing bubble. I'm glad there are people who are paying attention though, and doing their best to keep me somewhat cognizant of the state of the world. I can't imagine coming out of my bubble next spring to discover this had happened while I wasn't looking. Thanks.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

We have only one more year of Bush, and if we can pick up some Senate and House seats he'll be a lame duck for the rest of his presidency. That would be the best-case scenario.

Icarus

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Don't forget Bush actually used his veto. I'm amazed he has such a power, but he used it! *rails* That made me really angry and I'm about as far from the US as I can get and I have my head stuck in the ground most often. But for him to be able to veto a bill. That's not democracy!

*cough* Sorry it was an issue close to me in some ways.

[arclevel.livejournal.com]

Oh, lets not forget that this bill allows Bush to 'redefine' acceptable methods of interrogation, if not *quite* as broadly as he actually wanted to. Dahlia Lithwick of www.slate.com had a very good article about it and how desensitized we've collectively become in the last two years.

I honestly don't want to point this out, due to the need to re-elect her in a month, but Stabenow (D-MI) voted for it, as well. Chaffee definitely earns respect from me for voting 'nay', but the cynic in me points out that he's trailing in the polls in his very liberal state. Despite these things, and my fury at this bill, I still have to want Stabenow to stay in and Chaffee to lose; the number one priority has to be having as many Democrats in each branch of Congress as possible, in hopes of killing the Republican lock on the government.

Actually, I wonder how many of those Democratic 'yea' votes are up for reelection in a moderate or divided state. (By 'divided' state, I mean like Michigan, which is liberal in and around Detroit due to primarily economic or race-related issues, strongly liberal in and around Ann Arbor on all issues, and conservative in the entire rest of the state.)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I've little doubt that election-year concerns about looking "soft on terrorists" drove most of those votes. As someone from the outskirts of Detroit, yes, I know how different the two voting blocks can be.

No coincidence that this bill came up right before the elections. We do have to break the conservative stranglehold on the government because the fact that this came up now is evidence of the Republican control of both the house and senate.

Icarus

[arclevel.livejournal.com]

I see, a fellow Michigander. :-) I grew up in one of the very conservative suburbs, did my undergrad work in the UP, and now live in Ann Arbor, so I had something of a pleasant (if expected) culture shock upon moving here.

There are lots of things happening we can blame on single-party domination of the government. I remember in the early 90s when people were complaining about 'gridlock' in the government. The problem is, the system of American government was specifically designed to *promote* gridlock. Gridlock is a good thing! It's when one party runs every part of the government, and party loyalty trumps dedication to doing the job assigned to your branch of the government (and/or good sense), then the myriad checks and balances written into the Constitution go out the window and everything falls to hell. Being a liberal, I'd obviously prefer to have the Democrats controlling everything rather than the Republicans (and especially today's Republicans), but honestly, it would be better for the nation to have a split between branches, or houses of Congress.

[vulgarweed.livejournal.com]

I watched some of that going down on CSPAN2. It was like bearing witness to the Titanic sinking, and people frantically rearranging desk chairs.

I was shocked by how many Democrats voted for it. And I was sickened that, apparently, there is political advantage in propping up the crimes of this administration STILL.

These senators will be accused of vague ties with terrorist groups and meeting with Muslims (never mind the Saudi ambassador was in town), resulting in their being held indefinitely in Guantamino Bay with no charges filed.

Heh. You know, I think one of my Senators (both of whom voted against it) is the only one who actually has close Muslim relatives...

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

I checked, and thank goodness both of my senators voted against it.

They brought this forward close to the election for a reason. Those senators in tight races with Republican challengers would be forced to make themselves look "tough on terrorism" or face the consequences. Although there are also genuinely conservative Democrats who believe in this shit.

Icarus

[tekalynn.livejournal.com]

In Oregon, Smith (typically) was a Nay and Wyden, thank God, was a Yea.

We really are VERY lucky to have Wyden as a Senator.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

The director of the CIA says you can't get intelligence through torture. You can only get a confession, they'll just tell you what you want to hear. Their information is worthless.

Sun Tzu in The Art Of War says that there are several types of intelligence you can gain, but none can be gained from torture.

Icarus

[enname.livejournal.com]

There really is no excuse, whatsoever that holds up for voting for this. Election year or not. Terrifying.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

The longterm consequences of this decision are going to be really bad.

Icarus

[enname.livejournal.com]

Even the mid term consequences are enough to make me quail. I mean even with it there in the first place there was incredible wriggle room for abuse. Now?

[hack-benjamin22.livejournal.com]

Both of my senators voted for it...which is really quite depressing. I think I'm ashamed. This is soooo not right.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

*sighs* I was relieved mine did, but this is all about putting the Democrats on the rail during the elections.

This tactic smells like Cheney.

[harveywallbang.livejournal.com]

*sigh*

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

*agrees wholeheartedly*

[telepwen.livejournal.com]

You know, I'm proud to be American, but sometimes, we do sucky things.