Crossposted at http://www.victory06.org/?p=162

Over the past week, the President and the Republican leadership in Congress have received a two-fold setback, while Democrats and civil liberties seem to be heading in the right direction.

On Thursday, the Senate refused to invoke cloture and thus refused to put the Patriot Act renewal to a vote by a vote of 47-52, a full eight votes (including four Republicans who broke ranks) shy of the needed sixty. The vote put on hold, at least temporarily, a full Senate vote on the Patriot Act "compromise" (which mainly consisted of conservative Republicans and moderate Republicans negotiating on the matter).

Over four years ago the Patriot Act passed 98-1, now many parts of it are in danger of expiring. The President has called this vote irresponsible, and he has claimed that we "can not afford one day without the Patriot Act." Some Senators, of both parties, have offered a temporary three-month extension yet the President has ruled out that possibility (which begs the question: if it's so important, why doesn't the President agree to extend it for three months to maybe get a compromise?).

The move to renew the Patriot Act was hurt, perhaps terminally, by the New York Times reporting that he signed an executive order in 2002 authorizing the spying on American citizens sans a warrant. While it appears to be illegal, today in his radio address he proudly proclaimed that he did authorize these spying exercises upon the American public. Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) has promised his committee will thoroughly investigate these actions and hold hearings on the matter.

The President also took the odd step of accusing the New York Times of endangering the lives of Americans by printing this information. This is not unlike President Nixon's response to the Ellsberg Pentagon Papers in 1971 when the Times printed them. Nixon famously told Secretary of State Kissinger, "people have gotta be put to the torch for this sort of thing."

It's time for the President and the Republican Congress to realize that civil liberties and national security are not mutually exclusive.

Crossposted at http://www.victory06.org/?p=142

Former Presidential Candidate and U.S. Senator Eugene McCarthy passed away today at the age of 89.

I don't know if MyDD or Kos is, but I am at http://www.victory06.org/?p=117 is case they aren't.

All,

I'm a longtime reader of MyDD and frequent commenter and occasional diarist. I want to invite everyone to come to my new www.Victory06.org which is committed winning a Democratic majority in 2006.

Victory06.org, a new website dedicated to electing Democrats in 2006, is seeking writers.

Even if you don't want to write, check out the site. http://www.victory06.org

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We all are gloating over his going under 40 nationwide, but he's hit 39.9% in TN (where he beat Kerry 56-43%, and was at 55% approval in Februrary in this same poll) according to the MTSU poll.

http://www.mtsusurveygroup.org/mtpoll/F2005/MTPOLL_F05_FREQUENCIES.TXT is the raw data

http://www.mtsusurveygroup.org/mtpoll/F2005/MTSUPoll_Report_national_f05_0911_111305.htm is the report.

More below the fold.

Seriously, why did we bother fighting it in May?

I read this morning that Conrad (among others, like Biden) say that an Alito filibuster is unlikely. Seriously, if we aren't gonna use it for this, what's the point of having the filibuster? This comes from a person who supported Roberts. I asked a liberal friend of mine (who's against using the filibuster here)why even have the filibuster if we won't use it? She replied, "Senate Tradition".

I'm getting tired of Senatorial Democrats...

I'm trying to gauge how bad Bush is doing compared to Clinton in 1994, to see what kind of landslide we can pull next year?

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/07/politics/07military.html

The Pentagon is planning on reducing 20-30K troops next year, Democrats are too big of wimps to call for gradual withdrawal now, and we're going to get screwed for a "hands off" view of Iraq for the 3 straight cycle!