After winning the 2004 election by a couple of percentage points, Dick Cheney was quoted to have said about cutting taxes during a war, “We won the midterms – it’s our due!”
So where was Cheney last week? Lobbying Senate Republicans to exempt the CIA from new legislation sponsored by John McCain prohibiting the use of “cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” of anyone in U.S. government custody no matter where they are held.
These provisions were added to a defense bill that passed in the Senate earlier in the month by a vote of 90 to 9. Let me repeat that: 90 to 9! Not 51 to 49 with the votes counted by Cheney's buddies at Diebold , but 90 to 9 with each vote verifiable and in the public record. And it was passed by the same Senate Republicans who have sucked up to every other Bush administration policy like baby piglets on their mommy!
Get it, Mr. Cheney. The American people don’t like torture! It doesn’t matter how much you like it. It doesn't matter how much Rummy likes it. It doesn't matter how much anyone in the administration likes it. By a 90 to 9 vote, ending it is our due!
But the ever oblivious Bush still says he’s going to veto the measure if the anti-torture language isn’t removed. Yeah, that’s the way to continue your assault on Richard Nixon’s record low approval rating. Veto a bill that passed 90 to 9 outlawing torture!
Oh, and if you want a suggestion for your next move in the apparent effort to lose the chess game for the hearts and minds of the American people, how about eliminating the estate tax while recommending a cut in the home mortgage interest deduction?
[Update] Looks like John McCain knows a political (and moral) winner when he sees it!
I was thinking about posting on this very topic but you said it better than I could have.
ReplyDeleteAnd the republicans wonder why Cheney's approval raiting is at 19%. Even in Baseball where a 30% percent hitter is good - batting 190 gets you sent to the minors in a hurry.