In defending their votes for Michael Mukasey - an otherwise seemingly respectable man who somehow deliberately refuses to label waterboarding as illegal torture - Diane Feinstein and Chuck Schumer have made a clear statement about the standards to which they hold our country:
From Feinstein:
First and foremost, Michael Mukasey is not Alberto Gonzales.From Schumer:
Under this administration, (the) nominee will certainly never share our views on issues like torture and wiretapping.In other words:
When an administration, so political, so out of touch with the realities of governing and so contemptuous of the rule of law is in charge, we are never left with an ideal choice. Judge Mukasey is not my ideal choice. However, Judge Mukasey, whose integrity and independence is respected even by those who oppose him, is far better than anyone could expect from this administration.
We should give President Bush everything he wants, because he could want something worse!So tell me, Senators Feinstein and Schumer:
What could be worse than losing your rights of habeas corpus with a President who can declare you an enemy combatant and
Yeah, I suppose Feinstein and Schumer could be commended for providing enough oversight to protect the country from the equivalent of a President Jeffrey Dahmer, or a President John Wayne Gacy. So far, George Bush hasn’t been allowed to cook and eat his enemies and store their bones under the White House!
Nice job, Senators!
Here’s the shorter version, in the form of a new campaign slogan for the Democrats:
ReplyDeleteTorture? Hey, At Least Its Not Cannibalism!
Vote Democrat in 2008!
DiFi is such a DINO! She's the Joe Leiberman of the West. And we're stuck with her for another 4 years, right? She's gone from occaisionally disappointing to an outright embarassment to her constituents. Can a US Senator be recalled?
ReplyDeleteWhat the hell are they doing. Neither one has to worry about re-election and both are in strong Democratic States so why the hell are they pandering to the right. They have no credibility anymore. Shumer just loves to hear himself talk but when it comes down to making a decision he always caves. Joe your Lieberman of the West is right on. All we need is a photo of Difi planing a big kiss on Bush's Ass.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes down to it, DiFi is making a boatload of money off of Bush's policies through her defense contractor hubby, and since she probably won't run for re-election, I'd say she is now focused solely on protecting the status quo.
ReplyDeleteWhen during the hearing they were trying to get Mukasey to admit that waterboarding was torture and he wouldn't, my recurring thought was waterboard him and then you'll find out what he thinks. Oh dear, I think all this is sending me around the bend.
ReplyDeleteThe point is that torture does not get people to tell the truth. It gets them to say what you want them to say, even if it is wrong!
ReplyDeleteI think Keith Olbermann has it right - the reason they used torture is that it got people to "admit" to false information that could be used politically to justify the war!
AFTER TORTUROUS EQUIVOCATIONS
ReplyDeleteIt is not just a hearsay but has been confirmed in fact,
The USA, if never stated plainly,
Engages now in torture which nobody can redact,
Though prospects seem to rationalists ungainly.
"You see it places greater risk upon our boys abroad,
Soldiers when they are captured--to be tortured.
A split in the Geneva bill because my nation´s fraud
Must broaden save the broken thing get sutured."
Thus goes the argument; but others turn away their eyes,
Refusing to admit--since time of Adam--
What has of war been hallmark: virtue tends to compromise,
Warmongers clientele of some great Madam.
Raping and looting, deeds of such barbarity have gone
As hand in hand with conquest since before
The modern age: atrocity is what all wars have done,
Yet shillers look away who shill for war.
This understated policy--my country as did not
Engage in torture in its previous life--
Has put it in position shitting on and off the pot,
And there are many uses for a knife.
The information as obtained from torture, often wrong,
Is like the names obtained when there´s a witch-hunt,
As persons "idealistic" when hysteria comes along
So even poodles will call out a dachshund.
Yet so it goes with progress: we accept the agonies
As go with war inflicting needless extras,
Barbarians so many yet so few Antigones
So we become in torture ambidextrous.
The hand that signed the paper and the citizens who read
Give tacit understanding, all complicit,
So taking three steps backward two steps forward we proceed,
It´s not our conscience bears the blade, now is it?