Democrats cave again: endorse torture

**Grimmlok** · November 2nd, 2007, 06:41 PM

Late this afternoon, via Talking Points Memo, we got the news we all basically expected. Democratic Senators are caving on the nomination of Michael Mukasey as Attorney General.

Chuck Schumer (NY) and Dianne Feinstein (CA), both on the Senate Judiciary Committee, are the culprits.

It's despicable, but, unfortunately, not unexpected.

This is a big one. The issue is torture. TORTURE. Bush wants to torture. He wants another Attorney General who will let him torture. And, key Democrats just enabled him -- AGAIN.

Coincidentally, just as this news broke, I was working on a post linking to Dan Froomkin's column from today. Basically, Bush knew the Democrats would cave. THEY ALWAYS DO.

Dan Froomkin gets Bush better than most people on the Hill do:

President Bush yesterday asserted that he would never nominate anyone for attorney general who would be willing to state that waterboarding is torture -- so, if the Senate doesn't approve Michael Mukasey, "that would guarantee that America would have no attorney general during this time of war."

There is, of course, no attorney general right now because Bush's last choice spectacularly self-destructed. And many members of Bush's own party are quite comfortable stating that waterboarding is torture. It's not exactly a controversial position, seeing as waterboarding has been an iconic form of torture since the Spanish Inquisition.

But it's not Bush's style to back down, especially when a key element of his radical and unprecedented expansion of executive power is at stake.

Instead, Bush has learned that the higher he ratchets up the rhetoric, especially if he can accuse his critics of being weak on terror, the more likely Congressional Democrats are to fold. He's simply counting on that happening again.

Bush who is so wrong about so many things, was right on this one. Bush knew he'd win on Mukasey.

Froomkin is so right. Bush just expected the Democrats to fold. It's a political game of chicken for him. He just made a few references to terrorism and waited. Didn't take long.

Can't wait to read the statements from Schumer and Feinstein. They'll be rife with angst. They'll talk about doing what's best for the country. Blah, blah, blah. Heard that speech from the Dems. way too many times. And, we'll hear it way too many times in the future.

AMERICAblog: A great nation deserves the truth

Honestly, why even bother having 2 parties? Why even bother having ONE party. Just install someone as king and be done with it. The joke is getting old.

**kingcap72** · November 2nd, 2007, 06:44 PM

The Democrats are just a bunch of spineless asses. At least the Republicans have the balls to fight for what they want, no matter how wrong it is. The Dems just cave because they don't want people to call them names.

**Grimmlok** · November 2nd, 2007, 06:47 PM

why do people even bother voting?

seriously, i dont understand the US.

**Aella** · November 2nd, 2007, 06:53 PM

I was just watching a John Stewart clip mocking the term 'waterboarding'-what a nice way to say drowning.

What the hell is WRONG with any person who would think institutionalized torture is ok?

**shoegal** · November 2nd, 2007, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by Grimmlok

why do people even bother voting?

seriously, i dont understand the US.

I completely agree.

Electing any of these half-minded, knuckle dragging pigs defeats the purpose of voting.

In this light, the whole 'Vote or Die' stigma is laughable and I'd rather die, thank you.

At least the pain will be over fast and not stretched out over a 4 or heaven's sake 8 year period.

**kingcap72** · November 2nd, 2007, 06:59 PM

Originally Posted by Grimmlok

why do people even bother voting?

seriously, i dont understand the US.

I wonder about that myself sometimes.

I think the problem in the U.S. is that most of our politicians are cowards on both sides, Dems & Repugs. They don't want to stand on their principles because they whore themselves out to special interests groups and don't want to piss anybody off. Or they just say and do the things that will be popular instead of what's right.

And the people that REALLY should run for office don't because of all of the mud-slinging, and the fact that they don't want to get bogged down in all of the bullshit games.

**shoegal** · November 2nd, 2007, 07:06 PM

Originally Posted by kingcap72

I wonder about that myself sometimes.

I think the problem in the U.S. is that most of our politicians are cowards on both sides, Dems & Repugs. They don't want to stand on their principles because they whore themselves out to special interests groups and don't want to piss anybody off. Or they just say and do the things that will be popular instead of what's right.

And the people that REALLY should run for office don't because of all of the mud-slinging, and the fact that they don't want to get bogged down in all of the bullshit games.

True King.

The average person may want to stand up for rights:human, animal, environmental, etc. However, he or she just doesn't have the funding or may not be a good speaker. Therefore we never hear from them or no one heeds their word.

Sometimes it's unfortunate and pathetic who reaches the podium and the selection we must choose from.

**kingcap72** · November 2nd, 2007, 07:12 PM

Originally Posted by shoegal

True King.

The average person may want to stand up for rights:human, animal, environmental, etc. However, he or she just doesn't have the funding or may not be a good speaker. Therefore we never hear from them or no one heeds their word.

Sometimes it's unfortunate and pathetic who reaches the podium and the selection we must choose from.

Exactly, SG. Unfortunately money tends to determine who are leaders are. And the people with the most cash tend to take the top spots, no matter how incompetent they are. Exhibit A: George W. Bush.

**McJag** · November 2nd, 2007, 07:13 PM

Most candidates have lobbiest crawling all over them-they have lost sight of good government. We get stuck electing the lesser of 2 evils half the time. I think as long as we expec 1 person to be perfect with no sin, this will continue. Gimme Bill Clinton anyday,grabby and all.

**Grimmlok** · November 2nd, 2007, 07:15 PM

fuck that, let ME be president

**Mira** · November 2nd, 2007, 07:16 PM

Originally Posted by Grimmlok

why do people even bother voting?

seriously, i dont understand the US.

What's not to understand about the corporatocracy? That's what Congress is beholden to. Nothing and nobody else, except the office of the President and we all know all too well about THAT.

**shoegal** · November 2nd, 2007, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by Mira

What's not to understand about the corporatocracy? That's what Congress is beholden to. Nothing and nobody else, except the office of the President and we all know all too well about THAT.

OOh, 'Corporatocracy'.

*Adding it to my 'lifetionary'*

**PaintTheTownRed** · November 2nd, 2007, 07:46 PM

"especially when a key element of his radical and unprecedented expansion of executive power is at stake."

The Democrats will probably win the WH and want to keep all that power for themselves. No politician, Democrat or Republican, will give up all Bush's power. The American people allowed Bush and the Repub Congress to expand executive powers in order to keep them "safe from terrorists". Waterboarding, no habeas corpus and wiretapping is beyond disgusting and everyone knows this, but it's an other issue expecting politicians to give up the power to do those things.