The Power of One
On Monday, Senator Chris Dodd simply and forcefully showed what one principled man can do in America. Just when the rest of the Democratic Party was on the verge of the one billionth collapse to George W. Bush in a row, Dodd stepped in to stop the cave-in.
The issue at hand was giving retroactive immunity to the telecommunication companies for breaking the FISA law. First of all, think about that, why would you need immunity if you haven't broken the law? And if you broke the law, why should Congress let you get away with it? But of course, they were going to.
Senate Majority Leader, Harry Reid planned to bring up the version of the new FISA bill that the Republicans supported. He favored the approach supported by Dick Cheney rather than the other version put together by Democratic Senator Pat Leahy. Why he did that is an open question, to say the least.
And, of course, our so-called Democratic leaders who are running for president, with the obvious exception of Sen. Dodd, were missing in action. I thought Fox News might devote their whole coverage to Senator Clinton today since she was a missing blond.
Meanwhile, Senator Obama made his bid for the Profiles in Courage Hall of Fame by issuing a press release saying since he didn't have to be there for the fight (because they would only counting votes against Dodd and he would be voting with Dodd), he wouldn't. In essence, he was saying -- since I don't have to be there, I won't. Inspiring!
But despite the fact that his Majority Leader sided with the Bush administration and none of the Democratic leading candidates for president showed up, Senator Dodd pressed on anyway. Because, maybe just one person could make a difference.
The first vote was 76-10 against Senator Dodd. It didn't look good. Trying to get forty Democrats to stand up to President Bush is a Herculean task. They're using to giving up without a fight. In fact, in his first speech of the morning Senator Dodd mentioned that the Democrats had said over and over that they would fight the next time against the next Bush administration abuse, but never did. And he said the time had come to draw the line. He said why not here, why not now?
Then when he began the fight a curious thing happened. It turned out the Republicans and the Bush folks weren't as mean and tough as advertised. The filibuster could have lasted 108 hours in all to get through all the cloture motions and the Senate would have gotten nothing done the week before Christmas break. They couldn't countenance that, so voila, victory!
Just that simple. Harry Reid came out and said they were going to table immunity for the telecoms and consider it after the break. The bill didn't pass and Bush and the people who helped him break the law were not given retroactive immunity for the crimes they might have committed.
Good guys win, bad guys lose. All it took was one Senator and an afternoon. And we stopped them cold in their tracks. Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?
Now, imagine if the Democrats all united to fight the Bush administration together. Then, they just might be able to beat the most unpopular president of all time every once in awhile.
Will other Democrats learn anything from this? Will they get the message that it doesn't take that much to fight these guys and that just one person can make a difference, let alone all of them fighting together? I hope so. I'd like to ask Senator Clinton if she got the message, but I couldn't find her.
Follow Cenk Uygur on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheYoungTurks
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I guess someone finally found a hill upon which he was willing to die.
I applaud Senator Dodd for standing up. Thank you sir.
Not sure why it took this issue, and not sure why he was the only one, but at this point, I'll take what I can get.
I hope this is a rallying point for his colleagues.
If Dodd is not nominated for the presidency, he should definitely become the majority leader. We need a real leader in that position!
We are indebted to Senator Dodd. Hopefully, his courage will be rewarded by the Democratic caucus goers. However good this outcome is, it is likely to be temporary--the postponement gives time for things to cool down. After the Iowa caucus, Senator Reid and his cowardly lions are counting on Senator Dodd finishing at or near the bottom, and, maybe, even dropping out. His voice as a candidate will not be heard in the same way. After all the states are high: crimes abound, if not, why the need for immunity. The civil suits alone bring the dreaded "discovery" information.
It is about time someone stood up for something other that screwing the american people. The one thing I find hard to understand is why did Bush need to suddenly wiretap everyone. If there was no threat to the US as we have heard over and over again (the 9/11 commission etc..) why did they stongarm the telecom companies in March of 2001 to give up call data? I am not a conspiracy nut but is does seem like they really did have an idea of something bad happening. Why is no one asking this question?
The Congressional Dems should take a lesson from nature. A small pod of dolphins kills a great white shark by constantly hitting it in the gut, thereby preventing it from swimming. Get on Chris Dodd's board! With a mensch leading the pod, as opposed to Pelosi/Reid, we may be able to save this Republic from the Fascists in charge afterall.
It would be nice to believe that the Dems are learning the meaning of courage, but old habits are hard to break.
Democrats need to stay in principle and fight each and every time for what they believe in. The worst possible strategy is triangulating because that just reinforces the evil of greed and power grabs by the GOP. The GOP expects the Democrats to fight. They don't care if they loose, they just want to "appear" to be against something. The GOP does not actually expect the Democrats to cave in and sacrifice the democratic principles every time.
This "posturing" by the GOP is actually accepted by Democrats. That's why Hillary and Bill were bad for the party - free trade, militarism, etc. Now Obama wants tort reform? Go figure who he is pandering to.
Edwards has the idea - it will require a confrontation. The multinational corporations and the religious right have a death grip on our government but not our society. Senator Dodd had the guts to confront the evil, like all evil people, the GOP are bullies and cowards. They want to sack the constitution without demonstrating the factual basis of the laws they want past. Dodd demanded, in effect, that the Senators read the classified portions of the report before voting a knee-jerk immunity that is based on intentional wrongdoing that will eliminate the right of privacy and the need for a warrant for US citizens at home and abroad. Medical and financial records, telephone and e-mail, your entire life would be open, including attorney-client, business. medical psychiatric, etc. Nowhere is there a showing that a single life has been saved. The probability is great that political misuse of the information is the true purpose of their wiretapping and that their legal departments are expert in communications law, especially since the US Supreme Court made clear that the practice illegal in 2006 and they knew that!
I hope Clinton, Obama and Biden face a host of questions about their dereliction yesterday. That they couldn't be bothered to stand up with Dodd for our rights -- or even to show up in the Senate on such a crucial day -- tells us a lot about their commitment to the Constitution, doesn't it?
I watched the whole thing on CSPAN2 (well, not the whole thing...Ch
Definite props to Dodd on this... Hopefully many of you out there emailed your Senator. I emailed my Senator (Reid -D NV) to let him know that I would not vote for him again after his 'Aye' vote.
Like so many of those who voted in the democrats to this congress I have waited for action againest bush and nada. Some things I understand like the need for votes to overide vetos by bush. But the lay down and let him plunder our economy and the world at large I am suspect.Ma
Good for you Senator Dodd!
Actual evidence of Demo non-impotency.
Few would have believed it possible.
Is it the beginning of a welcome new trend?
Great post Cenk (as usual)
The lack of leadership being displayed by the Dem front-runners is disturbing to say the least. They are too busy on the morning shows and various fund-raisers while neglecting their duties to the country.
Chris Dodd and Dennis Kucinich are displaying the kind of leadership this country needs!
As a matter of interest, my local paper made this look like a victory for Bush. I read the article three times and couldn't believe it. My paper usually leans to the left and they got it wrong. No wonder so many in this country don't know what is going on.
I praise Dodd for his gonad growth but am withholding judgement until the negotiations are completed in January. It is just too hard to trust the D's to get anything right.
Right on Cenk. Thank God for Dodd!
- Tom
Man, I think that I'm going to have to take a second look at Dodd. If he can do this, he might be worthy of my vote. Thanks for bringing this to my attention Cenk!
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