The Republicans and Barack Obama Are Going to Give Into the Terrorists

The Republicans, and most of the Democrats, are about to surrender some of our rights. Today they are set to give away the Fourth Amendment to Osama bin Laden.

Real patriots died to get us those rights. Real patriots have died throughout the years to protect those rights. Now a bunch of cowards are going to give them up because they're scared of a couple of ragtag terrorists hiding in a cave somewhere in Pakistan.

And somehow Barack Obama thought it was a good idea to go along with these surrender monkeys. He thought it was a good idea to sign a bill written by Dick Cheney right before the elections. What a terrible lack of judgment. What a sad display of weakness.

This is how Democrats lose presidential elections. They agree with every heinous thing the Republicans offer up and then wonder why they can't successfully challenge them. That's because you already agreed with them and undercut yourself and everything you claimed to stand for.

It's terrible politics to campaign from weakness. It's terrible politics to start by agreeing with the worst bills designed by the worst Republicans, and then try to distinguish yourself from them. But aside from the politics, it's a pathetic acquiescence to the wishes of Al Qaeda.

Osama bin Laden wanted us to give up our rights, he wanted us to change our form of government, he wanted us to be less free. But he couldn't do that himself. He could only set off some bombs. Only we could take away our rights. And we did. We played right into his hands.

Every time Dick Cheney says we have to give up our rights for more perceived security, he is telling you that he doesn't believe in America. He thinks our system is too weak. It's not authoritarian enough and won't be able to defeat Al Qaeda.

This system of ours defeated the Nazis, the Soviets and every other enemy it has faced. But the Bush administration argued that they can't do what Roosevelt and Truman and the rest of our presidents did without cheating and without giving away our freedoms.

The Democrats agreed. And Barack Obama agreed. This is called the politics of weakness.

Now imagine if Barack Obama had stood up and said this instead:

"Mr. President, I'm not going to let you give away our unalienable rights to Osama bin Laden because you are afraid. We are the American people and we don't surrender our rights to anybody, let alone terrorists. We are the guardians of freedom. This is the land of the free, the home of the brave. And you will not take our rights without a fight!"

That would have been the politics of strength. Instead today we will get yet another capitulation by yet another Democrat running yet another weak presidential campaign. I thought we were going to get change in this country.

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Comments

[manicore]

Today Americans found out that our Democracy can be Bought.
We also found out that the most of the US. Senate can be bought.
Is this what the Democrats call a winning strategy?
I wil not ever vote for them again, they have proven that they can not be
Trusted. When given the choice between Wanna be Republicans and Real
Republicans the American People will choose Real Republicans everytime.
As for me i will choose niether.

[SmackwaterJack]

Well see Cenk has done you a great service, he has taught you how to be distrustful and look down on the democrat's chosen leader. You should thak Him for that.

[SmackwaterJack]

Hey Cenk how about if you kick and stomp your feet? Maybe try holding your breath until ya turn blue?

Obama not listening, I wonder why?

[GOP4MoreTears]

Obama fooled me.... Bwhaaaaaaa­aaaaaaa... Ever thing it was you that has been fooling yourself, because you were without any doubt NOT paying attention? Bahwaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaa!

[GOP4MoreTears]

BWAHaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaaa­aaaaaaaaa

[GOP4MoreTears]

Clearly hyperbolic rhetoric, quite amusing actually. Now I know why *EXACTLY* the reasons the Dems lost in 2000and 2004 AND now in 2008 to come.

[WorkingClass]

This is not a victory for the terrorists Cenk. They don't care at all about our bill of rights. The terrorists just want us to go away and leave them alone. This is a victory for whoever it is that owns George Bush and wants to own the next president as well. I don't think Obama could have gotten this far if he had not made a deal with them beforehand. And who are they? Why K Street of course. The "moneyed interests". Our challenge is to find a way to take our government back from the people who now control it (and us). Some wish to believe that Obama has a secret plan to do that. I hope they are right but I think they are wrong.

If we are allowed to hold elections, Obama will win big. Even if he has strings on him, he and his administration will be like heaven after the horror that is the Bush administration. But for those of us who insist on the restoration of the rule of law. Who are not content to live in a police state. We will have to find leaders outside the Dem/Rep contraption. I am a Kucinich type my self, but I think it will more of a populist uprising. I can live with that.

I always read your stuff. Thanks again Cenk.

[LarBear]

Lordy the fantasies spun and woven... Even IF Obama was ALL you believed and projected onto him and more.... The entrenched Corporate "influenced " (very kind word there) Dominant Political Party, with it's Two Branches (Democrat & Republican) would permit very little change... Yet year after year, Voters invest Hope of Change into Candidates­... Year after year, WE ignore the actual Enemy of the USA... Year after year, little changes... Remember, G W Bush was going to be the most Ethical Government ever??? And, got Voted in twice... Geeeze.... Wake up People....­.

[4wehttam]

You whiners and complainer are making the dem party look bad. You don't even understand the extent of this bill, yet pounce like a bunch of nutcases. Cenk, I expected better from you. Call the Obama campaign, tell them to explain to you word for word what this bill ACTUALLY says.

[mikey683]

Barak Obama is every thing that's wrong with the democratic party.

[habajebe]

These days, we deal in incerments. Obama is incrementally better, by several orders of magnitude, than McCain. Gives you an idea of how far we've fallen. But the bottom line is, "Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss."

Thanks to Congress, we have now confirmed what every thinking person has known for quite some time. Bush, Cheney and whomever they choose are, in fact, above the law. We are not a nation of laws, but of men. These days, they are evil men.

[strifeknot]

Your lesser-of-­two-evilis­m is a coward's game and will not bring us the reform we desperately need.

[gmtwin02]

This is a losing issue for dems. So telecoms get immunity - so what. They already had it. Do you really think in a court of law if company was being sued and said the president came to us as a matter of national security - what would happen? Case thrown out. Most americans feel that they aren't doing any thing wrong so it does not affect them.

[MozKrew211]

So what? The 4th amendment was just thrown out. That's what.

[naschkatze]

I think he or she is right. The Republicans would have battered Obama with FISA during the general if he voted no. We bloggers are pretty united on how this law stinks, but the rest of the country is either indifferent or actually thinks FISA will protect us. I will still vote vor Obama and hope that he will correct this bill when he is president, but I feel I've given him and the Democrats enough money and am going to go back to donating to the AC LU which has obtained some bona fide results in the courts fighting FISA.

[Truthfighter1]

You guys are all non-thinking cowards, all you can think about is "me,me,me"­...

[mosh]

Obama just lost my vote. I can never vote for a presidential candidate who would trample on the constitution even before taking the oath of office. From this day forward his candidacy is a farce.

And, given the fact that Obama was a constitutional law professor, he has even less of a right to be the president of the United States than that traitorous morom George W Bush - because unlike that bully egomaniac, Obama DOES know better.

What's he gonna vote for next - expansion of gitmo? Is he gonna sign off on the torture memos?

[texastornado]

What's he going to say now when he swears the oath of office.

[Nixes]

Cenk, you are a patriot and one of the few that gets it.

I've read COUNTLESS of Huffpost comments by democrats being slowly realizing that there are no more true patriots in the Democrat or Republican parties. Those people, like myself, are furious.

The media pinned Ron Paul, Kucinich, Mike Gravel, and all the other TRUE "Change" candidates as whackos because the media knows that true "Change" candidates would empower the people, and not the special interests like the news corporations.

No one gave ron paul any credit because the media labeled him as a nut job. No one actually listened to him "that we haven't been following the constitution for years and that's what we should be doing." I've been in arguments with democrats who wouldn't even give him a moment's breath because he said he was a "republica­n." How open-minded.

If anyone here has one shred of patriotism left, or any respect for the constitution, our founding fathers, our country, the millions of people who have died defending it, or the ideals which make the United States of America humanity's noblest experiment, I implore you to take action now. End your affiliation with corrupt institutions. Seek out new parties, new ideas, new ways. I myself am a Libertarian, but it's up to each and every one of you to find an ideal that can restore this great nation to what it once was.

"Live free, or die."

[LintLass]

Yeah, I'm going to vote for Bobb Barr, who tried to ban a *religion*. Speaking of hijacked parties.

[Nixes]

He introduced legislation trying to ban the practice of Wicca in the Military.

This was in 1999. He also voted for the Patriot Act. He was also a proponent of the War on Drugs, against medical marijuana, and he voted for the defense of marriage act.

He has since publicly apologized for those votes and changed his tunes. He now supports -ending- the prohibition on marijuana, and in 2004 he became one of the biggest critics of the republican party. I know it's hard to believe that, but at least give someone a chance before you say "HAHA no." Read the issues.

[Nixes]

Er, Sorry for the double post, but I just wanted to add that if you have true doubts you should view him on the Colbert Report. That's what made me actually believe him.

http://asecondhandconjecture.com/index.php/2008/06/05/bob-barr-on-the-colbert-report/

Just check it out.

[LintLass]

I really wouldn't consider the Libertarians to have the high ground on this issue, after old Religious Right Republican crony Bob Bar waltzed in and got the nomination. Fourth Amendment? He doesn't care for the *first.*

[Gotchoo]

Never reward dishonesty. Who are you if you abet lawbreakers? It's the nature of the majority. Vote only from your viewpoint. Don't trust local and cable news. Before you vote, make sure the 'contestant' is SANE, RATIONAL, and HONEST. As in, NOT SUPERNATURAL OR DELUSIONAL, HAS COMMON SENSE, and ISN'T ANOTHER RAGING NARCISSIST.

Thank you CENK! Nothing but the truth.

[theistus]

unfortunately, the author seems to misunderstand the 4th amendment, and constitutional law in general. Broad accusations, but not backed up by any analysis. The 4th does not apply to private individual­s/organiza­tions actions, like telecoms. And the FISA bill that was passed still provides the full range of judicial review and oversight that searches and seizures (like wiretapping) must contain. Furthermore, the bill itself will be subject to SCOTUS review (though with our current makeup, I realize that may be of small comfort). For that matter, allowing civil suits to proceed would open a floodgate of litigation with little hope of success. I say that having studied this situation quite closely as a lawyer. The telecoms really had little choice but to comply with DOJ wishes, or else face some rather serious threats from the govt itself. Criminal charges are still available, btw.

While I sympathize with the visceral reaction to the legislation, having studied it and its history as a lawyer, it's really not that big of a deal.

[mosh]

Not that big a deal, eh? Isn't that what david addington recently said about waterboarding? Or was that John Yoo?

Lawyers, you gotta love 'em.

As for me, I will stick with Russ Feingold's analysis - graduate of Harvard Law, 1979, with honors - and a fine voting record to match.

But thanks for your 'lawyerly' two cents. That's about what your opinion's worth.