Incredibly, this is the top graphic on CNN's politics website right now. I say "incredibly" not because CNN is wrong, but because it is absolutely incredible that Democrats are helping to confirm Michael Mukasey after this interchange:
How could Democrats be providing the key votes to confirm a man who goes on record to imply that the President doesn't have to follow the law? And remember, this was just one of these types of exchanges. As the Los Angeles Times reported, Mukasey said "that he believed there might be times that the president, in order to defend the country, can ignore laws that Congress enacts."
George W. Bush is the most unpopular president in contemporary American history. His Attorney General nominee is going before Congress telling lawmakers he believes the President can ignore the laws they pass. Am I missing something here? Why are Democrats throwing this man a lifeline?
Cross-posted from Credo Action
Why haven't any Dems done so?
Because it would expose the division between the real Dems and the DINO's to force an attempt at 60 votes.
Hiding this division appears to be an accepted campaign tactic... is it worth it to the real Dems? Party unity over principles?
The so called opposition party has approved of a torture supporter being AG of our nation.
The Democrats are not who most people think they are, or want them to be.
The party is dead, and lives on in name only. A few key individuals like Kucinich and Dodd still exist but the DLC vermin will soon have them out of the way.
A few comments here try to blame this whole thing on Feinstein and Schumer as if the rest of the party is in great shape. Wishful thinking or DLC spin.
Numerous war funding sellouts this year and one more set for next week by Democrats.
Pigheaded, borderline treasonous, lack of effort on impeachment and willful suppression of Kucinich on this issue.
FISA bill co-operation with Bush to spy on American peace activists and Bush opponents.
This is not some surprise move out of left field. This is part of a clear and obvious pattern of behavior by Democrats.....the willing support of Bush, torture, war, domestic spying and the death of our Constitution.
If there are elections in 08 I'm with the Greens, check out their platform.
http://www.gp.org/
Peace.
The answer “they have sold out†to corporate bribes or AIPAC is insufficient and falsely implies the needed cure is to find candidates with more “spineâ€, more “integrityâ€.
I submit the repeated problem stems not so much from repeated personal failings but stems instead from the compromised and limited ideology of the Democratic Party. What does the Dem party stand for? (1) Government intervention to redress the excesses and failures of capitalism. (2) Civil liberties to insure that individuals, rich or poor, get a fair shake, and to insure both government and corporate misdeeds can be exposed.
What is missing is any connection of the above to US foreign policy. Thus, the Democratic “big tent†welcomes those who profess the above, but also believe a “robust†military is needed to “secure†our “vital interests†overseas. Those “vital interests†turn out most often to be the access and control of resources and markets. Oddly, although recognizing the pitfalls of untrammeled capitalism domestically, they deny the ill consequences overseas. Similarly, they see the dangers of foreign militarism, but are blind to the dangers domestically.
In any event, “buyer beware†is considered good enough protection for foreigners, except that our military must intervene whenever foreigners threaten to become too wary. The “wary threat†may be called socialism, communism, terrorism, populism, marxism, nationalism, despotism, Baathism, or religious fanaticism. Of course, in total war theory, control of resources has a “military†aspect, as does just about everything else. So whenever our troops invade a foreign country to “protect us†from from some potential “military†threat posed by some “ismâ€, one needs to be skeptical. As with all jingoism, some may come to believe in it. They may come to believe “we†must be protected from all nations, groups, and individuals throughout the world who potentially threaten “us†because they adhere to some “ismâ€. Or, in the case of “insurgentsâ€, threaten “us†because they resist our troops invading their country.
(continued)...
What is it ?
Can you imagine the Republicans breaking ranks to vote an unqualified Democrat into the cabinet? Hell, a qualified Dem for that matter if they saw any political advantage to defeating him.
When you have a political advantage USE IT!!!
Bush's popularity is at an all time low. WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY AFRAID OF!!!
Even if Mukasey was qualified they should defeat him, if only to show Bush and the American people that there are three branches of Government.
And under the Constitution Congress is the Pre-Eminent branch.
I fear for the life of our Republic when there are so many STUPID Democrats in power.
As a whole, Democrats simply do not have what it takes to be an opposition party. Being forceful in opposition takes principles and guts. Those qualities are sadly lacking.
- Darth Sidious ("Revenge of the Sith")
(file it under - You Can't Make This Stuff Up):
If they DIDN'T confirm Fredo II...Mukasey, Bush would have then named his own under an "interim" title that would make that one the Fredo III of Fredos...got that?
Fredo Cheneyed Leahy
Snakeback may have it right, but regardless of why, the Dems who are doing this are pathetic, disgusting examples of Americans.
What is right and what is wrong?
We had a total a**hole in Gonzales.
Do you not see the similarities here?
This man is WRONG for our country.
How long must we let Bush "get his way" with the Constitution?
If Shumer and Feinstein vote this guy in, then they should be impeached for abrogation of their sworn duty to "protect and preserve the Constitution of the United States!"
...and I have sent my sentiments to each Senators office!
I ask you to do the same.
they are pathetic
Perhaps a really good profit from Bush for Feinstein's husband?
You know there's Dems falling for it, and I suspect it's not just the rank and file. Pelosi and Hillary both covering the President's and VP's back by making sure no impeachment happens is a sign (not to mention Hillary's newfound coziness with AIPAC, and her new friendship with Mr Murdoch, Pelosi's "praying with the president", and both of them advocating continuing the ME wars and voting for unlimited, no-strings-attached funding, after putting up a faux fight).
You have to understand the neocons - they are not wed to a party, or to a religion, or to ANY particular constituency, BUT they will USE any of those voter blocs to push their oil-and-blood-soaked world domination agenda through.
The neocons are just about ready to spit out the empty husk of the GOP after eating it out from the inside.
The Dems are the next victims - you just watch.