Senator Says Bush Is Acting Like 'King George' (Feingold)

[sabra]

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Politics/story?id=1418046

Senator Says Bush Is Acting Like 'King George'
Feingold: Bush is Breaking the Law with Spying

Dec. 18, 2005 — Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wisc., believes President Bush is acting more like a sovereign monarch than an elected leader by authorizing the National Security Agency to listen in on Americans' phone calls.

"We have a system of law," Feingold said. "He just can't make up the law. … It would turn George Bush not into President George Bush, but King George Bush."

...

Feingold, who is believed to be considering a run for president in 2008, said the president has legal options to listen to American's conversations as stipulated by the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act. For example, Feingold said that in the event of an emergency, the president is allowed to eavesdrop for 72 hrs.

Feingold, the only senator who initially opposed the Patriot Act, which was designed to protect Americans from terrorism, said that the spying is indicative of a "pattern of abuse" including torture and secret prisons. The president, Feingold said is "grabbing too much power."

[wtmusic]

1. 'Grabbing too much power" is poorly phrased

"Breaking the law" is accurate (is the President allowed to "grab" any power?)

[stray cat]

7. Feingold has called it that as well.

However, grabbing power is actually a phrase I believe is more likely to resonate with the average American who has become tired of hearing political parties call each other criminals, Hitler and Nazi. However, the average American is afraid of losing checks and balances to government reach.

[rodeodance]

18. isn't that the real issue?--I think yea.

(is the President allowed to "grab" any power?)

[AndyTiedye]

22. "High Crimes and Misdemeanors" is the Operative Phrase

[smirkymonkey]

2. He's just figuring this out now?

I can't believe it's taken this long for Washington insiders to wake up to this fact.

[stray cat]

6. Feingold has been fighting it before the 1st Patriot Act

However, now his colleagues, the media and the American people are smart enough to begin listening. He voted against giving Bush the power to go into Iraq - he said the evidence was insufficient, he was the only senator to vote against the 1st Patriot Act. It is about time America started listening to Feingold.

[Beetwasher]

9. No, Russ Has Been On This RIGHT From The Start

He was the only Senator to vote against the Patriot Act right after 9/11.

Russ is one of the most, if not THE most principled Senator in the chamber.

[cascadiance]

25. He's been a leader for civil liberties since the Clinton years...

He was one of only a few senators to vote against the Telecomm Act that Clinton signed, that gave us the Communications Decency Act (unconstitutional restrictions on the internet) and also gave us the likes of Clear Channel, and other "powerful" media at the expense of us through its deregulation of the media. He's also of course worked with McCain in trying to prevent campaign finance abuse, which is at the core of the problems of government abuse of power now. Feingold IS the man when it comes to leadership in congress against abuses of power. I REALLY want hiim to be the candidate for 2008. I think he could use some marketing to help him create more awareness of his great record working for the American people, and perhaps as some say, hopefully he can find a decent wife too before then, which would make the "not married" curse (inconsequential substantively in my book) not work against him then too.

I didn't like his voting for Roberts for the court, but could understand his rationalization for doing so.

[radio4progressives]

29. don't look now, but while watching CNN in their after speech poobah...

there were strong signals being sent (based on statements made by both dem and reep)indicating a strong possibility that king george will be given a public wrist slapping, and then following one or two closed congressional committees, the story will fade as a something of a "tempest in a teapot" tst tst, and the press will be ordered to say that there is essentially "nothing to report here" you can all go home now.

and don't bother looking behind the curtain on your way out.

i'm freaking pissed, not only at the white house - anyone paying the slightest bit of attention knew damn well this kind of thing had been going as soon as these fascists pigs took over the white house. We knew this was gearing up just following 9/11.

I'm pissed at the Democrats who were in these meetings and said NOTHING to the public - not a freaking single word uttered from their mouths about any of this. I don't give a damn about the "secrecy oath" that they were "sworn" to keep under "penalty of law"..

they should have held a full court press to tell all americans what the hell was going on in Congress and the White House back in 2002, with regard to domestic spying capabilities - the American people would have had the back of any single one those who would have stood on principle, in defense of the Constituion if threatened with prosecution.

I'm sick of these slimy weasles. I'm going to make it my next mission to determine which Senators and Represenatives were in these meetings. I hear Nancy Pelosi is one of them. She's going to hear from me. I think Diane Feinstein is on the Senate side, and she's going to hear from me. I guess Biden is too and perhaps Ted Kennedy. But I'm not sure which members were in those closed meetings. When I find out, I'll post those names here on the DU unless it comes out in the press.

I hope others will join me - because if any crime is impeachable this is it, and we MUST NOT allow the Media or Congress to give Bush a pass on this.

We simply must not allow that.

[mcctatas]

3. I just want to know when the people who considered a president lying

about a blow-job from an intern a "constitutional crisis" worthy of impeachment, will decide that a president unilaterally superceding the constitution and the law is worthy of the same title?! I am so angry my head is spinning, and it seems like people just don't get the danger this poses to democracy. The WH says it was just a few citizens with "contacats to Al Queda", but with an administration who writes thier own laws, who can say that the next step won't be one of us?! Even Reagan must be spinning in his grave, this is just like the tactics the Soviet gov't used against it's citizens.:grr::wtf: :nuke: :rant:

[Massachusetts]

4. "I just want to know"

Agreed! WHERE is the OUTRAGE from citizens and pols alike?

[leftchick]

11. In the same week they were caught with FBI files on Quakers??

There is no fucking way they were tracking just a few "al-qaida". I would bet there were NONE. The have done nothing to ensure our safety but everything to ensure themselves politically. Lying rat bastards.

[alarcojon]

5. Go Russ

It would be great if the phrase "King George" got uttered a few more times, and stuck in a few people's heads.

[badgervan]

16. Also a Violation of his Oath of Office

How bad have things gotten when a young Senator from Wisconsin speaks for more Americans than our President, boy george?
From the Presidential Oath of Office: "...preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." The Federal Communications Act criminalizes surveillance without a warrant. It is an impeachable offense.
boy prince has clearly violated the Constitution and the Geneva Convention. Without the "rule of law" we are no longer a democracy.
Why has Congress not exercised its responsibility? What else have bush/cheney done in the name of "executive privilege"? The abjucation of congressional power to the president is dangerous stuff - the time has come for Congress to put the brakes on our self-styled little napoleon's power grab(s). We have, or used to have, a congressionally mandated separation of powers in the United States for very good reasons.
This is a fact: If Congress allows boy prince to get away with this, then the Constitution is nothing more than a piece of paper.
Another fact: we have never had a formal declaration of war.
For all practical purposes, bush has crowned himself as emporer of our country - and Congress has gone along with it.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

28. Especially, "The Madness of King George"

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0110428/

A meditation on power and the metaphor of the body of state, based on the real episode of dementia experienced by George III . As he loses his senses, he becomes both more alive and more politically marginalized; neither effect desirable to his lieutenants, who jimmy the rules to avoid a challenge to regal authority, raising the question of who is really in charge.

[Vidar]

8. Applauding.

[Betsy Ross]

10. I've been waving my 13 stars and stripes flag saying

"Freedom from King George" for a number of years.

[More Than A Feeling]

12. It's an excellent talking point

"Who does he think he is, the King? Didn't we get rid of those already?" It's a an opening to discussing impeachment that everyone can understand. I already borrowed it for my letter to the editor

[gorgan]

14. King George

This is the name we all need to start calling him, not chimpy or shrub or whatever other pet name you might favor. King George, the Tyrant, and just about as batty as the original King George we rebelled against in the first place.

[alarcojon]

17. Exactly

We need to use it in LTTE's, conversations with the choir, and conversations beyond the choir.

[54anickel]

13. Go beyond "king" - use Bush's favorite - "dictator"

http://www.buzzflash.com/analysis/2002/10/29_Dictator.html

If Only I Were A Dictator, by George W. Bush

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ANALYSIS

Yes, George W. Bush has stated he'd prefer to be a dictator at least three times, according to BuzzFlash.com:

* * *

"You don't get everything you want. A dictatorship would be a lot easier." Describing what it's like to be governor of Texas.
(Governing Magazine 7/98)

-- From Paul Begala's "Is Our Children Learning?"

"I told all four that there are going to be some times where we don't agree with each other, but that's OK. If this were a dictatorship, it would be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator," Bush joked.

-- CNN.com, December 18, 2000

"A dictatorship would be a heck of a lot easier, there's no question about it, " said.

-- Business Week, July 30, 2001

[B3Nut]

31. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh. n/t

[Gregorian]

15. Is he reading DU? He must have read this thread...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x5623590

[MadJohnShaft]

19. But, oh dear, he strode up and made a bow and began "My Lords and Peacocks

Are there any phrases or lore about King George that are in the public eye? Need a good phrase on this to repeat ad nauseum. Funny history on King George III from Google...


"George's madness ultimately left the fate of the crown on his eldest son George, Prince Regent. Prince George was put in the daunting position of attempting to govern according to the increasingly erratic will of his father. A letter received by novelist E. M. Frostier from his aunt, Marine Thornton, describes the situation: "... there he was sitting on the Throne with his King's Crown on, his robes scarlet and ermine, and held his speech written out for him, just what he had to say. But, oh dear, he strode up and made a bow and began "My Lords and Peacocks'. The people who were not fond of him laughed, the people who did love him cried, and he went back to be no longer a king, and his eldest son reigned in his stead"."

[patricia92243]

20. Bush has always said it would be easier if the US had a dictator - and he

was that dictator. It was in Fahrenheit 9/11 and I have seen various news clips of him saying it - more than once.

[savemefromdumbya]

21. his blue blood

he thinks he's his ancestor King Richard. Maybe he'll go for the crown of England too?

[Spinzonner]

23. The Badness of King George

[Julius Civitatus]

24. Correction: He wouldn't act like a king without so many ENABLERS

Yes, that's right!

Without an army of asslickers in the media, lockstep Republicans and sheepish Democrats in both Congress and Senate, this clown wouldn't' be acting like a king, using our Constitution for toilet paper.

They know that well. We know that well.

What surprises and frustrates me to this day is that, five years into this disaster, witnessing violation after violation of our laws, civil rights and protections, they are still getting away with it. Nobody gives a fuck; with the exception of a very few courageous souls like Feingold, nobody dares to even criticize these atrocities.

[Eurobabe]

26. Can't we impeach this fucker yet? Purty puhlease??

[Dunvegan]

27. Acting like crazy King George indeed...

[orleans]

30. Feingold for president! (?) n/t

[Neecy]

32. notice the slant in the piece....

"Feingold, the only senator who initially opposed the Patriot Act, which was designed to protect Americans from terrorism..."

How they can still claim the media has a leftist bias with a straight face in beyond me...