Rethugs trying to derail Sen. Intel bill cuz of Kerry/Kennedy amendments

[TayTay]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2329657&mesg_id=2329657

This thread in DU has a lot of the text of a WaPo article for Friday 12/23 that says that the Rethugs will not pass the Senate Intelligence Bill unless the Kerry & Kennedy Amendments are taken out of it. Action has been delayed until late Jan. when the House gets back.

from the aricle:

Democrats were informed last week that Republicans would clear the bill if three amendments, two by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and one by Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), would be stripped from the consent agreement.

But Democrats balked because Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), the chairman of the Senate intelligence panel, had agreed to the amendments. Roberts's staff did not return calls for comment yesterday.

Kerry's amendment would require the director of national intelligence to give the intelligence panels information on secret CIA prisons in several Eastern European democracies and in Asia.

Kennedy's amendments would require the White House to turn over copies of daily intelligence briefs that President Bush and former President Bill Clinton reviewed on Iraq.

Bastards. The least call for accountability and responsibility by the Bush government and these jerks balk at it. Looks like another fight that will be brewing after the holidays.

I hope the Senate stands up for these amendments. (Which, as a Mass person make me so proud. I just love it when MA Senators get so in your face with the Rethug meglomaniacs.) It certainly looks like Sen. Kerry has pissed off all the right people. :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: :loveya:

I think this one is going to require a whole lot of LTTE. That, plus the Pattriot Act will come up for renewal in late Jan again and I bet the Rethugs try and paint the Dems, incluidng the MA Sens, as unpatriotic because they dare to question the Madness of King George. This is gonna get good.

Link for text of Sen. Kerry's clandestine prisons amendment: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=273&topic_id=60334&mesg_id=60377

[ProSense]

1. This is definitely a sign Kerry is throwing left hooks.

Kerry's clandestine prisons amendment was already a blow, but he's in it for the battle against their questionable secret operations and thuggery.

The Republicans are shameless and can never be counted on to act responsibly in their role as an oversight body.

It's a fight worth watching as it may well set the tone for next year leading up to the elections.

[karynnj]

2. Yay Massachusetts!

You would think with the outrage over spying and torture, the Bush administration would have let these be - Kerry's only gives secret information to Senators with a need to know. There must be more going on then we know or this shouldn't be a problem. (I think we now know why Kerry mentioned the Defense bill was held up because they wanted to defend torture as many times as he did.)

With Kennedy's you wonder what could have been there - in addition to what is already public. Well, how long did we have to demand Nixon's tapes? If anything, The Senators' requests are extremely important - and Kerry had over 80 Senators back him - you would think the Democrats could stress that - this is a very reasonable bill.

As to the Republicans calling your Senators names, when did they stop? The RW has hated both of them for decades. (Haven't they learned that pissed off Kerry is a much better fighter than happy Kerry?)

[TayTay]

3. If the Rethugs started being nice, well, I would know something was up

They hate Kerry & Kennedy with a deep purple passion. They also hate Sens. Durbin, Dorgan, Reid, Levin and a whole lot of others. But they just get such a kick out of beating that 'Mass liberal' thing around. It's just sad to be a Rethug, honestly.

[karynnj]

5. and as you've said a million times they must be doing something right

if they're hated that much.

I really do wonder what's in the pre-war stuff. We already know so much, it seems hard to believe there's enough left to justify the kind of fight they putting up on Kennedy's bills. (Also, you wonder why Kerry could get so few Senators to sign his DSM letter - which only asked that Roberts do what he already said he would do. Why didn't Feingold sign - the only thing I can think of is the Republicans traded some favors on this or threatened people,)

Kerry's really is the same position as McCain was on torture, but without the media support. The overwhelming support of Congress was behind this bill - which has to mean Republicans were politicly afraid to vote against insuring that Congress get the oversight that the Constitution clearly gives them. Hopefully this will just give Kerry the platform for another wonderful speech explaining the constitution and the founders concerns with checks and balances.

Human rights and international law - all Kerry issues. (If you think about it, if the country rejects international law, human rights and the rule of law as stated in the constitution - Kerry shouldn't be the Democratic candidate. His whole career is deeply tied to these things and they are embedded in his value system. If the country, seeing where Bush is heading us, reacts with horror - Kerry has more standing on these issues than anyone. (even on torture, he can stand head to head with McCain)

[rox63]

4. I love our Senatahs!

They are still fighting the rethugs in the trenches of the Senate. Sending lots of :loveya: :loveya: :loveya: their way.

[whometense]

6. The Carpetbagger takes note.

http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/6165.html

One Senate Republican insults our Intelligence
Posted 11:19 am

For the first time in 27 years, a senator (a Republican who prefers to remain anonymous) has blocked the Senate Intelligence authorization bill. You'll never guess why.

Senate Republicans late Wednesday blocked the authorization bill that guides the country's intelligence programs. It was the first time in 27 years that the bill had failed to pass before the end of the calendar year. <…>

Democrats were informed last week that Republicans would clear the bill if three amendments, two by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.) and one by Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.), would be stripped from the consent agreement. But Democrats balked because Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), the chairman of the Senate intelligence panel, had agreed to the amendments. Roberts's staff did not return calls for comment yesterday.

Kerry's amendment would require the director of national intelligence to give the intelligence panels information on secret CIA prisons in several Eastern European democracies and in Asia. Kennedy's amendments would require the White House to turn over copies of daily intelligence briefs that President Bush and former President Bill Clinton reviewed on Iraq.

In other words, a Republican senator is blocking funding for intelligence programs, during a war, because the spending bill includes language that demands some accountability from the Bush administration. If the bill dropped the oversight provisions, the anonymous hold would disappear.

Your Republican Party at work.


Post Script: This is probably a little off-topic, but the story reminded me of a major part of last year's presidential race. Just a year ago, the Bush campaign and the RNC blatantly lied (repeatedly) about John Kerry's votes on Senate Intelligence authorization bills as part of a ridiculous, demagogic, and ultimately successful smear job. To hear the GOP tell it, if you don't support the intelligence budget, you don't support national security. I obviously don't expect the White House and the RNC to hold their own to similar standards — consistency is not their strong point — but I wanted to mention it anyway.