NYT Bob Herbert on Gore's speech:"Who Will Stand Up for the Constitution?"

[Nothing Without Hope]

For those without access to the Times Select editorials, here's a free link to the full-length Bob Herbert editorial:
http://nevadathunder.com/?p=1054

Here's a thread with dozens of links, including videos, audio, transcript and DU liveblog of the speech, response to the speech at DU and in the media, and response to the response to the speech (don't miss the Olbermann one - it's great, really smacks down Gonzales):
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x161222
thread title (1-17-06 GD): ***COMPILATION*** of links & DU threads on the historic 1/16 GORE SPEECH

And here's an excerpt from the Bob Herbert editorial. The last paragraph in this excerpt is especially killer:

http://select.nytimes.com/2006/01/19/opinion/19herbert.html?th&emc=th
Op-Ed Columnist

Who Will Stand Up for the Constitution?

By BOB HERBERT
Published: January 19, 2006

"Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."-BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

"Those who expect to reap the blessing of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
-THOMAS PAINE

Al Gore offered a civics lesson this week for anyone willing to listen. Speaking at Constitution Hall in Washington, the former vice president said:

"As we begin this new year, the executive branch of our government has been caught eavesdropping on huge numbers of American citizens and has brazenly declared that it has the unilateral right to continue without regard to the established law enacted by Congress to prevent such abuses."

Americans do not seem especially concerned about this incredible affront to the integrity of the government and the rule of law. The attitude of a slender majority seems to be that if the likes of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney see fit to dismantle the heretofore sacred system of checks and balances, so be it.

(snip)

I find it peculiar that an awful lot of Americans who would be outraged by the burning of the American flag are positively sanguine about the trampling of the Constitution.

One of the ugliest aspects of the Bush administration is the outright deceit that is such a major aspect of its modus operandi. Tens of thousands of men, women and children are tragically dead because of the war in Iraq, which was launched from a monstrous superstructure of deceit. Why wouldn't we expect the administration to deceive the public about the illegal spying of the National Security Agency?

(snip - read the whole thing)

This editorial has also been posted on in the Editorials Forum here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x185792

I have reposted it here because many people do not look at the Editorials forum and this column is not to be missed.

[Nikki Stone 1]

1. Definitely worth the read

Isn't Herbert usually pretty conservative?

[Nothing Without Hope]

3. No, quite the opposite. Check it out:

Here's a page with links to his columns:
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/editorialsandoped/oped/columnists/bobherbert/index.html

In case this doesn't work for non-Times Select people, here's some of the recent ones:

January 19, 2006
Who Will Stand Up for the Constitution?
Why wouldn' t we expect the administration to deceive the public about the illegal spying of the National Security Agency?

January 16, 2006
Judicial Gag Rule
I can understand why the Republican Party would want Samuel Alito on the Supreme Court. But why the general public would want him is beyond me.

January 12, 2006
The Lawbreaker in the Oval Office
The country has set the bar so low for the performance of George W. Bush as president that it is effectively on the ground. No one expects very much from Mr. Bush. He's currently breaking the law by spying on Americans in America without getting warrants, but for a lot of people that's just George being George. Forget the complexities of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or even the Fourth Amendment's safeguards against unwarranted (pun intended) government intrusion into matters that we have a right to keep private.

January 9, 2006
The Nixon Syndrome
Whether he knew it or not, President Bush was faced with a crucial philosophical choice in the frightening and chaotic aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. He could have followed the wise counsel of Edward R. Murrow, who memorably told us, ''We cannot defend freedom abroad by deserting it at home.'' But he didn't. He chose instead to follow the disturbing course mapped out by Barry Goldwater, who insisted, ''Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.''

January 5, 2006
Need Medicaid? Show Your Passport
Buried in the federal budget bill is a nasty little provision that will make it difficult for many U.S. citizens to get the health care they are entitled to under Medicaid.

(and many, many more)

[Nikki Stone 1]

22. excellent!

:kick:

[babylonsister]

2. Thanks; I miss having access to Herbert! nt

[Nothing Without Hope]

4. Need one more vote for visibility on the Greatest Page... n/t

[Nothing Without Hope]

5. Kick n/t

[mopinko]

6. a monstrous superstructure of deceit.

say it bob.

[Loge23]

7. Amazing how many just don't care

The apparent disregard for freedom and liberty by so many Americans is the most troubling aspect of all of this.
What kind of a country have we become?
Millions of Americans don't care if the government is monitoring their phone calls, checking out their weblinks, or even submitting them to body searches in order to board a airplane.
Why not just invite them in to search the house whenever they please? Pull us over in traffic and search the vehicle?
Install video cams in our homes to make sure we're consorting with "terrorists".
Terrorists whom, I should say, are making this administration.
This admin can't function without bin laden or his #2 thru 200. Whomever they may be or whether or not they are still alive.
Today's latest release allegedly from bin laden is proof of their unending campaign to freeze us with fear. All the while stealing our liberty from us.
The idiots that allow this to happen, as Ben Franklin observed, deserve it.

[Supersedeas]

9. Party line blinders.

[Nothing Without Hope]

8. kick n/t

[Bandit]

10. Major difference between Liberals and Conservatives

"Conservatives wrap themselves in the Flag and burn the Constitution while Liberals wrap themselves in the Constitution and burn the Flag."

[in_cog_ni_to]

20. I LOVE that quote! SPOT ON!

:thumbsup:

[Uncle Joe]

11. Great column!

"I find it peculiar that an awful lot of Americans who would be outraged by the burning of the American flag are positively sanguine about the trampling of the Constitution."

This paragraph is really astounding.

Kicked and nominated.



:kick:

[Nothing Without Hope]

12. Major update on the warrantless NSA spying - leaked DoJ docs to make

it "legal""

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2052322
thread title (1-19-06 LBN): Justice Department to declare warrantless wiretaps legal (leaked Doc)
Unitary Executive principle – in our faces. No wonder that “new bin Laden tape” was “discovered” just now. They want Alito confirmed so that this will be upheld – and it’s the precedent that will be used to “justify” Bush being an absolute king unchecked by Congress or laws.

[greiner3]

13. I still find it anti-eveything that the repugs are actually defending;

The practice. Sheeple need to wake up. My 75 yo dad got real upset the other day and said that the dictatorshop was already upon us. Has anyone heard anything about b*** being elected until the war is over? I haven't but I don't read as much as some in this forum do.

[Time for change]

14. It's great to see Gore getting some much deserved acclaim for his speech

Here's the quote I like the best:

"I find it peculiar that an awful lot of Americans who would be outraged by the burning of the American flag are positively sanguine about the trampling of the Constitution."

That's the difference between real concern about our country and hypocrisy disguised as patriotism.

[Nothing Without Hope]

15. kick n/t

[upi402]

16. It was a great speech

Still, Gore is a corporatist. He wont save any of us from any of them, when push comes to shove.

BUT! Scotty parroting that they hope Gore is our spokesman is interesting. They always taunt and dare the ones they fear. Failing that -it's character assassination on CNN, like Dean's YAAAAARGH!

[oasis]

17. Thanks for posting. Herbert was making his case on cable tv today.

[Nothing Without Hope]

18. Wish I had seen him. I hope someone posts a video clip.

If I see one, I'll post it in this thread, and I hope other people do the same.

[malaise]

19. Great article

one more K & R

[Nothing Without Hope]

21. kick n/t