I just wrote a letter to my Democratic congressman on his pro-torture vote

[Syrinx]

I always thought he was pretty good guy, Artur Davis. But then he voted for the bankruptcy "reform" bill. And now this.

Congressman Davis,

I was disheartened to see that you betrayed basic American values Wednesday.

Your vote, if agreed to in the senate, will give the executive truly authoritarian powers.

Persons accused by one man, will be locked up forever, in secret. They will be tortured. And for the lucky ones that receive a "trial," secret "evidence" will be used. Defendants will not be able to defend themselves because of this.

If that's not enough, you have given retroactive immunity to administration officials for the crimes they've already committed.

This would be the worst, most anti-American bill to ever pass the House, no matter who sat in the Oval Office, but to give this kind of totalitarian power to the likes of our current "leaders" is nothing less than madness.

Congressman Davis, you owe an apology to those of us who still believe in American values. On Wednesday, you betrayed your oath of office and spat on the Constitution. Frankly sir, I thought you were a better man than that.

Your predecessor, Earl Hilliard, is a sleaze-bag. That is why I voted for you when you challenged him. But I truly doubt Mr. Hilliard would have voted for that truly evil bill. I'm thinking now of writing his name on my ballot come November.

[babylonsister]

1. You rock! Clean, clear, you spoke your mind. I love it! nt

[Syrinx]

4. thanks!

I really want to like the guy, but this makes it pretty difficult.

[pat_k]

2. We get so wrapped up in lobbying before a vote, we often neglect to tell.

. . .them when they fail us. Thanks for taking the time to write your Congressman. If we don't condemn them for failure (and that includes Republicans), they can pretend we are AOK with their votes.

In future letters and calls (e.g., to lobby the Democratic leadership and our Senators, Republican or Democratic to filibuster), we can go a long way to killing this thing if we call it what it is:

War Criminals Protection Act of 2006.

If we use this label in our communications to Senators, editors, and others we "chat" with in cyberspace and the Real World, we can inject it into the noise machine.

Perhaps the most abominable, and sweeping, part of their attempt to protect themselves (page 79 of http://www.law.georgetown.edu/faculty/nkk/documents/MilitaryCommissions.pdf">Bush's version):

(b) RIGHTS NOT JUDICIALLY ENFORCEABLE.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—No person in any habeas action or any other action may invoke the Geneva Conventions or any protocols thereto as a source of rights, whether directly or indirectly, for any purpose in any court of the United or its States or territories.

So, now it's:

. . .We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain inalienable, UNENFORCEABLE, Rights.

The War Criminals Protection Act of 2006 has ONE goal -- to protect the War Criminals in the Executive Branch from prosecution for the war crimes they have committed (and continue to commit). This is what we need to focus on to kill this thing. No modification of provisions, no modifying definitions, can touch the contemptible goal.

The War Crimainsl Protection Act CANNOT be "fixed" -- it must be killed. Seeking to "fix" it just promotes the the Bush/Cheney/Rove propaganda that the Executive Branch requires unlimited power to "protect us."

[Syrinx]

6. I saw your thread about this right after composing my note

I think I'll work "War Criminals Protection Act" in before I mail it tomorrow. Good phrase!

[babylonsister]

9. "We get so wrapped up in lobbying."? That's a major problem imo. nt

[pat_k]

11. Not sure what your point is. My was that we must hit them before AND after

[pnwmom]

3. Please don't throw away your vote.

The Republican you help to elect will be the only one who will thank you. Do you think HIS vote would have been more to your liking?

The only way Democrats will be able to effect any change is if we win enough seats to give us a majority in the House and/or Senate. I, too, am disheartened that ANY Democrats voted for this bill. But we are still better off to keep these guys in office, because every House member we keep puts us that much closer to getting John Conyers in the driver's seat.

Do you like John Conyers? Do you want to see him in charge of the House? Then hold your nose and vote for your Congressman Davis.

[Syrinx]

5. Congressman Davis will win

He has no opposition. This is a very Democratic district. So no worries there. ;)

[babylonsister]

7. I'm happy for you! He has no opposition? Geeze,. Living

in TX, I cannot even imagine.

[Syrinx]

8. well it's a really squiggly district

If you know what I mean. That just makes it all the more unforgivable. He's going to win anyway. He should have voted on principle.

He has his eye on becoming the first African-American governor or senator from Alabama. And apparently he thinks his fellow citizens are fond of torture.

[pnwmom]

10. Thanks for the info.

I'm living in a state with a closer election coming up, and I'm sick of so-called progressives trashing the incumbant Democrat, who is light years ahead of the Rethug candidate.


:hi:

[derby378]

12. He should have thought of that before voting to allow torture

It's neither your fault nor mine. The fault rests solely on the shoulders of those who betrayed this country.

Oh, we'll vote, don't you worry. But we'll hold our noses whenever we come across any pro-torture "Democrat."

[Syrinx]

13. I hope Bell wins!

And I hope I got the name right. :)