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March 21, 2006
Why I Fully Support Bush Censure
By Sen. Tom Harkin, Iowa
Tomharkin.com
March 16th, 2006
We have a President who likes to break things. He has broken the federal budget, running up $3 trillion in new debt. He has broken the Geneva Conventions, giving the green light to torture. He has repeatedly broken promises - and broken faith - with the American people. And now, worst of all, he has broken the law.
In brazen violation of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), he ordered the National Security Agency to conduct warrantless wiretaps of American citizens. And, despite getting caught red-handed, he refuses to stop.
Let's be clear: No American - and that must include the President - is above the law. And if we fail to hold Bush to account, then he will be confirmed in his conviction that he can pick and choose among the laws he wants to obey. This is profoundly dangerous to our democracy.
So it is time for Congress to stand up and say enough! That's why, this week, Senator Russ Feingold proposed a resolution to censure George W. Bush for breaking the FISA law. And that's why I fully support this resolution of censure.
Nothing is more important to me than the security of our country. Of course, we need to be listening to the terrorists' conversations. And sometimes there is not time to get a warrant. That's why the FISA law allows the President, when necessary, to wiretap first, and obtain a warrant afterward. But that's not acceptable to this above-the-law President. He rejects the idea that he should have to obtain a warrant before or after wiretapping.
We have an out-of-control President whose arrogant and, now, illegal behavior is running our country into the ditch. It's time to rein him in. And a fine place to start is by passing this resolution of censure. I hope that Senator Feingold's measure will be brought to the floor. And when it is, I will proudly vote yes.
Posted by mwblog at March 21, 2006 10:04 AM
Comments
Call me old-fashioned, but I tend to go along with the guys who got together in 1787 and shortly thereafter and came up with the US Constitution and basic Bill of Rights. I agree with every word that Sen. Harkin puts forth in defense of Sen. Feingold's censure resolusion. But I'd like to see the cesure happen before 2007, and that's the earliest I can actually make myself into a Senator.
I'd like to hear a lot more Senators take stands similar to that just taken by Sen. Harkin. Two-thirds of the Senate isn't up for re-election in 2006; therefore, at least two-thirds can afford to take a stand. Let's hear it!
Posted by: David Hoag
at March 22, 2006 03:46 PM
Recently I've seen a clip on tv of the president saying that the talk of using nukes on Iran is just "wild speculations". But the fact apparently is that those words of striking Iran took place.
That makes me feel a total lack of words.
I hope that someone says to Bush that if he does strike Iran he will be instantly and unanimously evicted from office and removed from the good side of the ledger of history.
And I can't bear the thought that ANYONE would support ANOTHER act of war by this man.
Posted by: goodofwar
at April 12, 2006 07:45 PM
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