Frist Makes Threat
by Pamela LeaveyThings are heating up over Bush’s “military tribunal” legislation, as Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has now issued an ultimatum on the so-called “dissidents’ detainee bill.” The gloves are off…
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist signaled yesterday that he and other White House allies will filibuster a bill dealing with the interrogation and prosecution of detainees if they cannot persuade a rival group of Republicans to rewrite key provisions opposed by President Bush.
Frist’s chief of staff, Eric M. Ueland, called the dissidents’ bill “dead.”
With Congress scheduled to adjourn in nine days, delaying tactics such as a filibuster could kill the drive to enact detainee legislation before the Nov. 7 elections, a White House priority.
Frist may think the “dissidents’ detainee bill” is “dead,” but not all members of the GOP feel that way. Bush is facing more problems in the House now, “where GOP moderates Christopher Shays (Conn.), Michael N. Castle (Del.), Jim Leach (Iowa) and James T. Walsh (N.Y.) publicly threw their support behind the bill opposed by the White House.”
The four Republicans told Majority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) that any House bill must maintain the dissidents’ principles.
Oh, but wait, it gets better… the WaPo reports that “legislation to authorize Bush’s warrantless wiretapping program” may also be in jeopardy.
Yesterday’s actions in the Senate “significantly dimmed prospects that Congress can complete its national security agenda before adjournment.”
Frist (R-Tenn.) acknowledged that a majority of the 100 senators back the rival group on military commissions but that there are not enough to block a filibuster, which requires a super-majority of 60.
The NY Times is reporting that “Seeking a deal with Senate Republicans on the rules governing the interrogation of terrorism suspects, the White House has dropped its insistence on redefining the obligations of the United States under the Geneva Conventions.”
We all know we can trust Bush about as far as we can throw him, this could well be a ploy for Bush to utilize the infamous Bush sighing statement after he has the bill in his hot little hands. Republicans who have been standing up to Bush on this issue, should hold their ground. Just say NO, to Torture.
Stay tuned for another episode of “As the GOP Turns”…
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I think the next bill for the Republicans will be the “Dissident Detainee Bill” where dissidents are detained. After all ‘if you are not with us you are against us’ is their motto.
When I was in High School and College, I learned about third world countries that used torture to get information. I was thankful for organizations like Amnesty Internation. To think that our nation, the United States of America, would EVER lead the charge to amend the Geneva Conventions to allow torture, to allow evidence obtained by torture into court, to deny suspects the right to see the evidence against them, and to excuse those who have tortured from prosecution makes me sick.
The world would have been so much better if JFK had won in 2004. But then again, just two years until 2008.
Bob
Bobs Advice
LOL! I was kind of thinking the same thing. They’ll look up all the Senators who don’t agree with them. I mean hello – what kind of language is this, calling Senators dissidents. What happened to a free country where peole can disagree.
Bob,
Agreed, compared to what I thought America was and represented, what it has turned out to be is so unbelievable and sickening, some days seem more depressing than the days I was clinically depressed enough to want to kill myself.
I see positives and cling to them. And counting down to 1/20/09 when John Forbes Kerry will hopefully be inaugurated as #44.