U.S. civil-liberties board struggles into existence

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A civil-liberties board ordered by the U.S. Congress last year has never met to discuss its job of protecting rights in the fight against terrorism, and critics say it is a toothless, underfunded shell with inadequate support from President Bush.

Lawmakers including some Republicans, civil-rights advocates, a member of the Sept. 11 Commission and a member of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board have expressed concerns.

Lanny Davis, the only prominent liberal among the five people Bush nominated after a six-month delay, said he had not received a call from anyone related to the board since it was formally announced in June. Davis said he could not comment on specifics because the members had not yet met.

All four other panel members declined to comment.
.....
Asked why it was taking so long to set the board up, Connecticut Republican Rep. Christopher Shays charged, "It's not a priority for the administration."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/08/04/AR2005080400952.html

[Akoto]

1. "It's not a priority for the administration."

Heh. Yeah, civil liberties just get in the way when you're trying to dominate the planet.

[greekspeak]

2. Priority? This is worse than nothing

You don't put foxes in charge of the hen house. And you don't put four fascist puppets and a token "librul" in charge of a project where civil rights is the issue.

[wli]

3. no big surprise

Put a few shills on a fake civil rights org, business as usual with disappearing and torturing people.

[Triana]

4. Just like the EEOC...

...and any other gov't agencies in place to ensure equality and civil rights: all of them under bu$hit are underfunded shells with no support from the WeaselNazi in the White House.

Typical...