U.S. Attorneys Bill Still Faces GOP Opposition

[spotbird]

Despite White House approval, at least one Republican Senator still intends to object to a plan to limit Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ power to appoint interim prosecutors.

Rollcall by way of TPM Muckraker

Just how disruptive that objection will be is up to Kyl. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) intends to bring the legislation up for a vote "as quickly as possible," his spokesman tells Roll Call. By the rules of the Senate, which give individual senators considerable power to stymie legislation, Kyl could gum up the works with his objection, or he could simply sound his disapproval and let the bill come up for a vote.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Memo to the GOP: Go fillibuster yourselves. The American public

is watching. The world is watching.

[spotbird]

2. Do the Democrats have the nerve

to see this through? I've become pretty cynical about the Democrats role as an opposition party lately, perhaps they can take a step now to redeem themselves. The issues are quite clear. It's not as if there is a controversy about whether the administration abused its power, or that the Specter Amendment was good law.

[VegasWolf]

3. Maybe they''ll pass another non-binding resolution. nt

[spotbird]

5. That would show 'em. nt

[w4rma]

10. Put the blame on the Republican leadership or else you are falling into

the GOP trap to make you blame and attack your allies.

[spotbird]

11. If the Democrats were vigorously fighting

you'd have a point. If they don't your message is lost.

The Democrats can't expect us to pretend this is enough. No one, and I mean no one, worked harder for or wanted a majority more than me. But this is over the top. It's as if we only really have about thirty something Democrats, and fewer still with political courage to do what is right, even when the right thing is a no-brainer like this.

The Republicans aren't causing this disgust, not by a long shot. They are doing what they have always done, acting like the low down, lying, sneaky, dishonest,sleazy snakes that they are. It is our response to their predictable behavior that is falling short. Is there anything the Democrats won't roll over for?

[w4rma]

12. The vast majority of them are. (nt)

[spotbird]

13. I'm not being snarky,

but can you give some examples of the vigorous fight against this? The hearings were educational, but didn't change a thing. The administration will continue to ride rough shot over the Democrats unless or until the Democrats respond in kind, and nothing close to an in kind response has happened.

Time is of the essence here. What BushCo. has done here is deathly serious, it should provoke immediate aggressive response, not press releases and empty grandstanding.

[spotbird]

15. :::Crickets:::

If they aren’t fighting back, there isn't much point in calling them an opposition party.

[w4rma]

16. You know for a fact the entire progressive Caucus has your interests at heart and is fighting hard.

So, for now you'll have to settle for gut feelings and the knowledge that the entire Progressive Caucus has the same interests as you do and they know the nitty gritty of things and they are definitely fighting hard. The Progressive Caucus is the single largest Caucus in Congress, atm.

I just don't have the time to do the research to respond in more detail, right now.

[spotbird]

17. I don't need detail,

generalizations about real, substantive actions taken by Democrats to redress this outrage would be fine.

You can't give any because there aren't any. The Democrats have not earned blind trust, the public statements and gestures scream the priority this outrage is to them. It is just sad.

[rodeodance]

4. oh for C** sake-this is getting beyond silly--OBSTRUCTON!!

[rodeodance]

6. Kyl has already blocked the bill, authored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), once.

Kyl has already blocked the bill, authored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), once. Republicans blocked it a second time when Feinstein tried to attach it as an amendment to another bill.

[spotbird]

7. There must be something Kyl wants

more than to protect the administrations right to abuse its authority. Perhaps the Democrats should identify what that something is, and take it away from him.

[eyeontheprize]

8. This might mean that Gonzales

didn't really capitulate to Democratic demands last week. It is possible that he knew the legislation would be blocked by a Republican in the Senate, and his withdrawal of opposition was a ruse. It's just hard to believe that the administration would double cross congressional Democratslike this

[spotbird]

9. It is shocking really, just shocking.

</sarcasm>

[Kagemusha]

14. I knew it! Kyl's up to no good here. Damn him.

And I wonder if that White House approval is genuine.

[MasonJar]

18. I am stymied by this ungrateful attitude toward our dems in Congress.

They have been in a whirlwind ever since the beginning of January and have done a lot. Give credit where credit is due. There is 6 years of garbage to undo. It has barely been two months.

[spotbird]

19. Why aren't they grateful

to me for supporting them all this time? It is precisely the attitude you present with that statement that is the problem. They don't understand that they aren't doing us a favor. They are there to serve us, we favor them with our work, money and votes. If their service to the country means getting their hands dirty, they that's what they're going to have to do.

Listen, I'll be "grateful" when they act as angry as the situation warrants, when they dosomething. A historic, unprecedented loss of my rights is underway, it is time for action. Until then it is my right and duty to demand they act responsibly.