TIME TO SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT-"Enough is enough."

[kpete]

Walk out of the Capitol
by Bob Johnson
Thu Sep 21, 2006

It's time to shut down the government.

Torture.

The gutting of habeus corpus.

And now this.

An attack on Iran.

These people are lunatics. Insane, fascist, psychotic, psychopathic, sociopathic lunatics.

Our Democratic leaders must throw political calculation ito the wind. The future of our Republic is at stake. We must shut down the government.

Hillary Clinton, this is for you. Barack Obama, this is for you. Joe Lieberman. go fuck yourself. Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, time to stand up and say, "Enough is enough." Rahm Emanuel, I know you're a political prodigy, but we cannot afford to calculate any longer.

Throw down the gauntlet to these thugs and let Amrica decide: Do we want to live in fear and destroy the essence of what made us a great nation, or do we want to become all the things we've long despised?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/9/22/21657/8949

NYT Editorial
A Bad Bargain
Published: September 22, 2006

Even before the compromises began to emerge, the overall bill prepared by the three senators had fatal flaws. It allows the president to declare any foreigner, anywhere, an “illegal enemy combatant” using a dangerously broad definition, and detain him without any trial. It not only fails to deal with the fact that many of the Guantánamo detainees are not terrorists and will never be charged, but it also chokes off any judicial review.

The Democrats have largely stood silent and allowed the trio of Republicans to do the lifting. It’s time for them to either try to fix this bill or delay it until after the election. The American people expect their leaders to clean up this mess without endangering U.S. troops, eviscerating American standards of justice, or further harming the nation’s severely damaged reputation.

more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/22/opinion/22fri1.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

[fed-up]

1. Well said-why so many anonymous recs??? n/t

[galloglas]

9. Maybe, because

this article sums it up in a nutshell?

And it doesn't even take into account the passage of HR 4844 which, if not our extermination, is a gun to our heads.

How long will it be before HR4844 is amended to read, "only white male landowners" will beallowed to vote?

Personally, I'd like to see about 1000 recs to this. Commentary or not.

[libhill]

46. Repukes

have proven that they don't have the stability or maturity, or the responsibility to govern. The should never be allowed a majority again.

[Tin Man]

14. whole lotta anonymous recs these days

I've witnessed it happen on some of the Chavez threads too.

[Liberal Dose]

16. More often than not, someone has already said exactly what I would've.

:hi:

[Subdivisions]

18. If a post says it all, I will rec it without further comment. What's the

big deal anyway? As a matter of fact, I wouldn't have commented in this thread had you not asked your question.

[Union Label]

26. Moles trying to start shit

[mmonk]

2. Amen

When you're debating whether to support violating the constitution or not, you're stuck way TOO much on political calculation.

[Moochy]

29. Unalienable or alienable

unalienable rights or not.. that is the question. :kick:

[niallmac]

3. Pelosi and Rangel did me a favor.

We need a revolution inside our own Democratic Party. Pelosi and Rangel pandered
to Bush yesterday. Our party should not sit on the sidelines during a debate on torture.

Very few are willing to get behind in their house, credit card payments while living in
tents in Washington DC shutting down the government. We should not have to.
Our Democratic representatives should be screaming right now to smother
this crazy use of fear and hyper nationalism.

Hugo Chavez spoke up and for our knee jerk corporate owned representatives
that is just too over the top.

Today people will scold me for not keeping my cool and speaking with a more
conciliatory tongue.

Tomorrow will they wonder why they cannot speak at all?

[izzie]

4. I understand the feeling but the trouble is so many like it

Hard to understand but I guess we did not get all the royalist out and they have been breeding for 200 years. I could take Edward the eight, the peacemaker, but for the rest I am not sure about and ours seems to be acting like Nicholas the second. Not an ounce of reason and a big belief in he is always right.

[BootinUp]

5. The NYT editorial makes sense.

As for the other rant, well, its a bit overdone.

[rocktivity]

6. The Dems didn't know what the Repubs were going to put on the table

And hopefully, they knew that the "Repub revolt" was part of the script. So they were smart to keep silent. NOW they're in a position to criticize it!

:headbang:
rocknation

[populistdriven]

19. exactly, don't be baited Dems, let the Repukes reap the whirlwind

[formercia]

7. Define the Traitors and Patriots

Those who would make War on the Constitution and those who would stand by their oath and defend the Constitution.

What will it be, Ladies and Gentlemen? Our Fate is in your hands.

[radwriter0555]

31. So rig the elections in November to vote for GUY FAWKES.. THEN the

American people would ALL witness the horror for themselves without ANY shred of a doubt.

Democrats need to hack the elections.

[formercia]

38. Guy Fawkes never did get to blow up Parlament

someone ratted him out.

[acmejack]

8. I suggest those who remain silent show who they are!

You either support torture or you don't. This is not a matter of being tough, this is a matter of being a law abiding member of the international community or not. Take your stand. This is the time. I have no more patience for those who will not speak out for humanity!

I will not argue with the OP's depiction of the politicians, several of whom I have serious disagreement with. These matters are too grave for me to bother with those things now. I want the people on Capitol Hill, allegedly leaders, to take their positions and speak out and tell me, loud and clear, if they support the torturing of persons under the control of the United States.

If they do, I renounce them! Any person who suppoprts the torturing of another human being is not a person that I will follow. You may disagree, as is your right. But I subscribe to a set of personal principles which allow no compromise on this point.

[elehhhhna]

10. k 7 r13

[liberaldemocrat7]

11. The Republican party appears weak and vulnerable at the cash registers of

those companies that give them money.


To shut down the government you must shut down the companies that give them money. A telephone campaign demanding the CEOs of these companies get Bush and Cheney to resign leaving Dennnis Hastert as caretaker for 2 years or face losing your business for years.

[Lars39]

12. If the Dems walk out en masse, expect a terrorist attack shortly.

The yahoos have it set up so that whoever can make it back in would become our 'leaders'.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_05/011005E.shtml

[galloglas]

13. I wonder about our Military

They all took an oath to uphold the Constitution. Do they read Thai newspapers?

Better still, we ordinary Americans who pledge allegiance, do we remember Zocalo Square in Mexico City this summer when the election was stolen from Lopez-Obrador?

If on 11-9-2006, we Americans don't make that summer assemblage of peasants look like a Sunday School picnic, we might as well give it all up.

Any quibbles about that?

[populistdriven]

20. A military coup is an increasing possibility in the US

especially if it looks like the Dems will remain powerless

[magellan]

15. THIS is what I'm talking about!

Goddammit, how many times have we said they should get up and walk out? Remember those issues? Patriot Act II, Alito, warrantless illegal domestic wiretapping, Abu Ghraib, DSM...For fuck's sake. Now it's torture, and they're STILL engaging in polite discourse. "Quiet, let the Republicans screw themselves."

Great idea! Because you know, sitting back and watching state-sponsored torture and murder is so much more respectable than doing something to stop it! Right?

Dean is all about the economy this morning in the WSJ. Find the thread, I can't be bothered. Not that the economy isn't deadly important, but WTF? Why focus on the economy of a country so twisted beyond recognition at its very core that if the Dems did manage to save it it'd just be cash in the bank for a future theocon apocalypse?

Priorities. Principles. Speaking up about things that really matter, not the things that are of no import. The breaking of laws. The corruption of government. The propaganda, the LIES, the reconfiguing of what it means to be an American and who gets to stay and who has to go, slowly becoming dependent on WHAT YOU DARE TO THINK.

As far as I know, Keith Olbermann was the only statesman to speak out against that little tyrannical outburst from the lunatic king. I believe were it in his power KO would have personally locked monkey boy up and thrown away the key at that point.

Where is the Dem leadership? On ANY of this? I mean, when they aren't quivering in the corner, afraid to twitch for fear a Repug will accuse them of a moving violation?

[BeFree]

22. So.... you are saying:

That what we have here is a Republican Torture Program?

[populistdriven]

17. no one is going to shut down the capital,

there isn't enough popular support for this yet

let em burn this country to shit, when the middle class is in poverty

they will finally overcome their apathy, rise up and throw the rich bastards the fuck out of power. hopefully most of them will leave the us completely and take their money with them.

i wont be satisfied with anything short of this and it looks like we are powerless until then

so until these stupid fucks wise up the best thing to do is take care of our fellow liberals, if conditions become too intolerable i will leave the us for canada, if they actually attack iran, my papers will be updated and house will be for sale

i have zero tolerance for repukes, they just better stay the hell away from me

[jokerman93]

21. IF NOT NOW, WHEN?

k/r
Here's my comment:

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security."

[grizmaster]

23. If publicly denouncing the Geneva Convention

isn't enough to motivate our representatives I can't imagine what will.

I've already decided to work up a long talking points memo for myself and start calling every single Senator this weekend.

[Bandit]

24. Shut It Down!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This should be our new motto. This should be on every poster, on every flyer, on every protester's sign, on every pundit's lips, on every American's agenda...Shut It Down

[robertpaulsen]

25. I've had it with these muthafuckin neocons in this muthafuckin government!

Sorry, but when I see the words, "Enough is enough!" that's what I think of.

And that's exactly what the neocons are. Muthafuckin snakes!

[lonestarnot]

27. Shut the fucker down!

[fooj]

28. SHUT IT DOWN!

NOW!!!!

[Imagevision]

30. Lame Duck Bush time is slated for November 7th

[Bitwit1234]

32. How about this

My brother sent me a email about this article he found today..

The republicans stuck an rider in the Defense Bill. An amendment that would raise the Evangelical Church to almost cabinet status. It would make the preachers and ministers, people like dobson administrators.

They would take over all duties in this country pertaining to religion. And probably get all the faith based money bush is handing out. Can you believe this. How could a person supposedly elected to a position in congress and took the oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution try to gut it more than what they are doing. It is time that every single solitary republican is swept out of office and given jail time. HOW CAN THEY DO SUCH A THING.

[redacted]

33. Should have SHUT IT DOWN months ago!

[sarahlee]

34. Yes we should have

Maybe in Nov. 2004

http://pdamerica.org/petition/mcgovern-petition.php">

[Dystopian]

35. K&R......Thanks for posting. eom

[jarnocan]

36. DO something!!! Oct. 5th way beyond time -petitions aren't working -

http://worldcantwait.net/index.php

[Warren Stupidity]

37. Ok, but "fix this bill"?

There is no fix for a bill whose purpose is to legalize torture and secret tribunals. The only remedy is to defeat this legislation and denounce those who have proposed it and those who are supporting it.

[JRob]

39. We need to attack, attack, attack!!! No excuses about deplomacy...

just attack! God knows there's enough ammo. And when those fuck-heads come at us merely dismiss whatever they say with an attack. Or just tell 'em to go fuck themselves the country needs a break.

Show some fucking backbone!

That's got to work better than what been the MO.

[ninkasi]

40. kpete again you bring us a timely post

It's been going through my mind all day. My husband and I had to run a few errands, and every place we went seemed so normal, nobody pleading to heaven for a return of American values, not those of fundies, but the ones our Founding Fathers left us with. Every few minutes, I hear an echo in my mind...the president of my country is demanding the right to TORTURE other people.

He decides this based on his gut, apparently, but we all know that among the victims of torture will be many innocent people. We have been told for years that each and every detainee in Gitmo is guilty of the most heinous crimes, and is a terrorists.

Why, then, do we let some of them go from time to time? We apparently decide, after torturing them, that they are just innocent bystanders, caught up in the net Dubya cast after 9-11. We have obviously tortured innocent people. Bush wants to keep on doing this, apparently feeling that even if we torture 100 people, if even 1 is a terrorist, we have done the right thing.

Torture is never, under any circumstances, the right thing. It is not a sign of strength, but of weakness. It takes courage and real leadership to protect the country without abandoning the principles that our Founding Fathers fought for. It is a sign of a weak, bullying frat boy, who can't compete with other countries by displaying his intelligence. Bush is revealing himself to be a spoiled, arrogant punk, who relishes his power, and wants to use it.

The sooner we vote the enabling Republicans out of office, the sooner we can start rehabilitating our country.There is no danger from the outside, the real danger to our democracy comes from the ones in power now. We must oppose them at every opportunity.

[kpete]

41. Your concerns

are a mirror image of my own...

[Clarkie1]

42. This is troubling.

"Mr. Hadley reiterated that specific interrogation techniques will remain secret."

That must not stand. All interrogation techniques this bill would allow must be fully disclosed. We must fight any agreement that does otherwise and undermines the Geneva Conventions.

[w4rma]

43. Blah blah blah. Done venting? Do something productive please.

There aren't enough folks who would be willing to shut down the government to be able to shut down the government.

But a huge portion of the country will show up on election day to vote. I suggest that the more productive method of fixing our problem would be to convince more voters to vote Democratic on election day.

[niallmac]

47. True enough but faith in the system is faltering.

As long as we can say the system still works I agree with you.
I'm really wondering about the system though.

[pat_k]

44. the War Criminals Protection Act of 2006 -- Just Say NO!!

. . .and then get on the Impeachment bus!

This bill demonstrates clear malice aforethought and consciousness of guilt.

It is so painful to watch. Their silence on Impeachment is silencing them on this. It is stopping them from speaking many, many, other horrible truths about the criminals in the Executive Branch.

As long as they continue to say "Don't worry, we have no intention of Impeaching the man," they will continue to sound like morally confused mealy-mouthed morons.

And they will continue to betray their congressional oath; they will continue to be complicit with the war criminals.

We must find a way to save them from themselves, save ourselves, and save the nation.

[cosmicdot]

45. the Democrats could call for a moratorium on HAVA machine

voting and tabulators ... and call for paper ballots and hand votes in November

... but, I wouldn't want them to get their powder wet and look bad ... they should pick and choose their battles carefully ... I'm sure one will come along sooner or later ... :sarcasm:

it's on the saving of America at stake

oh, we'll have people on the ground just like we did in 2004 .. meanwhile, the GOP will be in cyberspace virtually controlling the votes ...

if Democrats regain control of the House and/or Senate, I'm not confident under Pelosi/Reid leadership that they'll do what many have hopes of them doing ... can't divide the Nation further ... time to move on (again) ... the criminals will once again get away just like they've done in the past ... a slap on the wrist will not save this country ... we really need to remove this cancer once and for all .. let the pieces fall ... or this country will continue its history based on a bunch of lies, corruption and fraud ... if a member of Congress feels threatened because of their own skeletons ... I say retire now. We need real leaders, not pseudo-leaders and corporate shills.