I can’t help chuckling as I read Glenn Greenwald’s post this morning reacting to today’s NYT story titled G.O.P. Senators Say Accord Is Set on Wiretapping

****Update*******

Welcome LGF readers. Thank you Charles for the link. Yes yes I know its LFG not LFG. I was so damn excited I typed it wrong. Thanks to Pat at Bainrstre (that’s Brainster for you non dyslexic folks) for pointing out I am a dumbass.

The article begins with a crushing blow to Dems like Greenwald who have been putting if not all most of their eggs in the NSA basket

WASHINGTON, March 7 — Moving to tamp down Democratic calls for an investigation of the administration’s domestic eavesdropping program, Republicans on the Senate Intelligence Committee said Tuesday that they had reached agreement with the White House on proposed bills to impose new oversight but allow wiretapping without warrants for up to 45 days.

The best part in the article may be from Jay Rockefeller:

The committee is, to put it bluntly, basically under the control of the White House,” said Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, the West Virginia Democrat who is vice chairman of the panel.

What makes it so funny is it seems the investigation into who leaked this classified program is narrowing and Rockefeller’s name keeps coming up.

Anyway back to GG. When this story first broke Glenn quickly took the lead posting almost daily with new arguments about why this program was illegal. Of course when he actually debated the issue with a legal scholar on the other side he was badly beaten.

Glenn does his best to spin the news and assure his minions that the fight is not over!

But in our system of government, we have multiple checks on government abuse. Congress is but one check. The media, intended to be the “Fourth Estate,” is another.

[O]ne must remember that there are numerous other branches of this scandal which are alive, well, and growing.

Sure thing Glenn. It seems despite Glenn’s reassurances some of his die hard fans are feeling a little down:

Allison said…
It’s disgusting, really disgusting, but your also right. The reality is that the Republicans control the Congress. Anyone who thinks that Republicans are going to be the key to bringing down the president is not thinking clearly. The Republicans are loyal to El Presidente no matter what.

We need to do it ourselves. “WE” being the people. A lot of people think thats naive. I think its the only thing that can save America.

akhenaten said…
Well, I appreciate that, Glenn. I shall allow myself to be soothed by the beige light of your reasoning. Because that vote got me so fucking mad I was ready to….well, I was ready to leave a RULLY MAD COMMENT! But, now, I shall leave only a mildly angry comment. Thanks for the downgrade.

paradox said…
It is profoundly naive. It’s also precisely what I’m going to attempt anyway in 20 minutes.

Harper Lee defined bravery as going ahead even though you know with certainty you’re going to lose or fail. I must be one seriously brave motherfucker, then, ’cause I’ve been screaming into the winds for five full years, into my sixth, and nothing has changed.

To call it discouraging is a gross understatement.

There could be no greater sin of Executive and CIC to lie about why he sent our servicepeople to their deaths, yet this felon was “re-” elected after doing precisely that.

This incredible little loser should have been easily stopped 5 years ago, but no normal prism of rationality ever works for George Bush, he is always forgiven.

awwww poor lil paradox that sneaky stupid crazy like a fox bushmchitler roadrunner is always one step ahead of the moonbats Coyote isn’t he?

Robert1014 said…
Paradox,

You’re wrong when you say “nothing has changed;” things have gotten WORSE.

The Republicans have been so quick and shameless in ceding all power to Bush, and they thus reap the rewards(either favors and power given, or punishment witheld); doesn’t it occur to ANY of them that they will not hold majority power forever? Sooner or later the Democrats–not by their own doing, apparently–will win majorities in Congress again, and perhaps even as soon as the next election, a Democrat will regain the White House.

I am at least glad to see I am no longer the only Democrat who sees his party as hopelessly lost. But Robert isn’t done yet:

Robert1014 said…

The real scandal of recent years is the degree to which the media has become a mere conduit for lies, sleaze, sensationalism, and propaganda.

The daily self-disgrace offered up by such as Tim Russert and Chris Matthews, among many others, as documented by Media Matters, tells the story. Until the mainstream media decides to tell a semblance of the truth, this govermnent will continue to suffer no consequence for their ongoing criminal enterprise.

If the moonbats can’t trust the media to be on their side then who can they trust?

smedley said…
Glenn- I wish I could share your optimism about the November election.

Michaelgalien said…
Glenn I read this article this morning as well (and wrote about it). It is too sick for words how everything went yesterday, but there is still a chance: the judiciary committee.

I almost feel bad for them. But wait there is hope Selise has the answer!

selise said…
maybe i should try to calm down…. but i really think it is likely that electoral politics is not going to be enough.

sadly, i see this being used to rig elections - and not by vote counting. blackmail a very few people - reports and political opponents and elections, like any contest, can be thrown.

i’m not suggesting capitulation - i’m suggesting (especially to myself) a realistic evaluation of what is is required. including personal risk taking.

VIVA LA REVOLUTION!

Related Posts:

The NSA Story A Layman’s Perspective
Robertson and Rockefeller leaked Top Secret NSA Program?
Was the NSA Program Legal?
How Serious is the Terrorist Threat to America?
Robert Turner Vs. Glenn Greenwald
Greenwald V. Turner Part 2
Greenwald V. Turner Part 3

Others blogging on this:

Just one Minute
the Jawa report points out the NYT is once again slanting the news.
I don’t think Prairie Weather has ever seen the Greenwald Turner debate. I love the comment by John more than the actualy post:

The obscene farce continues, unabated. Chief Fascist Republican swine Karl Rove faxes Congress with his orders of the day, and every gooper follows in precise formation, goose-stepping their way to the total destruction of the Constitution, and the now outdated concepts of judicial review and congressional oversight. An imperial presidency is now upon us.

I say again, and I’ll keep repeating it. Any American who votes in November for a Republican is a goddamned TRAITOR.

Oh John your doctor called you forgot to take your meds again.

The American Street continues the moonbat parade with this headline The GOP continues the felony coverup

Oh man every time I think I am done laughing I come across another one. Democratic Veteran is a little perturbed.

Hey, look! It’s the lying bastard republicans stripping away our civil rights, pissing on the Constitution, Fellating Beloved Leader and still getting to the bar for a tall, cold frosty one.

America Blog definitely takes a more moderate tone but thinks there is no such thing as a moderate Republican.

No matter how much Olympia Snowe tries to spin this, she caved to Bush, again. There really are no Republican Senators who actually stand up to Bush — and there is NO SUCH thing as a moderate Republican Senator:

Once again the comment section is far better than the actual post:

Run people run the Nazi’s are here…
No Shit.
john

They must have some naked photos of Olympia Snowe (urp) which they used as “leverage”.
Yonkers

Nazis–there’s no need for an apostrophe! SHEESH.

Yes, the Nazis are here. They’ve been here for six years. And people still won’t fully wake up!
clementine

Undoubtedly the NSA has a nice neat stack of files with the fine senators names on em….yup, sounds about right.

.
ShockNAppalled

Just another leak in the levee, so to speak. If it weren’t for scumbags like my state’s Sen. Lieberman lending the occasional finger to forestall the inevitable deluge, little georgie would be drowning like those poor folks down in NOL right about now, but nooooooo… I can picture shrub and his enablers plugging away like some kind of demented game of Twister. If only we could wake up from this continous nightmare that is the US of A, fuckin’ embarressement of the globe, we are….
the kid

No moonbat party is complete without a little “jews are taking over the world” conspiracy theory:

Kid…I think Lieberman is a Mosad agent.
Salminio

Cowboy Bob raises the conspiracy theory anti:

The last Senator that had the balls to stand up to Bush and his criminal syndicate was murdered along with his family.
Cowboy Bob |

Some moonbats vow to continue the fight!

t ain’t over yet. It’s never over.

Keep fighting.

I intend to drive the ReThuglicans into the sea.

If it takes a hundred years.
.
A. Citizen

BUSH CANNOT BE REASONED WITH. ANYONE WHO THINKS THEY CAN NEGOTIATE WITH HIM IS CRAZY.

HELL, HE STARTED THE IRAQ WAR BECAUSE HE REFUSED A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT AND EXILE FOR SADDAM.

HE’S JUST A TOTAL NUTCASE WHO WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO GET EVERY PART OF THE GOVERNMENT UNDER HIS CONTROL.
Bush Bites |

*********Update**********

All Things Beautiful takes a bit more diplomatic tac with The Democrats Declare A National Day Of Mourning

Yet she has still drawn the attenion of the Kos kids.

The fact that the Republicans, like All Things Beautiful, have gotten to the point where they get hysterical at the slightest sign of dissent shows how desperate they have become. The fact that Tony Blair claims that he has a hotline to God shows how desperate and insecure he and the rest of the Bush apologists have become as the failure of the War in Iraq is becoming more and more obvious to all.

Stop The ACLU tells us that the ACLU is very disapointed. awwww.