I was wrong

[pecunium]

It seems the early returns I saw were on a different bit of the fight over this.

The real numbers are worse.

65-34.

Only one republican voted against it (Chafee) and 12 dems voted for it.

Word on the street is that people are afraid that filibustering it will hurt them, given what happened last time around (with "principle votes" wherein the elected official votes the way he thinks will make him look good, because the margin is so lop-sided [like say an bill to make teaching physics to anyone who wasn't 18] that voting against the way the bill comes out is just a parlor trick, a bit of theater to make it look as if one has priciples) there doesn't seem to be any reason to not filibuster. To not actually show some principles.

So, the offending Democrats are :Carper (Del.), Johnson (S.D.), Landrieu (La.), Lautenberg (N.J.), Lieberman (Conn.), Menendez (N.J), Nelson (Fla.), Nelson (Neb.), Pryor (Ark.), Rockefeller (W. Va.), Salazar (Co.), Stabenow (Mich.).

Jeffords voted against it.

This is going to be a nasty can of worms to try and fix.

Comments

I am now officially ashamed of being an American

[dragonet2.livejournal.com]

And I don't know what to do. I have a feeling that the next elections are going to be rigged anyway, and any amount of lobbying by the people is going to matter absolutely nothing. We got a party in power that doesn't give a shit about anyone who isn't a millionaire, and doesn't care about cheating either. Those people I loathed in college are in power and it's about as depressing as it can get for me. And the "opposition" party is being called disloyal if they are too vocal about their opposition and are caving to it, becoming weak-willed shit bags.

The other alternative to rigged elections is that in 2008 we are going to be put on permanant emergency and the repugs will announce Bush our Dear Ruler.

Doesn't make much difference.

I vote every chance I get but it ain't making any change. The folks I vote for lose except the local folk.

I don't know if the military can make an answer, I expect that the rank and file are to obedient to say, "Wait, I swore to uphold the constitution. WTF?" (I'm not positive about what involves being sworn in as an officer and I don't think enlisted have to swear an oath, I am probably wrong, it's been too long.)'

I don't know if we the people can make an answer, too many want security and they don't realize that it's eventually going to cost freedoms that involve them at the most personal level (like freedom to travel from state to state).

I don't want to emigrate, I'm too much in debt plus I love my city and house. It may get to a point where I want to go to Auz or Canada, but not just yet. But I wonder when it will.

I despair.

Re: I am now officially ashamed of being an American

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

We swear an oath, it's not much different from the officers.

On my bad days, I see civil war.

On my not so bad days I see dark times ahead, and a return to sanity (which requires turning the bums out. After that I don't know what it needs to prevent their return, but that has to happen too).

On my really bad days I see neither of those.

TK

Re: I am now officially ashamed of being an American

[juliansinger.livejournal.com]

On my somewhat bad days I see war, and not a civil one.

This entire thing just chills me.