Glenn Greenwald highlights how Harry Reid et al have been bought and paid for:
Harry Reid -- who has (a) done more than any other individual to ensure that Bush's demands for telecom immunity and warrantless eavesdropping powers will be met in full and (b) allowed the Republicans all year to block virtually every bill without having to bother to actually filibuster -- went to the Senate floor yesterday and, with the scripted assistance of Mitch McConnell and Pat Leahy, warned Chris Dodd, Russ Feingold and others that they would be selfishly wreaking havoc on the schedules of their fellow Senators (making them work over the weekend, ruining their planned "retreat," and even preventing them from going to Davos!) if they bothered everyone with their annoying, pointless little filibuster.
To do so, Reid announced that, unlike for the multiple filibusters from Republican colleagues, he would actually force Dodd and company to engage in a real filibuster ...
Ahem, Mr. Reid, Chris Dodd has a 'D' next to his name. You know, he's on your side. Or do you have a problem because Chris Dodd has more ethics in his little finger than you have in your whole body? An elected representative who wants to do what his constituency demands, as opposed to, say, the telecom lobbyists? Go figure.
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That is what Democrats have been urging Reid to do to the filibustering Republicans all year -- in order to dramatize their obstructionism -- but he has refused to make them actually filibuster anything, generously agreeing instead that every bill requires 60 votes. Instead, he reserves such punishment only for the members of his own caucus trying to take a stand for the rule of law and the Constitution, those who are trying finally to bring some accountability to this administration. [all ems in orig]
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No impeachment, giving in to everything Bush wants, and forcing fellow Dems to deal with an obstacle course of congressional protocol when Rethug criminals get a pass. Is he the Democratic leader in the Senate or a Republican plant? Hard to tell nowadays. Can somebody tell Harry that we voted a Dem majority to stop the criminal looting of our rights and solvency? If we wanted to keep getting fucked over, we would have voted for Republicans.
And an addendum: Just in case it's been forgotten during the last 7 years, we don't pay our reps and senators to party with the rich folks. We pay them to do the nation's business. They get too much time off as it is. I wonder if any of 'em could hold down a real job. They all should be paid like piece-workers and we might get something done.
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