Rockefeller and Dems Call BS on Bush.

[Bronco_Beerslug]

Looks like they didn't back King George's little spy program after all.


-------------------------------------------------------------
By KATHERINE SHRADER, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Some Democrats say they never approved a domestic wiretapping program, undermining suggestions by
President Bush and his senior advisers that the plan was fully vetted in a series of congressional briefings.

"I feel unable to fully evaluate, much less endorse, these activities," West Virginia Sen. Jay Rockefeller, the Senate Intelligence Committee's top Democrat, said in a handwritten letter to Vice President
Dick Cheney in July 2003. "As you know, I am neither a technician nor an attorney."

Rockefeller is among a small group of congressional leaders who have received briefings on the administration's four-year-old program to eavesdrop — without warrants — on international calls and e-mails of Americans and others inside the United States with suspected ties to al-Qaida.

The government still would seek court approval to snoop on purely domestic communications, such as calls between New York and Los Angeles.

Some legal experts described the program as groundbreaking. And until the highly classified program was disclosed last week, those in Congress with concerns about the National Security Agency spying on Americans raised them only privately.

Bush, accused of acting above the law, on Monday issued a forceful defense of the program he first authorized shortly after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. His senior aides have stressed the program was narrowly targeted at individuals with a suspected link to al-Qaida or affiliated extremist groups. And Bush said it was "a shameful act" for someone to have leaked details to the media.

He bristled at the suggestion at a White House news conference that he was assuming unlimited powers.

"To say 'unchecked power' basically is ascribing some kind of dictatorial position to the president, which I strongly reject," he said angrily. "I am doing what you expect me to do, and at the same time, safeguarding the civil liberties of the country."

Despite the defense, there was a growing storm of criticism in Congress and calls for investigations, from Democrats and Republicans alike. Until the past several days, the White House had only informed Congress' top political and intelligence committee leadership about the program that Bush has reauthorized more than three dozen times.
(CONTINUED)
http://tinyurl.com/a3huy

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Dueling Quotes

He [Bush] bristled at the suggestion at a White House news conference that he was assuming unlimited powers.

"To say 'unchecked power' basically is ascribing some kind of dictatorial position to the president, which I strongly reject," he said angrily.

"If this were a dictatorship, it'd be a heck of a lot easier, just so long as I'm the dictator."

- pResident Pinhead

Here's the bottom line:

If the pinhead wanted the power to spy on suspected terrorists, he could have just as easily obtained such power the legal way, i.e., through the FISA court. Instead, and in keeping with his track record, he chose to say "f_ck you" to judicial oversight, the Constitution, the rule of law, etc.

If this isn't the behavior of a man who wants to be a dictator, then I don't know what is.

[Rigs11]

Looks like the ANWR drilling has been approved in the House since those sneaky Reps attached it too a defense bill. ****ers.

House OKs Budget Cuts, ANWR Oil Drilling

House Passes Budget Cuts, Oil Drilling After Marathon Struggle, Sends Bills to Senate

By DAVID ESPO AP Special Correspondent
The Associated PressThe Associated Press

WASHINGTON Dec 19, 2005 — The House voted to cut a thin slice off federal deficits and sink oil drills into the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge early Monday, quelling Democratic opposition in a marathon struggle ending near dawn.

The votes sent both bills to the Senate, where the GOP leadership vowed to clear them for President Bush's signature with a year-end flourish.

Bush sounded eager. "We must restrain government spending. And I'm pleased that the House today has voted to rein in entitlement spending by $40 billion, and I urge the United States Senate to join them," he said at a White House news conference.

Democrats were scathing. "As the Bible teaches us, to minister to the needs of God's creation is an act of worship, to ignore those needs is to dishonor the God who made us," said House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi of California. "Let us vote no on this budget as an act of worship and for America's children."

Both year-end bills were crafted to satisfy GOP conservatives who hold sway in the House and Senate, yet tempered to hold the support of party moderates whose votes are necessary for passage over strong Democratic opposition.

The Alaska oil provision was grafted onto a $453 billion spending bill for the Pentagon, a measure that also reflected conservative priorities with a 1 percent spending cut across hundreds of federal programs. Yet the same legislation included an additional $29 billion in funding for victims of Hurricane Katrina, as well as an extra installment of low-income heating assistance for the poor.

Overall, the deficit reduction bill claimed savings of $39.7 billion over five years, 2.5 percent of the $1.6 trillion in total red ink that congressional officials estimate will pile up for the same period.

The savings included $4.8 billion from Medicaid, the health care program for the poor, and one key provision is designed to make it harder for beneficiaries to transfer assets to their children in order to qualify for government-paid nursing home care.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=1422501

[alkemical]

I think i'm going to move to NH and join the sucession movement.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Looks like the ANWR drilling has been approved in the House since those sneaky Reps attached it too a defense bill. ****ers.


Another sneak attachment authored by the same oil industry whore who refused to allow the oil execs to be put under oath for that congressional hearing re: price gouging.

I'm just as disgusted with the spineless Dems who said they would stay in DC to fight this to the end. Shame on you!

[Rigs11]

Another sneak attachment authored by the same oil industry whore who refused to allow the oil execs to be put under oath for that congressional hearing re: price gouging.

I'm just as disgusted with the spineless Dems who said they would stay in DC to fight this to the end. Shame on you!

I'm disgusted too. The Dems need to get their **** together and come out and stand up to this.I know that elections are coming up and they don't want what happened to Kerry to happen again as being accused of not supporting a defense bill in a time of war.Still there is very little media coverage of this. The Dems need to make some noise.

[Rigs11]

Denied. Nice try shetbags.

Senate blocks attempt to allow drilling in Alaska refuge

Wednesday, December 21, 2005; Posted: 12:49 p.m. EST (17:49 GMT)

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate blocked oil drilling in an Alaska wildlife refuge Wednesday, rejecting a measure that had been put into a must-pass defense spending bill in an attempt to garner wider support.

Drilling supporters fell four votes short of getting the required 60 votes to avoid a threatened filibuster of the defense measure over the oil drilling issue. Senate leaders were expected to withdraw the legislation so it could be reworked without the refuge language. The vote was 56-44.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/12/21/arctic.drilling.ap/index.html

[Spider]

Thats how itworks , they put somthing like ANWAR o na defense bill and if you vote against it , you hate the troops , you love terrorist , you hate defending America , and you are known to listen to Barry Manilow on the weekends .........

[alkemical]

Or you name it Protecting America Through Requistioning Igloo or Town act or something like that, but shorten it so it's PATRIOT :)

[Spider]

Or you name it Protecting America Through Requistioning Igloo or Town act or something like that, but shorten it so it's PATRIOT :)
;D that will work

[RaiderH8r]

Thats how itworks , they put somthing like ANWAR o na defense bill and if you vote against it , you hate the troops , you love terrorist , you hate defending America , and you are known to listen to Barry Manilow on the weekends .........
Yup, it will make a nice 30 second spot come election time. :thumbs:

[Spider]

Yup, it will make a nice 30 second spot come election time. :thumbs:
;D all we need is Barry Manillow stickers ...... Just as soon buy a house with no insurence on the San Adreas fault ......

[RaiderH8r]

;D all we need is Barry Manillow stickers ...... Just as soon buy a house with no insurence on the San Adreas fault ......
I just hope they do EXACTLY as Sen. Durbin said. We need to pull all political money out of this bill so that we can get to the bipartite task of funding our troops. I wonder what Durbin's reaction would be to pulling the hurricane relief funding and LIHEAP funding out of this bill..... I say yank it all out, scuttle the bill and watch Durbin cry while you brow beat him with his own words. Same goes for Kerry, Cvntsmell, BoxMuncher, and the whole lot. 2,000 acres out of 19 million, and the 2K are arctic tundra. If you can find me 100 people over 10 years who will visit the 2K acres in question on anything other than work related or scientific endeavors I'll concede that it is a tourist industry and needs to be protected. Good fvcking luck. Clearly 2,000 acres of arctic tundra trumps funding the troops and DoD, hurricane relief, LIHEAP, and a sh!tload of other measures contained within the bill. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you a line of sh!t.

Yank EVERY single penny not related to DoD spending out of this bill.

[alkemical]

why doesn't congress take a 100k pay cut and then use the money for short fallings in budget meetings?

[Spider]

I just hope they do EXACTLY as Sen. Durbin said. We need to pull all political money out of this bill so that we can get to the bipartite task of funding our troops. I wonder what Durbin's reaction would be to pulling the hurricane relief funding and LIHEAP funding out of this bill..... I say yank it all out, scuttle the bill and watch Durbin cry while you brow beat him with his own words. Same goes for Kerry, Cvntsmell, BoxMuncher, and the whole lot. 2,000 acres out of 19 million, and the 2K are arctic tundra. If you can find me 100 people over 10 years who will visit the 2K acres in question on anything other than work related or scientific endeavors I'll concede that it is a tourist industry and needs to be protected. Good fvcking luck. Clearly 2,000 acres of arctic tundra trumps funding the troops and DoD, hurricane relief, LIHEAP, and a sh!tload of other measures contained within the bill. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling you a line of sh!t.

Yank EVERY single penny not related to DoD spending out of this bill.

Well you can justify it any way you want still chickenshít politics ......
I dont think Katrina monies should be attached to a defense Bill either ....
Military should have their own Budget on this , Katrina , and all the others can come from a new bill .......
This will sound cold , but Katrina already happened , things will not get much worse for those people then it already is , We cant say the same for our troops ............

[Spider]

why doesn't congress take a 100k pay cut and then use the money for short fallings in budget meetings?
Word is Delay can afford it .........

[Spider]

Oh and for ANWAR ...... out of site out of mind huh ? ........Earth first .We have plenty of time to screw up the other 8 planets ............

[alkemical]

Word is Delay can afford it .........


shaite, no congressman should make over $60k TOPS IMO.

[RaiderH8r]

Well you can justify it any way you want still chickenshít politics ......
I dont think Katrina monies should be attached to a defense Bill either ....
Military should have their own Budget on this , Katrina , and all the others can come from a new bill .......
This will sound cold , but Katrina already happened , things will not get much worse for those people then it already is , We cant say the same for our troops ............
Roll hurricane relief, LIHEAP, and a couple of other desperately wanted programs into a bill with ANWR and Coastal drilling in a budget reconciliation bill where royalties from the drilling go to fund the aforementioned projects. See where priorities lie then. You have spending measures and the revenue measures to pay for them rolled into the same bill. It is then germaine and fully within the rules of both Houses...and not subject to filibuster. Don't budge an inch, lose ANWR or coastal drilling, lose all projects wholly or partially funded by the royalties from those measures. Bang, you'll see that the left would, again, side with the arctic tundra and religious left. ANWR is roughly the size of South Carolina (20 million acres v. 19 million acres in ANWR) ANWR is larger than ten different states.

[RaiderH8r]

Oh and for ANWAR ...... out of site out of mind huh ? ........Earth first .We have plenty of time to screw up the other 8 planets ............
Give me a call when cold fusion so much as heats a cup of tea. Until then I go with what I know.

You bet out of sight. Wouldn't you prefer it that way? Isn't that the crux of the whole discussion of "ruining pristine wilderness"? Pristine wilderness my a$$. It's Siberia without the appeal.

[Spider]

Roll hurricane relief, LIHEAP, and a couple of other desperately wanted programs into a bill with ANWR and Coastal drilling in a budget reconciliation bill where royalties from the drilling go to fund the aforementioned projects. See where priorities lie then. You have spending measures and the revenue measures to pay for them rolled into the same bill. It is then germaine and fully within the rules of both Houses...and not subject to filibuster. Don't budge an inch, lose ANWR or coastal drilling, lose all projects wholly or partially funded by the royalties from those measures. Bang, you'll see that the left would, again, side with the arctic tundra and religious left. ANWR is roughly the size of South Carolina (20 million acres v. 19 million acres in ANWR) ANWR is larger than ten different states.
Now see this I could go with ........ if I am a Rep , I would say hey look , you want this and That , I want ANWAR , here is the deal ........ No need to play politics with the troops that are in harms way ........

[Spider]

Give me a call when cold fusion so much as heats a cup of tea. Until then I go with what I know. Hot cup of tea ? hell pull my finger I will heat that tea up in no time ;D

You bet out of sight. Wouldn't you prefer it that way? Isn't that the crux of the whole discussion of "ruining pristine wilderness"? Pristine wilderness my a$$. It's Siberia without the appeal.
it is cold there , but just like in Wyoming , you allow a certian # , everyone will be there .........but that isnt my delemia , lets say ANWAR Passes , that means alot of equipment from the states has to be trucked up ........I specialize in Oil field equipment transportation ...... Would I do the job ?
I dont know for sure ........

[Spider]

See I stand to gain more if ANWAR is passed then 90% of the people here that support it ........

[RaiderH8r]

Now see this I could go with ........ if I am a Rep , I would say hey look , you want this and That , I want ANWAR , here is the deal ........ No need to play politics with the troops that are in harms way ........
Funny you should say that. Budget reconciliation is EXACTLY the way they wanted to go initially. The budget rec had ANWR and coastal drilling in it because the royalty revenues were going to fund projects within the rec. Dems cried, Repubs buckled like a cheap belt. Ted Stevens is a feisty old sumbitch and wants this done for his state. Alaskans want ANWR drilling as much as their representatives in Congress do, and that's a difinitive message in support of it. I'm now copying and pasting this rhetoric into slug's thread on the issue so as to no longer hijack this one.....oops. :welcome:

[Spider]

Funny you should say that. Budget reconciliation is EXACTLY the way they wanted to go initially. The budget rec had ANWR and coastal drilling in it because the royalty revenues were going to fund projects within the rec. Dems cried, Repubs buckled like a cheap belt. Ted Stevens is a feisty old sumb**** and wants this done for his state. Alaskans want ANWR drilling as much as their representatives in Congress do, and that's a difinitive message in support of it. I'm now copying and pasting this rhetoric into slug's thread on the issue so as to no longer hijack this one.....oops. :welcome:
of course the Dems will bítch , just like the Reps did on Several bills when Dems had the control ........ thats what the Minority party does .......