This is the first time in 5 years that I have seen this much bi-partisanship.

[kentuck]

They say politics makes "strange bedfellows". This NSA story is doing just that. Leaders in both Parties are deeply concerned that they cannot hold their caucus together. They have become unpredictable. And that makes them nervous.

Right-wing libertarians and the left-wing civil liberties groups have broken away from their respective Parties on this issue. That weakens the head count of each Party. So they join together in a rare moment of bi-partisanship to denounce those nuts that are concerned about civil liberties and privacy protections.

Diane Feinstein and Lindsey Graham walking hand in hand just warms the cockles of your heart, doesn't it? And they have brought out the big megaphones to defend these programs. Not because they are protecting the country, but because they are getting billions and billions of dollars from the American taxpayers for hiring as many private contractors as they possibly can. In return, the politicians have a vested interest in seeing that these programs continue, and it has nothing to do with protecting our country. It is protecting their little corner of power in the US House or Senate.

So they are running scared. They don't like such unpredictable situations. They prefer to have control over the chaos they create. Who are these interlopers anyway??

[blkmusclmachine]

1. .

.

[Gregorian]

2. And yet at the same time, so much polarization within the Democratic party.

I had no idea until the NSA revelations just who was whom in this forum. A real eye opener.

[kentuck]

3. The Party Loyalists against the Liberal Constitutionalists?

Yep.

[Mojorabbit]

26. Exactly! I am appalled and truly surprised at some of the posts here. nt

[Autumn]

4. It seems to me bipartisanship should be another word for mediocre.

Anything they work together on seems to always be a half assed solution, and really of no benefit. The ones who seem to give the most ground are the Democrats. It's all bullshit games to benefit the few and fuck the rest.

[bahrbearian]

7. Its half assed when it comes from the Center, this is coming from both Ends

[Autumn]

9. Yeah, but both ends are the Center. There are only a handful of

politicians who stand for the people.

[woo me with science]

5. When the people wake up to what is being done to them

and start to demand answers and accountability regardless of party, of course the long denied collusion between the two corporate parties is finally exposed.

Feinstein and Graham have been walking hand in hand all along. We are only seeing it now because they can no longer hide behind their carefully propagandized Red and Blue Teams to pretend they are on opposite sides of this issue.

[nineteen50]

18. Absolutely

they both have the same paymasters and both are being exposed and scrambling to save the 1% their masters.

[BrotherIvan]

27. ^^This!^^

The new BOrG meme of the day is that the NSA keeps us safe from terrorism. It's almost pitiful how many fail to see that "terrorism" is merely a tool, a boogey man to keep us in line. The Spanish and the Brits have been dealing with so-called terrorists, or rebels depending on how you look at it, and their country has not fallen apart. Yet we have one major terror attack over a decade ago and need to install a police state.

"Terror" is the tool to keep the ruling class in power. It's easy and convenient. They get a twofer: wars for oil on one side, and terror here at home. It must make them horny how easy we are to fool. The playbook is straight 1984.

[carolinayellowdog]

6. just read an AP reporter dismiss all who object as left-wing extremists and right-wing extremists

whereas in truth the real radicals here, who want to overturn the Constitution, are the so-called centrists

[RobertEarl]

11. Not just centrists

But they are radically, not good Americans. They couldn't care less.

What we on the Left have to do is prove to everyone that we don't blindly support our president just because he is a Democrat, or, as the RW's say: A socialist.

The Libertarians will be looking to see if we stand for the constitution, openness, and transparency, or to see if we are we just partisan hacks.

This is our moment to shine and be a great example of Patriots who put Liberty first.

We must hold Obama's feet to the fire and give him the opportunity to show he is for the People and will act as the People, and the Constitution, demand.

I hope we do not fail in this simple task. One nation, Undivided, with Liberty and Justice for All. It is up to us to save our country.

[MisterP]

14. it's always so cute when they say "far left and far right" *what* far left? Sanders is the only one

on the left in congress; there's plenty who use Marxist analysis and push for change in academia--but they're typically locked out (except in the fevered imagination of the far right and some small-O objectivists: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankfurt_School_conspiracy_theory)

[leftstreet]

15. +1 There is no Left in the US

This country's been pushed so far right that a dangerous radical is someone who suggests healthcare and education shouldn't be for-profit

[Buzz Clik]

8. We are all being equally played ...

... And we all act like these "revelations" are breaking news.

[Andy823]

16. Yes

We are all being played, and this is not news, it has been going on for a long time. The only thing is now it's not just the republican party fighting amongst themselves it's the democratic party also. The only ones I see who are benefiting from this "scandal" are those who follow Rand Paul.

[nineteen50]

19. Divide

and conquer.

[Egalitarian Thug]

28. I think that to many, they are revelations. Stuff we've known and fought about for years,

for the typical, incurious, lives-in-front-of-the-TV, hates politics, doesn't know even the most basic principles of the government/Constitution American, all of this is news to them.

Faux News' highest rated show wouldn't even get another 6-pack (6 shows, a test sample)) on a major network.

[Bluenorthwest]

10. I've got Duers freaking out at me for supporting my Democratic Senators, it's crayzee time

because the moderate Blue Baggers know the jig is up. The Conservative Center is no different from the Bush Conservatism. It is already rejected by the people, once identified it is already gone.

[cascadiance]

12. It's strange that I'm also seeing a lot of bipartisanship with the Turkish crisis too!

But in a positive way here, much like I think it has been a positive joining of objectives between many of us liberals and libertarians like Ron Paul who want more respect for civil liberties.

I've got deep interest and ties to both of these events, and though many of my childhood friends and others who have shared experiences living in Turkey may have very conservative viewpoints as Republicans, we're all united I think more than we have been in the past to wish for the best for the protestors over in Turkey now. Though earlier the progressives, etc. might have been drawn to the AKP with their wanting to change the laws to allow wearing of headscarves (arguably a liberal move), and earlier Turkish leadership had a role in the Gaza flotilla that took on Turkish leadership in how they were treating people in Gaza, the moves by the more pro-Islamic Turkish leadership now (Erdogan and AKP) have shown them to want to put in a more authoritarian and Islamic religious government, and his government has more and more been shown to be more and more corrupt, much like the concerns many of us have with the corruption (and corporate sellout) of our government.

There used to be concerns about the more ties with the former CHP (Ataturk tied party) being too close to the Turkish military that did frequent coups to "reinstall" the government that at times took away Turks' freedoms earlier. But this party has changed a lot but stays close to its secular and pro-democracy roots. They ran a Kurd against Erdogan in the last election, and I think the merging of the interests of the newer CHP party with those that have wanted more democratic rule in Turkey who've never really had a chance to be that powerful are converging. Now also, the extreme measures of the military and other forces under Erdogan's government don't really signal a better behaved military that is governed by them either. I think perhaps the unification of the more liberal elements and the CHP perhaps might have a better approach to have a better relationship with the Turkish military, which I think is one of the fundamental issues to be resolved for the future of Turkey. There are similar problems at times with the Israeli military, and I think both of these situations had been complicated by AIPAC, the ATC, and our military industrial complex that worked with them.

This is an "Arab Spring" that I think we should be pushing for more bipartisan support for now, and to take on the interests of corporate government in the process of doing so. The friends with Turkish connections I have who I might have disagreed with on other issues in the past all seem to be very united now in support of hopefully the protestors winning some newer reforms in the Turkish government.

I think with this event and the revelation of government spying by the elites here, perhaps we're seeing the dawning of many of us putting aside partisan differences and focus on what is important in terms of the rights of all of us to live alongside each other with fundamental rights and welfare for everyone. I'm hoping that's what comes from this time of potentially also great difficulty and tragedy as well.

Let's keep our eyes open for those who are very thoughtful that might at one time not have been listening to us, nor us listening to them. Though we should remain cautious, I think the time is now to start a dialogue and perhaps build the start of some bigger movements that we'll be needing soon.

[sabrina 1]

13. Ari Fleischer, Peter King and President Obama all on the same side, and Clapper, former Bush guy

too. I'm impressed too.

[Peacetrain]

17. Strange bedfellows indeed my friend.. Tibet, North Korea

This young man is seeking asylum with a country that is the enabler of North Korea which holds 100's of thousands in detention camps.. he is seeking asylum from a country that is destroying Tibet.. and yet we have cheerleaders for him. I will be danged if I can figure it out.

[Snake Plissken]

20. And when all is said and done the only thing that will come of this is ...

Snowden's girlfriend will be Dancing With The Stars

[leftstreet]

22. (snarf)

[KoKo]

21. Some of us "suspected"...BUT.didn't want to believe..but DIFI and Lindsey.......

Diane Feinstein and Lindsey Graham walking hand in hand just warms the cockles of your heart, doesn't it?

I've always felt that both of them "Talked out of both sides of their mouth." Or as Native American Said ..way back:

"He/She "Speaks with Forked Tongue." (out of both sides of the mouth to appeal to "both sides of mouth.&quot

Yep... DiFi and Lindsey... Through the years "We Know Them by THEIR DEEDS" ..or by what comes out of their mouths with the "split tongue/Forked Tongue."

[bvar22]

23. Dianne Feinstien and Lindsey Graham have a lot in common,

Rich, old, extra white, 1%ers who want to make sure they are "safe" from the angry peasants as they steal what little is left,
and pull up the ladders.

New Rule (Passed by Congress and signed by President Obama) signals Kiss of Death for Pensions
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100694955

Wealthy win lion's share of major tax breaks
http://www.boston.com/business/news/2013/05/29/wealthy-win-lion-share-major-tax-breaks/Ua0UyYle21EUXub7g1suCI/story.html

Half of America is in poverty, and its creeping toward 75%
http://www.alternet.org/economy/real-numbers-half-america-poverty-and-its-creeping-toward-75-0

Wealth gap widens as labor's share of income falls
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/wealth-gap-widens-labors-share-income-falls-1B6097385

As the Economy Recovers, the Wealth Gap Widens
http://www.usnews.com/news/blogs/rick-newman/2013/03/11/as-the-economy-recovers-the-wealth-gap-widens

Top One Percent Captured 121 Percent Of All Income Gains
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/12/top-one-percent-income-gains_n_2670455.html

Corporate Profits Hit Record High While Worker Wages Hit Record Low
http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2012/12/03/1270541/corporate-profits-wages-record/?mobile=nc

Things like this ^ do NOT happen by accident,
nor is this trend sustainable.
Something IS gonna "break",
and it won't be pretty when it does.

[avaistheone1]

25. What you said!

k&r

[Curmudgeoness]

24. Bi-partisanship in Congress, and great chasm on DU.

What in the hell is the world coming to?

[Hydra]

29. Bipartisanship means someone is getting screwed in a big way

The chasm on DU is that some of us are sure it's going to be us getting screwed and the rest think they're safe.

[reusrename]

30. This should be a litmus test for the midterms.

For both parties.

[sibelian]

31. Perhaps a similar structure should be formed away from them...

...reciprocal to their unity and, similarly, bipartisan.



EEEEEK! ICKY! WE MUSTN'T TOUCH THE DIRTY, DIRTY, RIGHT WING PEOPLE.