The left turns compliant on violating civil liberties

[xchrom]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/dana-milbank-the-left-turns-compliant-on-violating-civil-liberties/2013/06/14/8c30d91a-d4d2-11e2-a73e-826d299ff459_story.html

Where have all the liberals gone?

President Obama, who as a Democratic senator accused the Bush administration of violating civil liberties in the name of security, now vigorously defends his own administration’s collection of Americans’ phone records and Internet activities.


Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid said he thinks Congress has done sufficient intelligence oversight. His evidence? Opinion polls.

House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi defended the programs’ legality and said she wants Edward Snowden prosecuted for leaking details of the secret operations.

[dawg]

1. "Democrats". Not the left.

There hardly even is a "left" in this country.

After 9-11, President Bush briefly enjoyed a 90% approval rating. I was part of the 10% then, and I guess I'm part of the small minority now.

[LWolf]

11. +1

[kentuck]

2. "...sufficient intelligence oversight.."?

Yeah, right!

The CIA, the NSA, and the intelligence agencies can do whatever they want. They will get little resistance from the Democratic Party.

I truly do not recognize the Democratic Party anymore.

[RandiFan1290]

3. They never were liberals

I trust Sen Sanders and Rep Grayson

[carolinayellowdog]

4. that pic is worth a thousand words

the first two that occur to me are "we're fucked"

[kenny blankenship]

9. got another one for ya

That's Bushler putting his "X" on the Patriot Act. And who's that in the Blue tie (for team Blue) looking down and smiling pleased as punch? Why it's Harry Reid!

[MisterP]

12. that's the other element of the Overton window: "both" parties move right,

and one half of the *acceptable* spectrum (not the actual US spectrum or the full spectrum of potentials) is relabeled "left" constantly: only Sanders, Grayson, half of Sherrod Brown, etc., are objectively left-of-center

it also allows for the process where 1) the far right calls the Dems far left, depriving the public discourse of any idea of what that actually means, and 2) this puts the Dems on the defensive, convincing them that their leaders are further left than they really are, and bluewashing conservative policies as "progressive-because-the-Pubs-are-denouncing-it"

[jimlup]

5. Well not all of the left...

As per usual it the "liberal" voices outside of the mainstream consensus that matter in this case. You might find the view of Noam Chomsky and Edward Herman in Manugfacturing Consent

http://www.amazon.com/Manufacturing-Consent-Political-Economy-Media/dp/0375714499 to be interesting.

to be interesting.

[ananda]

6. I never considered either Pelosi or Reid "left"

..

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. We used to joke that if Bush killed

A kid in the WH laws, Republicans would applaud. These days it has to be modified, if te President does it, his partisans will applaud.

And that is not ok

[Apophis]

8. "Where have all the liberals gone?"

Great question.

[byeya]

10. I think it's been decades since liberals were left. Perhaps this administration will help

regenerate a meaningful left - as in a leftist or even serious democratic socialist - bloc. I think we need a force that will stand up for the wage earners and public ownership of necessities like clean water, adequate and safe food, and Medicare for all, and dismantle the big brother spy state.

[Comrade Grumpy]

13. Liberals aren't "the left." We have no effective left in this country. Too bad for us.

We do have two political parties controlled by corporate interests, but we don't have a left.

[felix_numinous]

14. Wishful thinking,

nice talking points-- so easy to say when you are WELL PAID, live in a bubble--or--they are being pressured to end this controversy.

This is one if those articles like, "The majority of Americans polled are willing to sacrifice civil liberties for national security"
which came out right before the Patriot Act was enacted. I felt sick when I read it.

The NSA is too much for government representatives to HANDLE, so they rationalize and make up excuses so that they don't have to get in the trenches and actually defend the constitution. You know this may be actual proof that they are somehow intimidated by the NSA.

We want oversight and auditing, made available to the public. Proof programs are needed and shown to be effective-- because WE NEED THE MONEY elsewhere.

Our representatives gave away their powers to the MIC and it's showing.