By Michael J. Smith on Tuesday December 20, 2005 01:51 PM
I was quite surprised last week when the Democrats
held firm against a cloture vote in the Senate which would have made the vile Patriot Act essentially
permanent. Indeed, I had predicted that they wouldn't. Obviously, I put the fear of God in 'em.
Now, all they have to do is stand pat and the whole package of sixteen nefarious provisions will expire. But that doesn't appear to be the game plan. Rather, the senatorial Democrats -- inexplicably including Feingold, who was the lone vote against the original act -- say they want to pass an improved version. Looks like a triangulation stunt to me -- they want to claim that they've done something for civil liberties but also look good on "National Security," whatever that is.
