By Michael J. Smith on Friday February 10, 2006 02:39 PM
As predicted here two months ago, the Senatorial Democrats have now apparently done their usual springboard dive on the
"Patriot Act."
Predictably, Feinstein and Durbin, plus Daily Kos pinup Reid, and apparently several other Demo senators whose names haven't appeared on the wires yet, have signed off on a trivial and cosmetic "compromise" which makes permanent the sixteen noxious provisions of the Act that expired at the end of last year. (Recall that these were saved from automatic extinction at that time because the ever-helpful Democrats gave away atemporary extension.)
Feingold, of course, is complaining about it, and threatens to filibuster. But in a carefully choreographed soap opera, his fellow Democrats will stab him in the back if he does, and he will fall gracefully to the Senate floor, wrapped in the toga of civil liberties.
Russ, old buddy, old pal, it's getting to be crunch time. Which is more important -- party solidarity with creeps like Feinstein and Reid and Durbin, or your principles? In other words -- will you tell it like it is, and say bluntly that you and the American people have been sold down the river by your colleagues? Or will you just make your symbolic gesture, and report for work as usual the next morning?
