Maria Knows Best

Senator Maria Cantwell has her priorities.

Unfortunately, they are not the priorities of her constituents nor the founding fathers of our Republic.

After giving us the 18th Century Supreme Court we didn't want by voting for cloture in the Alito debate, she thought her constituents needed to have more of the Patriot Act in almost its full glory. What NSA spy scandal? What civil rights violations?

Let us remember that the Patriot Act did almost nothing to solve the problems that allowed 9-11. What it did was push that pesky Bill of Rights aside and make average Americans sitting ducks for their own hysterical government.

Most of the failures that enable the terrorists were institutional.
The most serious lapses occured in the Executive Branch of government.
Neither set of problems have ever been addressed.

The success of the Patriot Act is in its ability to increase the power of the all ready unrestrained and much tainted Bush administration.
It enables them to harrass its political enemies much more effectively.

No real terrorists have been apprehended under the Patriot Act.

These anti progressive votes are not a abberation on Senator Cantwell's part.
According to this research, Ms. Cantwell has voted 75% of the time against the position of the Democratic Party on 20 key issues. (scroll down to roll call)

Like the GOP, her corporate clients and crass political considerations come first.

She voted for and touted the nightmarish Medicare part D and the credit card industry's bankruptcy bill. She is an unapologetic hawk and vastly out of sync with her constituents.

Only 10 Democrats voted against this Bill of Rights busting Patriot Act.
As the opposition party, (allegedly) why would the Democrats vote for a bill that targeted them?

Almost all the victims of much abused Patriot Act have been those the president feared would oppose or expose him. The opposition party, such as it is, are likely to be high priority targets.

The cracks in GOP are starting to become apparent even to the mainstream media.
More and more Republicans are starting to break with the president. Many are under investigation for corruption and bribery.

At the rate the GOP are deciding to "spend more time with their families", the Democratic Party will be the only ones standing "behind the president".

One only wishes the majority of Congressional Democrats would find their own domestic lives much more compelling and save us the trouble and expense of throwing them out.

Carol DW