Democrats Strategy: Strength Through Bowing To Bush's Demands by Glenn Greenwald

[Better Believe It]

Democrats' strategy: Strength through bowing
by Glenn Greenwald
July 10, 2008
Salon.com

Glenn Greenwald, the author of the following Salon.com article, was a constitutional law and civil rights litigator in New York. He wrote two New York Times Bestselling books: "How Would a Patriot Act?" (May, 2006), a critique of the Bush administration's use of executive power, and "A Tragic Legacy" (June, 2007), which examines the Bush legacy. His most recent book, "Great American Hypocrites", examines the manipulative electoral tactics used by the GOP and propagated by the establishment press, and was released in April, 2008, by Random House/Crown.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Historians writing about the Bush era were given a great gift yesterday -- an iconic headline that explains so much of what has happened in this country over the last seven years:




Their rationale for doing that is that it prevents the Republicans from depicting them as "weak," because nothing exudes strength like bowing. Here's more evidence of the brilliance of the Democratic strategy to show how "strong" and "tough" they are by bowing to Bush and all of his demands, from this morning's New York Times article by Eric Lichtblau:

"WASHINGTON — The Senate gave final approval on Wednesday to a major expansion of the government's surveillance powers, handing President Bush one more victory in a series of hard-fought clashes with Democrats over national security issues. . . .

Even as his political stature has waned, Mr. Bush has managed to maintain his dominance on national security issues in a Democratic-led Congress. He has beat back efforts to cut troops and financing in Iraq, and he has won important victories on issues like interrogation tactics and military tribunals in the fight against terrorism. . . .

Debate over the surveillance law was the one area where Democrats had held firm in opposition. . . . .But in the end Mr. Bush won out, as administration officials helped forge a deal between Republican and Democratic leaders that included almost all the major elements the White House wanted. The measure gives the executive branch broader latitude in eavesdropping on people abroad and at home who it believes are tied to terrorism, and it reduces the role of a secret intelligence court in overseeing some operations."

President Bush generously patted the Democrats on the head for their compliance with what they were told to do. Here is the head-patting headline on the White House's website:




Please read the entire article at:

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/07/10/democrats/index.html

[Breeze54]

1. That headline makes me ill....

but Greenwald rocks!!

And :yourock: for posting that article!

:kick: & Recommended

[Better Believe It]

2. The Headline Could Have Been Worse Such As:

"Democrats Kiss Bush's As*"

And just as true.

Doesn't everyone here understand the meaning and significance of the FISA legislation?

We can't be blinded by the fact that Obama did vote for this horrible reactionary piece of legislation.

No one is saying don't vote for Obama.

Just take the blinders off and let Obama and the Democratic Party know how you feel about this betrayal.

If you don't speak out, they'll keep doing it!

[Breeze54]

5. What are you talking about and

why are you lecturing ME about FISA? :crazy:

[Better Believe It]

6. Sorry For Any Confusion

Only the "Democrats Kissing Bush's As*" comment was in response to your post.

The rest was a general comment concerning those who just don't get it.

You certainly get it.

[ellie]

3. Yes, I love Greenwald

He is very thorough.

[wurzel]

4. Dems saving their own skins.

I think the Dem leadership knew what Bush was doing and like the gutless lot they are they said nothing. I think Bush made very sure they knew. And he would have taken them with him if he went down.