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AM Feed - June 28: Senate Political Power Play Fails

Hot Topics

• Conservatives in the Senate are desperately – and shamelessly – trying to rally their base with political gambits on social issues. Yesterday, a proposed constitutional amendment to ban flag burning failed by one vote. This follows the recent defeat of an amendment to ban gay marriage, despite the fact that the Defense of Marriage Act already exists. Of course, flag burning hasn’t been a hot issue for sometime now – but that didn’t stop conservatives like Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) from trying to turn this naked political bootleg into an issue of support for the troops. Sen. Daniel Inouye (D-HI), a veteran, countered by stating: “While I take offense at disrespect for the flag, I nonetheless believe it is my continued duty as a veteran, as an American citizen, and as a United States senator to defend the constitutional right of protestors to use the flag in nonviolent speech.” [link]
• Michelle Boardman, a lawyer for the Bush administration, appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday in an attempt to defend the president’s practice of radically altering legislation through signing statements. Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) has offered outspoken criticism of Bush’s practice, particularly with regards to the torture ban passed by Congress. President Bush has tried to alter interpretation of legislation concerning a host of issues, including affirmative action and the Patriot Act. Boardman attempted to counter such criticism by stating, “It is often not at all the situation that the president doesn’t intend to enact a bill.” Shouldn’t it be never? [link]
• A new report issued by the Brennan Center for Justice highlights deficiencies in electronic voting systems, which have already experienced problems in previous elections. The report concluded that one person could single-handedly impact the outcome of the election through tampering. The report confirms fears of activists who have been raising this issue since the advent of electronic voting machines. Auditing of paper records could significantly reduce the chance of fraud, but fewer than half of the 26 states who use electronic voting machines currently require such audits. [link]

Quote of the Day

“I’ve got to say, some of the signing statements are—this is a really great law, I’m really happy about it. I mean, some of the signing statements are also, in effect, ‘atta boys.’” – White House Press Secretary Tony Snow, attempting to overspin President Bush’s use of signing statements

Morning Snark

• Atta boys? Instead of signing statements, couldn’t the president just praise the Senate when he takes it out for its daily run in the park?

1. The whole flag burning matter is bull bleep in the highest form. The prescribed way of destroying flags is burning. The congress decided that in the mid 40’s.
   
   When Senator Inouye speaks about defending the flag of this country, it’s a good idea to listen: he fought in WWII even as the Federal Government had incarcerated Japanese Americans and lost his right arm in the European theater.
   — Doyal Davis    Jun 28, 10:29    #
2. Why not ban T-shirts, jackets and underwear that use flag patterns? A far more common way of desecrating the flag than burning. Actually, desecration of the flag is a non-issue. It’s simply a meaningless gesture and can be easily ignored.
   
   Bryce Babcock – June 28, 2006
   — Bryce Babcock    Jun 28, 11:26    #
3. Unfortunately, it can’t be ignored, since the whole purpose isn’t to actually enact the amendment, but to rally social conservatives to the polls. It’s the same with gay marriage, partial birth abortion, school prayer, etc., etc. The Repugs don’t actually want these things to pass. They want them to fail, so they can blame the liberal Democrats and rally the social conservatives to the polls. If they pass, they lose it as a campaign tool.
   
   They rely on the social conservatives to vote on social issues, and ignore that the same people who are talking “their language” on these comparatively trivial issues are devastating the economy and the social safety net, destroying their civil rights, desecrating the environment, and keeping us in a state of perpetual war.
   
   And it works all too well, because these lemmings are too goddamn stupid to realize they’re being used.
   — Reep Daggle    Jun 28, 12:06    #
4. If the stupid congress passes a flag burning ban I will burn every flag I own the day before it becomes law. I will post a copy of the Bill of Rights on my lawn and never buy another piece of cloth that I can’t dispose of as I see fit.
   — Rosalie Stern    Jun 28, 13:41    #
5. Right on, Rosalie!
   — Mike    Jun 28, 17:11    #
6. I wish I could write music. How about a Requeim for the Constitution?
   — Rosalie Stern    Jun 29, 08:36    #
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