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Today's Must Read
Last week, Hans von Spakovsky testified before the Senate Rules Committee that he'd been something of a wallflower when he worked at the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. His critics had it all wrong, he said. Despite claims that he'd led the Department's efforts to overturn the voting rights section's traditional work protecting African-American voters -- using the division's power instead to spread the myth of voter fraud and purge state voter rolls -- von Spakovsky said that he'd merely been there in an advisory capacity. People asked his opinion and he gave it, that's all.
But those who actually worked under him in the voting rights section say otherwise, calling him the de facto head of the section.
And in a letter to the Senate Rules Committee yesterday (the committee is considering von Spakovsky's nomination to be a commissioner at the Federal Election Commission), a group of former voting rights professionals in the Department laid out the numerous areas where von Spakvosky had been less than forthright in his testimony. You can read the letter here.
We've already noted one area where von Spakovsky's testimony is highly disputable. McClatchy, reporting on yesterday's letter, highlights another.
Under questioning from Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) about the Civil Rights Division's failure to file discrimination cases on behalf of African-American voters while he was there, von Spakovsky argued that Durbin had it all wrong. They'd actually filed two cases (von Spakovsky didn't mention that one of those was actually initiated during the Clinton administration), and there were two other cases that the leadership at the Department had approved for filing, but that hadn't moved forward. He was all for protecting African-American voters, really.
What he didn't mention was this:
A former Justice Department political appointee blocked career lawyers from filing at least three lawsuits charging local and county governments with violating the voting rights of African-Americans and other minorities, seven former senior department employees charged Monday....Von Spakovsky blocked a major suit against a St. Louis suburb and two other suits against rural governments in South Carolina and Georgia and halted at least two investigations of election laws that appeared to suppress minority voting, one of them in Wyoming, said Joseph Rich, the former voting rights section chief....
Monday's letter included the first allegations that von Spakovsky torpedoed suits and investigations over alleged state, county or local laws that diminish the voting strength of African-Americans, Native Americans or other minorities or prevent them from voting altogether.
Von Spakovsky, the letter said, stripped the voting rights section chief of his authority to open investigations of discrimination without his superiors' approval.
As McClatchy reported last week, despite Democratic opposition to von Spakovsky's nomination, Republicans may be able to protect him by legislative maneuvering. Regardless of von Spakovsky's fate, though, his nomination, along with the U.S. attorney firings investigation (which has shined a light on von Spakovsky's former colleague, Bradley Schlozman), is proving a valuable opportunity to expose what's been happening at the Civil Rights Division under the Bush administration.
Comments (55)
MR. Bill wrote on June 19, 2007 9:58 AM:You mean this horse's ass might actually get a seat on the Election Commission?
HOW?!?!?
and the security code is 'horse' as in..oh never mind.
Anonymous wrote on June 19, 2007 10:11 AM:"despite Democratic opposition to von Spakovsky's nomination, Republicans may be able to protect him by legislative maneuvering."
Mo Blue wrote on June 19, 2007 10:20 AM:I thought the fear was he was going to end up confirmed because Harry Reid wanted to get his boy in power as well- a you scratch my back I'll scratch yours situation? Hope I'm proven wrong. Personally, I can't believe the Dems would even consider this nomination- this evil sob should be a non starter.
"is proving a valuable opportunity to expose what's been happening at the Civil Rights Division under the Bush administration."
Wow, another chance to expose Bush wrongdoings. What good does exposing wrongdoing do if there are no consequences for the crooks once the wrongdoing is exposed? In fact there will be a reward for von Spakovsky. What's more pathetic looking- a crooked Repub doing what crooked Repubs do or the Dems exposing wrongdoing and REWARDING THE WRONGDOER! If he's such a scumbag why the hell reward him with a job on the Federal Election Commission?! The Dems allow a guy who was working overtime to disenfranchise black voters to get a job at the FEC- brilliant. That should make any African American voters paying attention really happy. And people wonder why Congress has a 25% approval rating?! The cowardice and capitulation is disgusting. I want to start seeing some fight. Oh, and TPMuckraker, I appreciate all the muck raking but your take on this makes it look like you're getting your talking points from Harry Reid.
"One can be certain that neither public purpose nor private interest, neither affirmative government nor the free market, will do away with these anguishing problems [the widening disparities in income and opportunity; the multiplication of the poor and the underclass; the slowdown on racial justice; the structural propensity to inflation; the decline of heavy industry before competition abroad and the microchip at home; the deterioration of education; the pollution of the environment and the decay of infrastructure; the rotting away of the great cities; the farm crisis; the mounting burden of public and private debt; the spread of crime and violence]. This leads two of our most acute diagnosticians, Walter Dean Burnham on the left and Kevin Phillips on the right, to pessimistic conclusions about the future of democracy itself. In the popular perception, as they sense it, the liberal interventionist state had its chance, botched it and thereby provoked the Reagan counterrevolution. When the counterrevolution only deepens national troubles, people will see a "double failure" of both welfare-state and free-market alternatives. Feelings of frustration and impotence will intensify. The cyclical alternation will lose its legitimacy. Not since the 1850s, Phillips remarks, has there been such a pattern of double failure and double obsolescence, and we all know what happened then. The accumulation of discontent will subvert the traditional political order and rush American politics into new and dangerous times. Phillips expects not a revival of the liberal spirit of the New Deal but rather a nationalist, right-wing-populist authoritarianism operating an activist and repressive state. Burnham darkly foresees "an escalating crisis of rule -- a crisis...in the foundations of the constitutional regime."
From "The Cycles of American History," by Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr, 1986
Bruce wrote on June 19, 2007 10:27 AM:I'll tell you now, if he gets confirmed I'm done with the fucking Democrats as well as the fucking Republicans. I'm thinking of finding another country to live in.
Tennessean wrote on June 19, 2007 10:27 AM:"...despite Democratic opposition to von Spakovsky's nomination, Republicans may be able to protect him by legislative maneuvering"....
But it's "proving a valuable opportunity to expose what's been happening at the Civil Rights Division under the Bush administration."
I don't think it's much of an 'opportunity' at all. I'm sick of finding the glass half full and the silver lining in the mushroom cloud. I want a full out filibuster by the Democrats on the nomination of Hans Von Spakovsky to the FEC. I want full-throated war cries and demands for his arrest, frog-march through the Justice Department, and Alberto Gonzales' immediate impeachment. I'm sick to death of this paltry 'drumbeat' of investigations, which we are all supposed to think is Democrats showing their fangs. Pulleeze. Voters are getting the impression of weakness and faintheartedness on the part of the 'surrender party.' No apologies; go for the throat. No timidity. Put impeachment back on the table, Nancy.
Anonymous wrote on June 19, 2007 10:32 AM:"Oh, and TPMuckraker, I appreciate all the muck raking but your take on this makes it look like you're getting your talking points from Harry Reid."
By the way, I take back this statement. Paul Kiel and the rest of TPM do an amazing job and I don't see them as being in the backpocket of anyone. I very much appreciate all you folks are doing.
P J Evans wrote on June 19, 2007 10:40 AM:I think I need this read real slow.
This clown has been unofficially running the civil rights division, chasing out female and minority lawyers, doing his best to keep minorities and the poor from voting, AND THEY'RE PUTTING HIM ON THE FEC????
What part of 'idiotic decision' do the Democrats in the Senate not understand? (I'm not mentioning the GOP members, because they'd vote for anything if Karl and Dick told them to do so.)
(sc: snake - in the government, not the grass
steambomb wrote on June 19, 2007 10:44 AM:When -O- WHEN! Is any of these damn liars going to face lying to congress or perjury charges. When?
Mrs Panstreppon wrote on June 19, 2007 10:44 AM:Look for von Spakovsky's policies to continue. Cameron P. Quinn, von Spakovsky's replacement, was on the board of directors of the American Center for Voting Rights before her 3/7/06 appointment.
David McGiffert wrote on June 19, 2007 10:44 AM:When will this unending parade of politicized
lacky's who have upended our Constitution and lied to Congress and the American People, run out? It this really the bottomless pit it seems?
It points out again so strongly that Democracy is not a spectator sport. This should NEVER have been allowed to happen.
Enough is enough
David
steambomb wrote on June 19, 2007 10:46 AM:A note to congress. If you dont "bring it", then your investigations HAVE NO TEETH!
rusty wrote on June 19, 2007 10:47 AM:No doubt - the Dems seem to be missing in the "don't they know that we are recording all of this stuff?" factor. We voted for action and no appearences, and right now they are not delivering.
Either you are serious about broken laws, ethics violations, and defunding the war or you are not - you can't have it both ways. These issues are absolutes, not gradiations.
Putting this vile human being on the FEC should be an absolute deal breaker - no compromises, no negoiations, no manuevering. Lead or get out of the way.
steambomb wrote on June 19, 2007 10:52 AM:I'll tell you now, if he gets confirmed I'm done with the fucking Democrats as well as the fucking Republicans. I'm thinking of finding another country to live in.
Posted by: Bruce
You know... we have had "boston tea parties" over less than what has been going on today. I am not only discouraged by my congress I am also discouraged by the will of the american people. sc word sail as in sail away.
Anonymous wrote on June 19, 2007 10:56 AM:It's kind of sad, when the Pubs were in power they never let an opportunity pass to humiliate, demean, and emasculate the Democrats. Now that the Dems are in power they never let an opportunity pass to try and play nice, to be "fair", to compromise because "that's what the voters want." Excuse me, but that's what some of the Republican voters want. The rest of us want you to fight your asses off for this country- because the shitheads in power have done a hell of a job destroying it in the last 7 years. And I say only some of the Republican voters want the Dems to play nice because the registered Republicans I know are disgusted with Bush and were looking forward to the Dems showing some fight- not rolling over. Instead the Dems have proven to the independents and Republicans that supported them in this last election that they're the cowards the Republicans always said they were. The '08 election should have been a cakewalk for the Democrats- now it's going to be a battle. Watching the slow death of America is killing me. I actually hope the pace picks up- perhaps then people will finally be forced from their slumber. The people who run the Democratic Party and the people who run the Republican Party- they have nothing but disdain for We The People. Their only allegiance is to their corporate masters. I'm now convinced of this. Sure the Dems will throw us a bone every now and then to let us know they're with us, just like the Republicans will toss the evangelicals a bone, but truth be told all that matters to them is money. Greed rules this nation. The American Dream is dead. I'm sick of voting for the lesser of two evils. I'd like to say I have hope that the Dems will get back to fighting for average folks but truth be told I have no hope. Any hope I once had has been destroyed.
tomg wrote on June 19, 2007 10:57 AM:I'm with you Bruce, the Republic for which it used to stand for is no more.
ENRAGED DEMOCRAT wrote on June 19, 2007 11:01 AM:GO FOR THE THROAT, YOU FLABBY-ASSED DEMOCRATS!!!
WHAT A SORRY EXCUSE FOR THE MAJORITY PARTY!!!
If Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid don't have the stomach to do their jobs, CAN THEIR ASSES AND REPLACE THEM WITH PEOPLE WITH SPINE!!!
The road to impeachment starts with the DUMPING OF PELOSI AND REID.
David wrote on June 19, 2007 11:06 AM:Poor, poor Democrats. They just so hepless. I cry for them. Not a ounce of courage among 'em all.
Quit screwing around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stop these Republican facists!!!!!!
If it's not already too late...
PurpleAvenger wrote on June 19, 2007 11:08 AM:FILIBUSTER. That's what repubs are threatening to use against the other nominees. Why don't we call it what it is??? Here's what the MSM - and TPM - should be saying:
Republicans threaten to Filibuster election commissioners, want seat for nominee who targetted minority voters.
Still Disgusted! wrote on June 19, 2007 11:13 AM:Republicans threaten to Filibuster election commissioners, want seat for nominee who targetted minority voters.
Posted by: PurpleAvenger
Date: June 19, 2007 11:08 AM
Bingo. Great talking point. Republicans want racist who targeted blacks on FEC. Why is that so fucking difficult?
Johnsnottoodistracted wrote on June 19, 2007 11:18 AM:Just wondering what these people say to themselves when no one is around.Must be some pretty strange combinations of who am I,who sent me, was that what that was, what was that anyway,etc, etc.Along with other high thoughts.
Englischlehrer wrote on June 19, 2007 11:20 AM:Never mind. They forgot already.That is if they have the memory section still capable of clinging to any data at all.
But was that that? Maybe not.Jeeez. I knew I thought that once.
It's funny, I moved to Germany the day before the IRaq War, Mar 18, 2003. I've never been a "I'm leaving the country if this happens" kind of guy, I came for love but I am so glad that I left America when I did so I can see it as it really is. It must be so difficult to really get a grasp on what's going living there because pop culture so easily sucks you into ...what do you call, Indifference? Americanism? Ignorance? Bliss?
caligirl wrote on June 19, 2007 11:24 AM:Until the 'masses' go into the streets and make clear whether they fear their gov't or their gov't should fear them this will go on.
e live in a different world, let the citizenry know please.
Booker T wrote on June 19, 2007 11:31 AM:It's Juneteenth, a day of particular significance to many in the African-American community. It's when most learned of the Emancipation Proclamation.
Anonymous wrote on June 19, 2007 11:36 AM:Later today, Black GOP activists are holding a rally in front of the DOJ to criticize the politicization of the Civl Rights division and the use of voter suppression in African-American
voting districts. Condoleeza Rice is the keynote speaker backed by a choir formed from the 150 Regent University law grads working at DOJ.
Oh, wait. I'll finish this later. They're rolling me in for my electroshock therapy.
Posted by: Englischlehrer
Date: June 19, 2007 11:20 AM
I would move back to Germany in a heartbeat. It ain't perfect, no place is, but it's a hell of a lot better than what America has become.
Michael wrote on June 19, 2007 11:42 AM:This guy should be arrested and thrown in jail, not appointed to the FEC. I thought the Repukes were the law and order party.
Congress has power and better start using it. It's called the power of the purse and the way things are going, some of the government might as well be shut down while these facists are in power. We can start with the non-civil rights division. Shut it down, it's not doing its job anyway. How about the whole non-justice department while gonzo is still there. Lay down the gauntlet, no funding until he goes. What on earth are they doing anyway? They are acting like an arm of the Repuke party, let the RNC fund it.
Same thing with the FEC, if its going to be an arm of the RNC, why should the American taxpayers pay for it? No more bush appointments period. We're better off with an empty chair than a facist sitting in it.
Anonymous wrote on June 19, 2007 12:02 PM:re: anon @ 10:56 AM
*** Watching the slow death of America is killing me*****
and etc.
Beautifully written...I totally agree.
Pompano Pete wrote on June 19, 2007 12:06 PM:Isn't it time for a 3rd party?
Consider this - A country with 300,000,000 people cannot function as a free, open democracy. That is what the past decade has proven.
The Founders designed a system for 4 Million people, most of whom couldn't vote, where each member of Congress represented roughly 30,000 people. The Civil War was fought in a country with fewer than 60 Million. FDR was President to 150,000,000. And the size of the House of Representatives was fixed at 435 in 1929.
Now, each Congressperson represents 650,000 people, at least in theory. Some do it well, others are total criminal fuckups. This is a prescription for impotence, gridlock and corruption.
And the problem is much worse since the fracturing of the "market" by the media. I could go on, but I'd be preaching to the choir.
Is there a way out of this mess? The only one I've been able to come up with is devolution - the peaceful re-structuring of America into 5 or 6 independent countries loosely bound together with a common currency, customs union and open borders to each other's citizens.
And it could be created with a Second Constitutional Convention as provided for in the Constitution. It's radical surgery, but it may be the only way to save the patient.
Michael wrote on June 19, 2007 12:16 PM:Good post Pompano, one minor point, each Congressperson only represents approximately 350,000 people out of 650,000. Remember gerrymandering. It has disenfranchised nearly 40 percent of the population in the house and people wonder why people don't vote.
I agree, we should call for a Second Constitutional Convention. As Gonzo and the Bushies have proven by ignoring the Constitution and acting acording to their own RNC law. It is quaint and historical, but is not practical in today's world.
mo2 wrote on June 19, 2007 12:20 PM:The South and Pacific Northwest would like to be free of the rest of the country, IMO. I think six smaller entities could work.
Caligirl wrote on June 19, 2007 12:26 PM:So I called Nancy and Harry about this guy. Unsatisfying is the word best describing the call.
sc sound, sound the alarm folks, the democratic congress is screwing this up.
Hire a full time talking points writer for them please.
johnnydoughey wrote on June 19, 2007 12:28 PM:The separation of the governing officials and the general public has been growing for many years. Their power is continually added to and our rights have continued to diminish... despite who is controlling the administration and congress. Doesn't everyone notice the increased police force guarding more and more county, state and federal offices. When is the last time anyone has heard of an attack on a social security office? Yet, the guards are there, protecting "them" from "us". A police state is not entirely necessary for the demise of a democracy, but it makes it less messy.
caligirl wrote on June 19, 2007 12:34 PM:The only way (IMHO) we have a chance to turn this around before it is too late, is to force congress to pass laws making the elite in the government accountable. If you notice, so far, the democrats have , at least openly, displayed no desire to introduce any laws which might stop this nonsense in Washington.
Me thinks it is because they would rather keep the ability to do the same as the republicans... only if they have a good enough reason to wield the power, of course... and only if they think it is for our own good.
California was once another country, we can do it again. Between stem cell research, a company looking to build the electric car in Southern Cal, and solar equipment manufacturing we could do nicely on our own. We even have the UC's. But John Yoo will have to move.
sc snake
RNC the biggest group of snake oil salesmen on earth.
brendancalling wrote on June 19, 2007 12:37 PM:Anonymous writes, "Wow, another chance to expose Bush wrongdoings. What good does exposing wrongdoing do if there are no consequences for the crooks once the wrongdoing is exposed? "
Oh, but there ARE consequences. Some Democrat will send out a sternly worded letter!
Code word "spring" as in "springtime for Hitler".
pointus wrote on June 19, 2007 1:14 PM:I called my Oregon senator, Ron Wyden regarding von Spakovsky, and the staffer had never heard of him. I urged the guy to have the Senator look into this situation, since Wyden seems to have more backbone than most when it comes to standing up to the Bush regime. It only takes one senator to mount a filibuster... I doubt that there's a super-majority that would back von Spakovsky, eh?
Bindarra wrote on June 19, 2007 1:16 PM:I'm with Bruce; Canadian residence is looking better all the time.
JNagarya wrote on June 19, 2007 1:20 PM:I think I need this read real slow.
This clown has been unofficially running the civil rights division, chasing out female and minority lawyers, doing his best to keep minorities and the poor from voting, AND THEY'RE PUTTING HIM ON THE FEC????
What part of 'idiotic decision' do the Democrats in the Senate not understand? (I'm not mentioning the GOP members, because they'd vote for anything if Karl and Dick told them to do so.)
(sc: snake - in the government, not the grass
Posted by: P J Evans
Date: June 19, 2007 10:40 AM
Ask yourself: What is the size of the Democratic "majority" in the Senate? Then, keeping that number in mind, ask yourself how demanding the Democrats do that for which they don't yet have sufficient votes makes sense -- except as excuse to bash Democrats.
Pro-Bushit troll.
Thinking Person wrote on June 19, 2007 1:32 PM:The article mentions a Wyoming case that didn't go forward. We have the large Wind River Reservation. There was a big Democratic GOTV effort for the Native American population in 2004, and there has always been an effort to suppress the reservation vote.
Wyoming's U.S. Attorney Matthew Mead, who resigned just last week, was on the DOJ's firing list at one time. I'll bet there is a connection. I'll bet he "played ball" the way Gonzales et al. dictated, and now the water is getting too hot so he's going to spend more time with his family.
JNagarya wrote on June 19, 2007 1:32 PM:"It's kind of sad, when the Pubs were in power they never let an opportunity pass to humiliate, demean, and emasculate the Democrats. Now that the Dems are in power they never let an opportunity pass to try and play nice, to be "fair", to compromise because "that's what the voters want." Excuse me, but that's what some of the Republican voters want. The rest of us want you to fight your asses off for this country- because the shitheads in power have done a hell of a job destroying it in the last 7 years. And I say only some of the Republican voters want the Dems to play nice because the registered Republicans I know are disgusted with Bush and were looking forward to the Dems showing some fight- not rolling over. Instead the Dems have proven to the independents and Republicans that supported them in this last election that they're the cowards the Republicans always said they were."
Yet again you ignore the numbers -- the Democratic "majority" in the Senate is mostly illusion -- in order to bash, bash, and bash the Democrats.
Pro-Bushit troll.
Nor the the Democrats in the House yet have sufficient votes to do that you demand. Yet you demand anywway, and bash, bash, and bash the Democrats for not doing as you demand.
Pro-Bushit troll.
"Greed rules this nation."
Read _The Federalist Papers_.
Posted by:
Date: June 19, 2007 10:56 AM
Speaking of cowards, I note you don't identify yourself. To whom are we to ascribe your cheap shots? Pro-Bushit troll.
SC = narrow. As in, Pro-Bushit trolls are conveniently selective in their narrowmindedness; the only question is whether it is deliberate.
Thinking Person wrote on June 19, 2007 1:33 PM:The article mentions a Wyoming case that didn't go forward. We have the large Wind River Reservation. There was a big Democratic GOTV effort for the Native American population in 2004, and there has always been an effort to suppress the reservation vote.
Wyoming's U.S. Attorney Matthew Mead, who resigned just last week, was on the DOJ's firing list at one time. I'll bet there is a connection. I'll bet he "played ball" the way Gonzales et al. dictated, and now the water is getting too hot so he's going to spend more time with his family.
Tomazulob wrote on June 19, 2007 1:49 PM:Why do we even allow any of Bush's appointees to serve? Why not stop any more Bushies from representing the corporate world instead of us Americans? Every single representative of Bush's policy is poisonous, and it's time we served the best antidote we can find by not allowing the poison to spread anymore. If we can't overcome his vetoes, then we can stop every single nominee.
mo2 wrote on June 19, 2007 1:50 PM:Here's the list of members - call them all. Tell them "No to von Spakovsky nomination. What good is a lame duck President if he gets his appointees through?" I don't have time to gather phone numbers.
Dianne Feinstein, CA - Chairman (202) 224-3841
Robert C. Byrd
Daniel K. Inouye
Christopher J. Dodd
Charles E. Schumer
Richard J. Durbin
E. Benjamin Nelson
Harry Reid
Patty Murray
Mark L. Pryor
Robert Bennett, UT - Ranking Member
Anonymouse wrote on June 19, 2007 2:05 PM:Ted Stevens
Mitch McConnell
Thad Cochran
Trent Lott
Kay Bailey Hutchison
C. Saxby Chambliss
Chuck Hagel
Lamar Alexander
I was watching an episode of FrontLine called the Dark Side - you can view it here:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/darkside/view/2.html
Fast forward to 03:52 into the second video ... isn't that Hans von Spakovsky sitting at a meeting with Don Rumsfield ?
If it is, why would he be at this meeting?
MsInformed wrote on June 19, 2007 2:39 PM:I read the McClatchy article and did not see anything relating to how Von Spakovsky may get in with Republican wang-doodling. Did I miss something?
JD wrote on June 19, 2007 3:22 PM:"!...despite Democratic opposition to von Spakovsky's nomination, Republicans may be able to protect him by legislative maneuvering...!"
What the...
SquarePeg wrote on June 19, 2007 3:57 PM:If the Democrats don't shout this from the housetops on MSM shut up and sit down.
With all the overtures to the African-American community by all ilks of republican con-men/women, how can any African-American continue to support or openly state that they are a member of the Republican Party?
What will it take to open your eyes to the insidious evil, manipulation, and outright hatred of you by these people who say they honor your success in spite of the odds, but are the ones who placed the obstacles in your way in the first place?
What will it take, Alan Gates, Armstrong Williams, Ken Blackwell, and the posterboy of self-hate Clarence Thomas to make you step back and realize these people care less than a damn about you or what you think as long as you continue to play the part of the sometimes useful idiot?
Wake up!
FloridaDemocrat wrote on June 19, 2007 5:47 PM:The Republicans could care less about the scandal of Black voter suppression as it appeals right to their base; southern white males.
FloridaDemocrat wrote on June 19, 2007 5:48 PM:The Republicans could care less about the scandal of Black voter suppression as it appeals right to their base; southern white males.
FloridaDemocrat wrote on June 19, 2007 5:48 PM:The Republicans could care less about the scandal of Black voter suppression as it appeals right to their base; southern white males.
Bill wrote on June 19, 2007 5:56 PM:"Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness"
Declaration of Independence 1776
Tom Simon wrote on June 19, 2007 6:08 PM:Start cleaning your guns and get the nooses ready for the filthy politicians
Iowa/Wisconsin/Minnesota/Missouri/Illinois - The Cornbelt Region - I think Tom Vilsack from might be an ideal delagate to the 2nd Constitutional Convention.
bjobotts wrote on June 19, 2007 6:36 PM:If he gets appointed to the FEC he will be in a position to do more damage than Democrats could possibly imagine. He will do far more damage in that position than the good Reid's buddy will do. He should be blocked at all costs as should all Bush's Judicial nominations.
The Republicans blocked Clinton nominations till he was out of office. There will be other "deals" but Spakovsky must not get the appointment to the FEC. He should be barred from ever holding public office again.
The Dems are good at pointing the finger and saying look how corrupt but then they don't do anything about it. In other administration all of these people would have resigned or withdrew their names but not in this one. This administration has no integrity.
GAM wrote on June 19, 2007 7:08 PM:Dianne Feinstein, CA - Chairman (202) 224-3841
Robert C. Byrd 202-224-3954
Daniel K. Inouye 202-224-3934
Christopher J. Dodd 202-224-2823
Charles E. Schumer 202-224-6542
Richard J. Durbin 202-224-2152
E. Benjamin Nelson 202-224-6551
Harry Reid 202-224-3542
Patty Murray 202-224-2621
Mark L. Pryor 202-224-2353
Robert Bennett, UT - Ranking Member 202-224-5444
Ted Stevens 202-224-3004
Mitch McConnell 202-224-2541
Thad Cochran 202-224-5054
Trent Lott 202-224-6253
Kay Bailey Hutchison 202-224-5922
C. Saxby Chambliss 202-224-3521
Chuck Hagel 202-224-4224
Lamar Alexander 202-224-4944
SC hope SPRINGs eternal
ddog23 wrote on June 20, 2007 3:07 AM:Posted
I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who, having just signed the Declaration of Independence, said something to the effect of...
"Today we give you this great republic, if you can hold onto it."
Also, why do we still talk as if there were two parties?
ddog23 wrote on June 20, 2007 3:15 AM:I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who, having just signed the Declaration of Independence, said something to the effect of...
"Today we give you this great republic, if you can hold onto it."
Also, why do we still talk as if there were two parties?
Nope wrote on July 13, 2007 4:37 PM:All you stupid fucking leftists, please, PLEASE leave the country! Stop threatening it, and DO IT.