December 22, 2005

THE GHOST OF SENATOR CLELAND MUST NOT SPEAK:

New Life for Patriot Act Is No Bush Win: The Senate's six-month extension effectively kills a deal to make key provisions permanent. (Richard B. Schmitt and Mary Curtius, December 22, 2005, LA Times)

In a major setback for the White House on a top domestic priority, the Senate on Wednesday passed a six-month extension of the Patriot Act, due to expire Dec. 31, even though President Bush had demanded that most of the law become permanent.

It's bad for the President, who's trying to protect national security, but greatr for Karl Rove who now gets to use it as a mid-term election issue.

Posted by Orrin Judd at December 22, 2005 7:36 AM
Comments

Right, it is bad for the president because the legislature can now never, ever, under any circumstances at all...revisit the question.

Nope! Forever off the table and gone!
And they wonder why few take thenm seriously any longer.

Posted by: Mikey at December 22, 2005 9:40 AM

I agree. It's great for the President. He gets the "evil, civil liberties gutting" law extended intact for 6 months. Then, he gets an extension that makes minor changes. And he gets a great political issue.

What I do not get is the Dem glee. As I said, the evil bill is extended intact and they will appear pro-terrorist much closer to the midterms.

The recent poll shows a strong majority in support of the Patriot Act. Yet, the Dems think that the phony civil liberties issue will help them.

Posted by: Bob at December 22, 2005 9:56 AM

Bob:

Like the Sunni, the Democrats still think they're the majority.

Posted by: oj at December 22, 2005 10:07 AM

A 6-month extension is silly. If Frist knew what he was doing as a leader, he would have pushed for a 10-month extenstion, so that the vote came up as soon before the election as possible.

Posted by: b at December 22, 2005 11:58 AM

Worse, it appears that the House is sending back a 1-month extension of the act. Huh?

We really are the stupid party.

Posted by: Timothy at December 22, 2005 5:02 PM

B's exactly right.

In six months there will be a stampede to vote for the Patriot Act and it'll pass by 15 votes.

Posted by: H.D. Miller at December 22, 2005 7:53 PM

One month takes it up to the State of the Union speech. Stonewall it again, and the Patriot Act becomes the line in the sand by Bush in this year's address.

Posted by: John at December 22, 2005 10:02 PM
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