Obama, telecoms and the Beltway system
As noted yesterday, Blue Dog Rep. John Barrow of Georgia has been one of the most enthusiastic enablers of the radical and lawless policies of the Bush administration. When running for re-election, he ran ads accusing his own party of wanting to "cut and run in Iraq," and was one of the 21 Blue Dogs to send a letter to Nancy Pelosi demanding that they be allowed to vote for the Rockefeller/Cheney Senate bill to give warrantless eavesdropping powers to the President and amnesty to lawbreaking telecoms.
As a result of all of that, Barrow faces a serious primary challenge in July from State Senator Regina Thomas, who decided to run against Barrow due to -- as she told Howie Klein when she announced -- "Barrow's failure to support his constituents against the encroachments of powerful Big Business interests." As Klein noted yesterday, Thomas' positions on both foreign and domestic policy are firmly in line with Barack Obama's views and with the Democratic base in that district, while Barrow has continuously supported the most extremist Bush policies, as he himself proudly boasts.
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Despite all of this, The Atlanta Constitution-Journal reported yesterday that Barack Obama -- who has been claiming to be so emphatically opposed to warrantless eavesdropping and telecom amnesty, to say nothing of the Iraq War -- taped a radio endorsement this week for Rep. Barrow, with the specific intent to help him defeat Regina Thomas in the Democratic primary (h/t sysprog):Obama cuts an ad to help John Barrow in his primary fight
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has taped a radio commercial on behalf of U.S. Rep. John Barrow of Savannah, who faces a July 15 primary challenge.
It's the first case of Obama involving himself in a local race in Georgia. . . But the Obama campaign made clear to my colleague Aaron Sheinin that it sees Barrow, a two-term Democrat, as an important ally. .
. .
"Senator Obama believes that Congressman Barrow has worked hard to bring change that families in his district deserve, and we'll work hard to help John Barrow win in November," Obama spokeswoman Amy Brundage said.
*spit-take* WHAT THE FUCK?
Unless Obama has some unbelievable insider information, he's talking out of his ass. What fucking change? What about John Barrow isn't symptomatic of terminal DCitis? Why the fuck do you want to support a stupid motherfucking Democrat who supports George Fucking Bush?
It's the first time in a long time he's disappointed me, and I'm willing to forgive - a bit - but not forget, and I shall not let this pass. He's got 'splaining to do. But he can start by winning back my respect, and he should have to work for yours, too.
You see, we don't have a single indication that he's going to lift a finger to do jack shit about the FISA bill that's coming up. It's time to give him a right kick in the arse to let him know the base isn't interested in trading civil liberties for supposed "security." Right and left, liberal and conservative, we have one point we agree on: we don't want the government listening in on our conversations without a fucking warrant, and we don't want the telecoms that enabled such illegal spying to get off with a note from the President saying it's okay to break the law if big daddy tells you to.
Let Obama know these things.
Send him an email. Hell, send him two: here's his Senate contact, and here's his campaign contact. His Senate form, unlike some others I've encountered, doesn't tell you to fuck off because you're not from Illinois, by the way.
Then give him a phone call. Tell him you would like him to oppose FISA: 1-866-675-2008, option 6. Quick and painless - his staff is sweet as pie, and they don't ask a lot of pesky questions, they just note down your position.
Let him know you're not happy with him supporting a Bush dog Democrat, either. Let's make it clear that real change means sweeping out the Republicon enablers and clearing the way for a progressive majority, shall we?
More on this later, if the rat bastards in D.C. don't sneak FISA through today. Now, my cramps and I are really headed to bed. You can join me and Cujo359 in a different bed by cozying up with the Strange Bedfellows, here.
Let's make the earth move. Or at least make the powers-that-be in D.C. wonder what magnitude earthquake just hit 'em....
Update: You can send an email to your Congresscritter & Senators here. You can even rip off my email, if you like:
Dear [Elected officia]:
Bush and his enablers are at it again. They're trying to get a new FISA bill through that contains all of the immunity for telecoms and vast spying powers they ever wanted.
I'm relying on you to take a stand against this.
No more talk of immunity. No more warrantless eavesdropping powers. NO MORE.
Since news of this broke, Strange Bedfellows, a coalition of bloggers, activists and concerned citizens from all across the political spectrum, has generated almost $200,000 in donations to combat this latest attempt to slip sweeping new powers and immunities into law. I think this tells you just how passionate folks are about their civil liberties, and how incensed they are that those liberties have been repeatedly threatened by this odious legislation.
Stand strong. I know you'll protect our civil liberties. I know we can count on you.
Sincerely,
Good letter, Dana. The House's DNS servers were down for a while - I think their e-mail is really busy today. Keep those calls and e-mails coming.
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