lib

Lose them all

Another lib,like we don't have enough already.

not afraid to say what everyone
with a brain is thinking

He's been abandoned by safe-minded Democrats who are lying in the weeds until the mid-term elections. . .but I applaud the man for attacking the failed concepts and ideas of this blatantly corrupt administration.

Feingold is a liberal politician. He is a true democrat, currently representative of what is truly wrong with that political party. They mince arguments about the constitutionality of protecting Americans while giving the terrorists a free ride.

Lots of blather about FISA but what it boils down to is this: the world changed on 9/11/01 for most Americans and most accept the idea that we're not going to return to those fat, happy, stupid days when terrorists were not able to mount an attack on our mainland. Those days ARE gone. However, FISA (a law designed during the Cold War to combat a single, aggressive, evil, sovereign nation from infiltrating and attacking the US) has not changed. It's outdated and obsolete. It does not protect Americans and America from terrorists and their updated communication capabilities and arsenal options. Keep in mind, between 1978 and 2000 no warrant requests were rejected and only 2 of 13,102 were substantially amended. In 2003 and 2004, 6 were rejected outright and 179 of 5,645 were substantially amended by the FISA court. So, terrorism increases and the court becomes more difficult. Hmmm.

Now, MattCiv seems to be knowledgeable about constitutional issues and governmental machinations. He states, unequivocally, that Bush violated the FISA law. I'm not so sure. If it's as simplistic as he states, then Feingold's resolution will pass handily because nobody (not even liberal democrats) can abide a president who defies the law.

My suspicion is that Bush will not be removed from office because most reasonable Americans are relieved to have a president who goes after terrorists and their sympathizers rather than . . . ah, never mind.

President Bush clearly violated FISA, a federal law, and must be held accountable. FISA specifically mandates that presidents can only wiretap American citizens by requesting and then receiving a court order. And under FISA, presidents can wiretap Americans immediately, so long as they go before a court within 72 hours and receive a court order; and in its 30-odd year history only a few requests out of tens of thousands have been denied. There is no reason why the President couldn't have followed the law, and even if he believed (and believes) that the law is unnecessarily restrictive, only Congress has the power to change the law. The president doesn't make the law, only Congress does. The Constitution is very clear that not only does Congress retain the sole right to make and change law, but that the President is legally compelled to follow the law. No President has the legal authority to simply bypass federal law at will. The President's argument that he has some 'inherent executive authority' to break the law is unfounded.
Unfortunately, if we allow a president to break the law, not only are we undermining the very principles for which we are fighting but we undermine our own system of government. The main difference between a dictator and a president is that a president is bounded by certain laws, i.e., he/she is not above the law. A dictator is the law. Bush is not above the law. He admitted to breaking the law, and must be held accountable. I think he did it with good intentions, but simply got carried away. The President can wiretap American citizens under current law, and should do so; but he cannot make up his own laws and break whichever laws he desires.
Senator Feingolds resolution shows his courage and commitment to upholding our basic principles. He is truly one of the finest Senators and reasonable voices in the Senate.

A decent man of integrity and is honest.I never agree with him,but I respect him as a man of principle.

Trying to censure president Bush for wire tapping the enemy is insane. Shame on Feingold who is really just tryng to get political advantage.

Update:This guy has really went off the deep-end! With his go it alone censure attempt at Bush. Which, by the way, holds no water and does not even have backing from his own party. This man was quoted as saying that the President's inherent power would allow him to ASSASSINATE American citizens? Come on!!! Russ and his left-wing buddies seem to think we are living in a police state.(OM)Joined Clinton and Kennedy in voting against Medicare reform. Russ would rather the people of Wisconsin trust the government than to trust their own judgment.

Seems to be the only Senator (besides Boxer and Harken) who have read the 4th Amendment.

Often one of the only sensible voices heard in the Senate.

The Best Senator, the Best Presidential Candidate. Run Russ Run!

I'm a republican, but for the most part I don't feel as though I can attack this man's character or his belief system. However, one of the ugliest pieces of legislation in recent history has his name all over it. McCain-Feingold Campaign Finance Reform had the public's best interest at heart, but both limits political freedom of speech for the sake of "fairness" (in a very wishy-washy way) and has done nothing but harm. I'm interested in results, not intentions.

Best U.S. Senator by far, The Republican party is going to find it difficult to ever defeat him.

Probably in the top 5 US Senators. That isn't saying much.

He's done good things in his career, but his affirmative vote for Roberts shows that at heart, he's still just a politician. Illustrates once again the inherent timidity of the Democratic party in this country.

Feingold consistently rates very highly for constituent service. Has built an independent image for himself in the Senate as someone who goes against the grain, but yet can get along well with his colleagues. He was originally elected in 1992 by beating a Republican incumbent. Since then, he was nearly defeated in 1998 and had a relatively close re-election in 2004. Much of that can be attributed to the fact that he doesn't collect "soft money" contributions from Political Action Committees, so he runs campaigns on the cheap. Feingold's very principled; that's what has sustained him throughout his career.

A patriot. A man who works for his fellow man. Has made a great contribution to our nation.

Go Russell, go! Great Senator...great person!

He has become an important senator and is gaining an increasing following. His colleagues trust him.

Wrong senator for Wisconsin.

Fantastic, honest, intelligent,..

I agree wholeheartedly with both PxKpfw and 37102002's comments. Thhough I'm not from WI, I can say that Feingold fights for rights of the average American citizen.

the rarest of politicians in that he actually does what he thinks is best for the people of his state.

Makes me ashamed to live in Wis.

I respect the fact that he opposed the Patriot Act and fights for the middle class