I've got to hand it to Raul Grijalva ...

... he hasn't caved to the those (including Krugman) who think the indefensible Senate's protect-the-future-profits-of-the-'health'-insurance-industry bill should be passed now, right now, don't think about it further, just do what we say, right now. After all it can be fixed (by the same morons who can't produce anything halfway acceptable should their very lives depend on it) later. Sort-a-like Medicare Part D was fixed -- oh, but it hasn't been fixed, has it?

It takes guts, which so few in Congress have, to keep standing up for what it right as other Democrats, like Diane Watson of California, get down in the mud and slither towards their corporate paymasters.

This is how Nancy Pelosi works for us? ...

... the single payer advocates, who settled for the promise of a floor vote on the Weiner amendment, only to see that amendment withdrawn in a deal to avoid… the Stupak amendment, only to see that amendment not withdrawn and ultimately given a floor vote and be adopted.

How Arizona Representatives Voted On FISA Amendments Act of 2008 ...

There are eight Congressional Representatives from Arizona split evenly between Democrats and Republicans. Two (Gifford and Mitchell) are new 'hires.' This is a very poor showing for these two new Democrats in Congress. Right off the bat they vote to exempt telecomm corporations from any crimes they may have committed and institute blanket, unconstitutional warrantless spying on American citizens. This is a power that Bush illegally usurped and was unable to get Congress to pass UNTIL the Democrats became a majority and with the help of new 'hires' who were supposed to be better than their Republican predecessors. You can see how that worked out.

The two other Democratic Reps (Grijalva, since 2003 and Pastor, since 1991) both voted against the abomination that is the FISA Amendments Act of 2008.

Of course we expected the Republicans to vote for spying and immunity for the rich and they did.

I would like to thank both Raul Grijalva (who is my Rep) and Ed Pastor for their votes in this matter. I hope they both tried to sway their cohorts in the House to stand up for the Constitution. Over half the Democrats did but too many, 105 Democrats, voted to pass this GOP written legislation which was then rushed through by the Democratic 'leadership' in a manner reminiscent of the Republicans. Closed doors sessions, secrecy, failure to give any time to study the legislation. The kind of behaviour that Pelosi stated would NEVER happen under her watch.

The 105 Democrats, including Pelosi and Hoyer, and along with Reid in the Senate need to be excised from House and Senate.

=======================
Rep. Rick Renzi [R, AZ-1] - Yea. Voted to destroy the Constitution, give lawbreakers (rich lawbreakers) a get out of court free card and blanket, warrantless spying on US Citizens.

Rep. Trent Franks [R, AZ-2] - Yea. Voted to destroy the Constitution, give lawbreakers (rich lawbreakers) a get out of court free card and blanket, warrantless spying on US Citizens.

Rep. John Shadegg [R, AZ-3] - Yea. Voted to destroy the Constitution, give lawbreakers (rich lawbreakers) a get out of court free card and blanket, warrantless spying on US Citizens.

Rep. Edward Pastor [D, AZ-4] - Nay. Voted to protect individual rights and to hold communication companies liable under the law for any crimes they may have committed to be determined by judge and jury.

Rep. Harry Mitchell [D, AZ-5] - Yea. Voted to destroy the Constitution, give lawbreakers (rich lawbreakers) a get out of court free card and blanket, warrantless spying on US Citizens.

Rep. Jeff Flake [R, AZ-6] - Yea. Voted to destroy the Constitution, give lawbreakers (rich lawbreakers) a get out of court free card and blanket, warrantless spying on US Citizens.

Rep. Raul Grijalva [D, AZ-7] - Nay. Voted to protect individual rights and to hold communication companies liable under the law for any crimes they may have committed to be determined by judge and jury.

Rep. Gabrielle Giffords [D, AZ-8] - Yea. Voted to destroy the Constitution, give lawbreakers (rich lawbreakers) a get out of court free card and blanket, warrantless spying on US Citizens.

The people's representatives ...

The people's representatives are at it again. They appear to think they are magnificent chess players rather than destroyers of peoples lives, health, welfare and livelihoods.

What happened to the House FISA bill?

On second thought the Republicans probably don't care about, or may even enjoy, the damage they inflict. Some of the Democrats just seem oblivious to reality or easily influenced by Bush 'reality.'

C & L has a clip of Chris Matthews interviewing Jim Moran (D-VA) and Trent Franks (R-AZ) ...

Watch the clip: Hardball: To withdraw immediately or not to withdraw immediately, that is the question

I don't remember ever seeing Trent Franks before (one of the very few drawbacks of not watching TV). Does he always appear to be such an uninformed dullard? Why did anyone in Arizona vote for him? Never mind ...