My drawing is done from an Indiana University photo.
The GOP Senators are not telling us the whole truth and nothing but the truth!
by Charlie Leck
Let’s make this a very straight-forward and clear blog – one that’s deals with a significant issue truthfully and factually.
The Republican Party – right now – is a strange outfit and I just don’t know how ordinary, everyday folks can be comfortable being a part of it.
Let’s deal with a case in point; that is, the case of Dawn Johnsen, President Obama’s appointee to head the Office of Legal Counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice. The Democrats are trying to get this nomination to the Senate floor in order to vote on the appointment and get Ms. Johnsen to work. In sending the nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, every Republican , except Arlen Spector (Pa) voted against Ms Johnsen. Mr. Spector abstained.
Why? Why did the Republicans vote against Johnsen? They say it is because she is too strong a proponent of abortion, even though it is clear that Johnsen’s stand on abortion is pretty mainstream in nature and she is not at all an activist on the issue. As well, her office would have very little influence over matters of abortion. As a lawyer she did list among her clients the National Abortion and Reproduction Rights Action League.
It appears that there is something else sticking in the craw of the Republicans of the Senate. What is it? If my analysis of this is correct (and this analysis is not original – it’s been offered by a number of people and groups), then it says something pretty awful about the Republican Party.
Ms. Johnsen, my dear readers, is committed to the Obama promise of cleaning up the Department of Justice and restoring it to a higher standard of professionalism. For the last eight years, the Department has participated in political manipulation and was the source of the “infamous memoranda on torture.” (Scott Horton, The Daily Beast)
Somehow a recent memorandum from the International Red Cross (IRC) was released and made public. It expressed the strong opinion that detainees had been subjects of extreme torture while held prisoner by the U.S.. The revelation of this memorandum infuriated Republicans.
Why?
You answer it. I’m dumbfounded.
The Republicans are afraid that this torture scandal is going to blow up in the faces of the former President and former Vice President. I wrote about this a week ago in RANTING, RAVING & RAGING. The Republicans are afraid that Ms. Johnsen will lead an investigation into the facts behind the leaked memorandum and that that could lead to the criminal prosecutions of members of the Bush administration, including George W. Bush himself.
So, they keep talking about Ms. Johnsen’s position on abortion.
I want to know whether officials of our government participated in illegal actions against detainees and prisoners. Were these criminal actions?
The Republicans don’t want to know!
They’ll sugar-coat and disguise that lack of interest and call it something else; however, the Republicans do not want to go there. If they were honest they would ask, “What good is it? Why go back there? Why not move forward? What’s done is done, isn't it?”
If they would honestly ask those questions, I might have some sympathy for them. Those questions are worth a discussion.
However, the Republicans are not being straight-forward and genuine about this issue.
Let’s get Ms. Johnsen endorsed on the floor of the Senate. Let’s let her go to work. She’s a professor at the Indiana University School of Law. She’s highly qualified. I've looked over her credentials and rarely do you see anyone so qualified for the position to which they are called.
If the time comes for a debate about the criminal prosecution of former members of the Bush administration, that’s when the Republicans can raise the questions I recited above.
by Charlie Leck
Let’s make this a very straight-forward and clear blog – one that’s deals with a significant issue truthfully and factually.
The Republican Party – right now – is a strange outfit and I just don’t know how ordinary, everyday folks can be comfortable being a part of it.
Let’s deal with a case in point; that is, the case of Dawn Johnsen, President Obama’s appointee to head the Office of Legal Counsel at the U.S. Department of Justice. The Democrats are trying to get this nomination to the Senate floor in order to vote on the appointment and get Ms. Johnsen to work. In sending the nomination out of the Senate Judiciary Committee, every Republican , except Arlen Spector (Pa) voted against Ms Johnsen. Mr. Spector abstained.
Why? Why did the Republicans vote against Johnsen? They say it is because she is too strong a proponent of abortion, even though it is clear that Johnsen’s stand on abortion is pretty mainstream in nature and she is not at all an activist on the issue. As well, her office would have very little influence over matters of abortion. As a lawyer she did list among her clients the National Abortion and Reproduction Rights Action League.
It appears that there is something else sticking in the craw of the Republicans of the Senate. What is it? If my analysis of this is correct (and this analysis is not original – it’s been offered by a number of people and groups), then it says something pretty awful about the Republican Party.
Ms. Johnsen, my dear readers, is committed to the Obama promise of cleaning up the Department of Justice and restoring it to a higher standard of professionalism. For the last eight years, the Department has participated in political manipulation and was the source of the “infamous memoranda on torture.” (Scott Horton, The Daily Beast)
Somehow a recent memorandum from the International Red Cross (IRC) was released and made public. It expressed the strong opinion that detainees had been subjects of extreme torture while held prisoner by the U.S.. The revelation of this memorandum infuriated Republicans.
Why?
You answer it. I’m dumbfounded.
The Republicans are afraid that this torture scandal is going to blow up in the faces of the former President and former Vice President. I wrote about this a week ago in RANTING, RAVING & RAGING. The Republicans are afraid that Ms. Johnsen will lead an investigation into the facts behind the leaked memorandum and that that could lead to the criminal prosecutions of members of the Bush administration, including George W. Bush himself.
So, they keep talking about Ms. Johnsen’s position on abortion.
I want to know whether officials of our government participated in illegal actions against detainees and prisoners. Were these criminal actions?
The Republicans don’t want to know!
They’ll sugar-coat and disguise that lack of interest and call it something else; however, the Republicans do not want to go there. If they were honest they would ask, “What good is it? Why go back there? Why not move forward? What’s done is done, isn't it?”
If they would honestly ask those questions, I might have some sympathy for them. Those questions are worth a discussion.
However, the Republicans are not being straight-forward and genuine about this issue.
Let’s get Ms. Johnsen endorsed on the floor of the Senate. Let’s let her go to work. She’s a professor at the Indiana University School of Law. She’s highly qualified. I've looked over her credentials and rarely do you see anyone so qualified for the position to which they are called.
If the time comes for a debate about the criminal prosecution of former members of the Bush administration, that’s when the Republicans can raise the questions I recited above.
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