Comments on: GOP Senator Puts Secret Hold On Bill Restoring Public Access To Presidential Records

By: MiMiCcs

MiMiCcs — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 05:48:39 +0000

Its an Executive Order that can be changed by the next President. You would assume a Democratic President would do so, unless her name be Clinton. She might want to keep secret of some of her hubbies dealings.

Congress is obviously gridlocked until one side or the other has a clear and overwhelming majority. No sense getting worked up one of each failed attempt to do something. Maybe 2009 will be different. Maybe.

Back to the motive though. What might people think if they were to find out that TWA 800 was an AQ attack that was covered up because of impending elections and the upcoming Olympics. Could it be this is what Sandy Berger was removing from the archives? If so, the Republicans got the Dems by their golden nuggets. No wonder they are so timid. Imagine what peoples response would be?

They would conclude that 9/11 could have been prevented if only we were told that TWA was attacked by AQ, as we would have been motivitated to increase air security, so it’s all on the Democrats, even more than it already is. May the Democratic Party RIP if that were to happen. Yet, Republicans need a partner in crime to play the good cop bad cop game and maintain an illusion of a functioning Democracy.

Then there was Egypt Air Flight 990 where a co-pilot crashes the plane filled with Army officers (OBL has no love for them) into the ocean, or perhaps it was returning to NY to hit the WTC and was shot down. No evidence for this, but it makes you wonder if Clinton was suppressing news of the attacks for political reasons, and in the 990 flight might have prevented one, while Bush may or may not have prevented one and didn’t, and since has been hyping any suspected new attacks, real ones or invented, again for political reasons.

Given the level of secrecy in government today, we may never learn what actually happened over the past 20 years, and will be forced to reply on the official history. Historians exist to correct the official history, but to do this, they need access to government records that they may never have again.

By: Bodhittsatva

Bodhittsatva — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 03:51:31 +0000

WHat does it matter, Dumbsiht has to sign the fukcing thing, and won’t. So the whole bill is moot.
As for the media, just bomb fox news.

By: WaltTheMan

WaltTheMan — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 21:40:37 +0000

OK, BlueMonkeyOK, we need a rep. Get the story and the rest of us can let the Senator’s staff get some rest. Start straffing again at 6:30 PM EDT if a full explanation is not forthcomming.

By: Coburn Staff

Coburn Staff — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 21:04:50 +0000

The office of Sen. Tom Coburn would like to state for the record that he is not holding this bill related to presidential records. It is true that he placed a hold on the bill following its passage through the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in June, but has since worked out his minor concern with the office of Sen. Joseph Lieberman at which time he lifted his hold.

If you have questions, please call our office at (202) 224-5754.

By: BlueMonkeyOK

BlueMonkeyOK — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 20:56:52 +0000

I just called Coburn’s office. I informed the staffer that I was calling from Tulsa, OK and said that I heard that there had been a secret hold placed on a recently introduced bill that would restore public access to presidential records and that Coburn’s name had been mentioned in relation to the secret hold. I asked if they had any comment on it. The staffer replied “I don’t know how that got out but it’s not us.” Does that count as being on the record denying it? (BTW, this is the first time I’ve ever spoken to anyone’s Congressional office. Is there anything special I should do in the future when trying to get an on-the-record affirmation or denial?)

By: IgnoranceIsNotBliss

IgnoranceIsNotBliss — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 20:31:05 +0000

Miss Molly, why would Hillary’s College papers be considered as “belonging to the public”? I don’t get that.

By: Kgprophet

Kgprophet — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 20:06:50 +0000

Where and why is there some provision for a lone senator to secretly stop the legal process? This is stupid, like “double secret probation”. These archaic special rules are driving our democratic process into the ground.

By: missmolly

missmolly — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:41:04 +0000

I think Sen Rodham Clinton is behind it. She has sealed her PhD dissertation too.

Comment by Great Americans â€” September 20, 2007 @ 1:56 pm

And we are STILL hearing the wingnuts wailing about that one. Funny how they squeal like wounded animals over Hillary sealing her college papers but support the right of our president to bury all records of his machinations for all time.

I don’t support ANY records belonging to the public being sealed indefinitely. Regardless of what party they come from.

By: MapleStreet

MapleStreet — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:25:01 +0000

Ouch – note that Welfare Rolls are circular Welfare Roles and taste great with butter and jelly.

By: MapleStreet

MapleStreet — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:24:14 +0000

You miss the conservative mindset. Stress doesn’t cause suicide (or other mental illnesss, drug dependence, poverty, etc) – personal weakness does. So if a couple of weak pansies that can’t take it decide to remove themselves from our welfare rolls, all the better.

NOTE: Not my position.

By: skinnybones jones

skinnybones jones — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 19:13:41 +0000

So when Bush gets his Preznitzel Liberry, and all the kool aid lemmings go to be shocked and awed, what will happen is they’ll goosestep in the door and there won’t be anything there. It’s all sealed away – top secret. But they will like that won’t they? They” be safer cause the terrist can’t see the secrets. Right?

Just when I think it can’t get any more bizarre….. and there’s 15 months to go.

By: loretta

loretta — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:29:46 +0000

I just called his office and it sure sounds like they’re swamped–keep calling!

By: Bobwurst

Bobwurst — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:13:46 +0000

“Sweet hair.
Comment by Squegeeboo â€” September 20, 2007 @ 1:34 pm
You like that â€œpart my hair with a firecracker taped to my foreheadâ€ look, huh? =D

Comment by Wayne”

I thought it was the “Doh! who cleaned the sliding glass door?” look.

By: williamf

williamf — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:13:37 +0000

Ah, secrets…the very foundation of democracy. This senator (small s) is hiding what he is doing. Shhhhhh……it’s a secret. This guy is terrorizing the system of government in our country. The people put him in office and now he acts like a prince. We need to know what they’re doing in the capitol. Everything is secret. I’ve had an FOIA at the CDC for a year. Originally they said the report was classified secret (the post Katrina report), now they say it’s on appeal. I’ll never see the report. There is no justice and no democracy where there is rampant secrecy!

By: Bobwurst

Bobwurst — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:11:46 +0000

“I think Sen Rodham Clinton is behind it. She has sealed her PhD dissertation too.

Comment by Great Americans”

Why the americans? it took more than one of you to come up with that? you really need help.

By: MCMetal

MCMetal — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:08:41 +0000

My thinking is that the Republicans have spent years playing hardball against their opponents â€” shutting down the govâ€™t, signing statements, refusing security clearance necessary to investigate, threatening to get rid of the filibuster. Shouldnâ€™t the Democrats think of creative ways to do the same thing? Iâ€™d respect the group that decided to get rid of someting as un-democratic-sounding as â€œsecret holds.â€

Comment by binx â€” September 20, 2007 @ 2:00 pm

The Dems need to appoint real leaders to the head of their party ; not spinless bureaucrats like Reid and Pelosi……..
When Webb’s amendment is allowed to die without debate and without the horseshit GOP being held accountable to explain their positions individually on camera to the American people they WORK FOR , what chance is there of historical precedent like a “hold” being removed/ignored ?

By: mldb

mldb — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:08:02 +0000

Nitpick…

Rep. Todd Platts (PA-19)…Todd Russell Platts is his full name

By: MCMetal

MCMetal — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:04:14 +0000

I think Sen Rodham Clinton is behind it. She has sealed her PhD dissertation too.

Comment by Great Americans â€” September 20, 2007 @ 1:56 pm

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
As if you’re capable of “thought”………..LOL
That was a good one.

By: binx

binx — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:00:19 +0000

Senate rules donâ€™t explicitly provide for a â€œhold,â€ but the mechanism dates at least to Lyndon Johnsonâ€™s days as majority leader. A hold is basically a way of signaling the intent to filibuster, and by tradition, it can be filed anonymously.

Comment by MCMetal â€” September 20, 2007 @ 1:31 pm

So, if a particular mechanism is not a “rule” but simply precident, courtesy, tradition, … hypothetically speaking, couldn’t a majority leader decide they were no longer going to honor that precident? Or, on the assumption it’s a member’s way of signaling his intention to filibuster, actually REQUIRE the member to go through with the intent?

My thinking is that the Republicans have spent years playing hardball against their opponents — shutting down the gov’t, signing statements, refusing security clearance necessary to investigate, threatening to get rid of the filibuster. Shouldn’t the Democrats think of creative ways to do the same thing? I’d respect the group that decided to get rid of someting as un-democratic-sounding as “secret holds.”

By: Clyde the Ripper

Clyde the Ripper — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 18:00:02 +0000

Given the actions of the Rethuglicans in the Senate and House of late it is ridiculous for the Dems to continually introduce meaningful legislation not approved by bushco and the braindead Rethug lackeys in Congress. The Dems do, however, have a weapon that is absolutely foolproof that only takes a pair of little cojones to use. That weapon is to introduce absolutely no bills in either the House or Senate that do not have a rider that will completely emasculate the bushco. If the Rethugs vote down or filibuster the bill the monkey is on their back if they pass the bill all is well for the Country. This must absolutely apply to all fiscal appropriations bills. The Dems have the majority so all they have to say is do it my way or we won’t do it at all.