Hillary Clinton Didn’t Bother To Show Up To Defend Us From Govt. Spying
Ulysses Democrats, and for that matter, all residents of the Town of Ulysses, ought to be aware of what Senator Hillary Clinton did not do this week.
Just a few days after she blasted Barack Obama for not voting yes or no on a few pieces of legislation during his time in the Illinois state legislature, Hillary Clinton did the exact same thing. She did not show up.
It was just the second roll call vote in the United States Senate for 2008, and it was a very important one. It had to do with legislation that would extend the Protect America Act, a terrible law that allows the Bush Administration to develop immense dragnet electronic surveillance programs that target the American people. The law allows the government to read our emails, listen to our telephone calls, and watch where we go and what we do on the web – and to do it all without a search warrant or any other judicial supervision or meaningful congressional oversight. No independent review of the electronic spying against the American people is allowed either, and any citizen who refuses to help the government conduct the spying can be thrown into prison. Furthermore, the extension that is now being proposed would grant retroactive immunity to telecommunications corporations who helped George W. Bush conduct these kinds of electronic spy operations against American citizens before the Protect America Act made the spying legal.
In short, this legislation is just about as rotten as legislation can get.
Last week, on January 24th, there was a crucial vote regarding this legislation. Some Senators attempted to substitute less corrupt legislation for the extension of the Protect America Act, so that at least the retroactive legal immunity for telecommunications corporations would not be granted.
The measure failed. In part, that’s because Hillary Clinton did not show up to vote. She was too busy campaigning for President to do the job in the United States Senate New Yorkers elected her to do just 14 months ago.
I’m not intending this as a dig particularly against Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign. I’m not a Democrat. I’m registered independent of all political parties, so I don’t have a pony in this race. Besides, Barack Obama didn’t show up to vote on January 24th either.
This is about what Hillary Clinton does as our senator. Her first priority should be to do the job that she’s already got, and represent us in the United States Senate. I understand if Senator Clinton does not show up for every vote. However, this was not just any vote. Senator Clinton had a duty to be there, and she shirked that duty.
The issue is not done. The extension of the Protect America Act, which you’ll hear talked about as FISA “reform” (since when is allowing government spies to watch our every move without any constitutionally required legal restraints reform?), will be up for a final vote some time soon.
Please, call the office of Senator Hillary Clinton. Tell her staff that you expect Senator Clinton to be present and voting every step of the way on this legislation.
huh? Barak not there either? Why the deceptive headline. And for that matter, the fuzzying of the data. You say she contributed to the vote not passing. What was the spread? Would her showing up have made a difference?
I’m not particularly supportive of Hillary, but it seems she is no more guilty than Obama on this one.
I know you’ll think it makes a difference because it’s “her” campaign issue, but that dog won’t hunt IMHO. If you apply a standard, apply it equally.
It’s not a deceptive headline. Nothing in the headline deceives you. Besides, I’ve already said just what you said, in the article, and I’ve stated that I’m not trying to make this a presidential campaign issue.
That’s why Hillary Clinton’s name is in the headline. This is a Senate issue. Hillary Clinton represents us in the Senate. Barack Obama does not. It won’t make much difference if New Yorkers call the Senate offices of Barack Obama, because they’re not his constituents. It will make a big difference if New Yorkers call the Senate offices of Hillary Clinton, however, because we are her constituents.
Here in Trumansburg, the standard applies unequally because the situation is unequal. Hillary Clinton is our senator. Barack Obama isn’t.
It’s a shame that you can’t see this in any other terms than as a presidential issue. It’s an issue of doing what’s right.
There is, if you want to take it to the presidential campaign level, however, a bit of a different standard, and that’s the standard applied by Hillary Clinton herself. A few days ago, in a televised debate, Hillary Clinton slammed Barack Obama for not turning up for a vote. Barack Obama has not done that to Hillary Clinton. So, there’s a bit of a revelation here about how sincere Hillary Clinton is when she criticizes Barack Obama in a debate. She’s done exactly the same thing she blasts Obama for doing.
According to the Washington Post “Votes” database, Hillary has missed 23.6% of U.S. Senate votes. Barack has missed 37.8% of U.S. Senate votes.
I’m not trying to defend Barack Obama, but Barack Obama isn’t our senator. Hillary Clinton is, and she didn’t show up for this vote.
Will we show up to let her know that she needs to act on this issue, or will we New Yorkers be absent ourselves?