Beachryan
More helpful with spreadsheets than Phurry
- Joined
- May 13, 2010
- Messages
- 11,728
On the FISA one, that's been around since the Patriot Act right? I think two thoughts on that:For the pro-Biden people here @Beachryan @WI_Red @calodo2003
I think you are sincere when you say that Trump poses a unique fascist threat. Project 2025 looks scary to most people including me. And certainly protecting democracy is the main campaign of the Dems.
Five days ago, an extension of FISA, which allows warrantless wiretapping, was signed by President Biden after passing the House and Senate. Yesterday, the House passed a bill that gives the president the unilateral authority to strip non-profits of their status if he determines that they are "terrorist supporting". That bill has now passed the Senate Finance Committee.
Both bills were passed with massive bipartisan majorities. The FISA extension passed 259-128 in the House and 60-34 in the Senate, with 140 House Democrats and 30 Senate Democrats voting in favour. This represents the majority of the Democratic caucus in both chambers (not to mention the Democratic president who signed it).
The second bill passed the House 382-11 with only the squad and Thomas Massie voting against, representing an overwhelming majority of the Democratic caucus.
I'm personally against warantless wiretapping in general, and am worried about how the anti-Palestinian Democratic party can use the powers in the second bill. But I understand that many Democratic supporters may not share those concerns.
Coming back to Trump - I would guess that even Dem supporters can see how these laws would give him carte blache to deal with liberal organisations, for example, BLM, pro-migrant groups, the ACLU, HRC, etc. And a hostile dictator with the power to read every single thing you say isn't comforting either.
My question is - why do you think your party is arming the potential future dictator with Enabling Acts even before he comes to power? Do they not sincerely think he is a fascist threat, or are they sure they will win in November? And if it's the latter, is the game plan that no Republican will ever win the presidency in the future?
1 - No one wants to be the administration that stops any bill like that, and then has a terrorist attack occur. That's end of administration stuff.
2 - It highlights the danger of letting the genie out of the bottle - it's extraordinarily hard to put it back in.
On the new bill, I'd need to read up on it, but anything that passes 382-11 and at first glance seems ridiculous probably isn't. As much as it's easy to mock some congressmen, there are a lot serious folk there, and at least 150 such people have reviewed it and consider it reasonable. I'm not one of those, so can't really say.
It gets to my general point having met several people that have worked either with democrats or in reasonably senior positions of policy-making: most of them are serious, smart and know more than I will ever dream of knowing about their areas. At some stage I have to have some faith. It's the reason I'm so terrified of the new GOP. Not knowing is part of the allure.