GoldbergBlog

The Dodd Filibuster

It is a rare day in American politics where it seems like we can claim a victory for America. For the principles this country was built on, it’s hard to claim a victory. Groups of Americans can claim victory for their individual causes, but lately, it seems like our country is poisoned by people like Alabama senator Jeff Sessions (R) who said today in the debate over the amendment for telecom amnesty in the FISA legislation,

“The civil libertarians among us would rather defend the constitution than protect our nation’s security.”

And there it is. Don’t be proud to be an American. Be scared. Be scared and do what you’re told and forget what country you thought you lived in because people in worse countries want to kill you for what they think your country represents.

Yes, we get a lot of bad days. But then there are days like today.

Back in October, Connecticut senator Chris Dodd (D) made a promise to filibuster any amendment to the FISA legislation that would give telecom companies retroactive immunity for spying on our citizens without a warrant. A few companies refused but most accepted without hesitation. It wasn’t even the spying or the fear-mongering that pushed senator Dodd to make his pledge. It was the utter disregard for our constitution and our laws and to that, he could not stand by.

And so today, Democrat-in-Name-Only Harry Reid ignored senator Dodd’s hold on the bill (while happily accommodating a pro-torture hold from Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) and a pro-civil-rights-slaying hold from Tom Coburn (R-OK)) and allowed the measure to come to the floor for a vote.  And as he promised, senator Dodd began his filibuster.  With only nine Democrats by his side, Dodd made me proud to be a democrat and proud to be an American.  Not afraid, not ashamed, but proud.

The cynics will argue that this was the work of a second-tier presidential candidate, desperate to garner some kind of name-recognition.  They’ll say it was foolish to come to D.C. and waste time on a piece of legislation most Americans don’t care about instead of remaining on the campaign trail in Iowa.  These people don’t get it and they probably never will.  They don’t understand that true leaders aren’t too busy saying what great leaders they are rather than actually leading.  They don’t understand that sacrificing one’s convictions for the chance of being President is the hypocrisy that poisons our country and makes “politics” the most vulgar of words.

But ultimately the cynics probably won’t even take notice.  It won’t fit their narrow world-view.  The legislation isn’t sexy.  Dodd isn’t a media-selected candidate.  But their indifferences does not diminish the accomplishment.  What happened today was truly great because win-or-lose, Chris Dodd didn’t do what was easy; he did what was right.  It’s the simplest of concepts and yet it eludes so many Democrats that still don’t seem to realize they’re in the majority and that they can do what’s right and do it easily.  But with only nine other senators at his side, Dodd chose to fight.   And at the day’s end, Reid tabled the amendment till January.  It’s a temporary victory but a victory honestly won and it honors every American who still understands that our security is pointless if we’re willing to sacrifice that which the security is supposed to protect.

It seems sad that we should have to thank a senator or any elected official for defending the constitution and the rule of law, but we live in sad times.  But today was a good day, and for that you should thank the Senator from Connecticut.

No comments yet.

Leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.