Feingold makes his mark on history

Feingold's remarks this afternoon on the floor of the Senate rang so true, and laid out so movingly the abuse this country has suffered from this administration. And it was even more moving given that so few have the political integrity or courage to join Feingold in stating what has been plain to many for so long.

This administration has severely mislead the country, lied, cheated, and stolen it's way to getting what it wanted, without a thought as to what the people want or desperately need. That they've subverted and perverted our very system of government, thumbed it's nose at the constitution, the law, and the system of checks and balances.

It was truly moving, and upsetting at the same time, that simply speaking the truth has become such a heroic and risky act.

I urge you all to read his entire remarks if you can possibly find the time.

And please return and offer your thoughts and reactions.

As we move forward, Congress will need to consider a range of possible actions, including investigations, independent commissions, legislation, or even impeachment. But, at a minimum, Congress should censure a president who has so plainly broken the law.

Our founders anticipated that these kinds of abuses would occur. Federalist Number 51 speaks of the Constitution’s system of checks and balances:

“It may be a reflection on human nature, that such devices should be necessary to control the abuses of government. But what is government itself, but the greatest of all reflections on human nature? If men were angels, no government would be necessary. If angels were to govern men, neither external nor internal controls on government would be necessary. In framing a government which is to be administered by men over men, the great difficulty lies in this: you must first enable the government to control the governed; and in the next place oblige it to control itself.”

Mr. President, we are faced with an executive branch that places itself above the law. The founders understood that the branches must check each other to control abuses of government power. The president’s actions are such an abuse, Mr. President. His actions must be checked, and he should be censured.

This President exploited the climate of anxiety after September 11, 2001, both to push for overly intrusive powers in the Patriot Act, and to take us into a war in Iraq that has been a tragic diversion from the critical fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates. In both of those instances, however, Congress gave its approval to the President’s actions, however mistaken that approval may have been.

Read Feingold's full remarks.