Censure and Move On

Future President Russ Feingold has called for a formal censure of President Bush over his breaking the law in the NSA domestic spying affair. I have long said that I don't favor impeachment but I do favor accountability in this case, with it being so clear that the President violated the law and circumvented Congress. I didn't favor impeachment because it's a process question. I don't want terrorist surveillance to immediately cease. I want it to go through a court that has some oversight so we're not dealing with a situation where the definition of "terrorist" can be extended to include anybody who doesn't support the President. Without oversight the potential for abuse grows ever more. That the President decided to break the law instead of getting a friendly Congress (and at that time they were very friendly to whatever he wanted) to amend the law demands accountability. Censure is a good remedy.

Feingold makes his case here:

"This conduct is right in the strike zone of the concept of high crimes and misdemeanors," said Feingold, D-Wis., a three-term senator and potential presidential contender.

He said President Bush had, "openly and almost thumbing his nose at the American people," continued the NSA domestic wiretap program...

...in a copy of the censure resolution obtained by ABC News, Feingold asserts the president, "repeatedly misled the public prior to the public disclosure of the National Security Agency surveillance program by indicating his administration was relying on court orders to wiretap suspected terrorists inside the United States."

Feingold cites three instances over a year-long period in which Bush outlined the necessity of a court order or a judge's permission prior to a domestic wiretap of a U.S. citizen...

..."We, as a Congress, have to stand up to a president who acts like the Bill of Rights and the Constitution were repealed on Sept 11, [2001]," Feingold said.

People often forget that MoveOn.org started its life as an email group called Censure and Move On. The idea was that President Clinton should be formally censured for his indiscretions in the Lewinsky affair, not impeached. Then the government could move on and continue doing the people's business. Thus this call for censure is perfectly consistent, and will allow everybody to move on. This is what's best for the country.

You can watch Feingold's statement at the This Week site. I applaud him for living up to his oath of office.