Booman Tribune ~ Tester: I Want to Get Rid of It

Tester: I Want to Get Rid of It

by BooMan
Tue Sep 26th, 2006 at 01:07:39 PM EST

Way back when, Markos and Bowers got on the Jon Tester bandwagon. At the time, I didn't really understand why they were getting behind the underdog in a Democratic primary in the far-off state of Montana. There may have been some hidden reasons, but it has sure worked out well. Tester was the blogosphere's first victory over Chuck Schumer. Lamont was our second. For me, this was an important piece of revenge for Schumer's role in clearing the field of pro-choice candidates in favor of Bob Casey, Jr. Casey, after all, will be one of my Senators. I didn't like having my choices taken away in the primary. I love Sherrod Brown, but I don't think Ohioans should have lost the chance to pick Paul Hackett. Schumer doesn't want primaries. I think we need primaries in every race. I think we need competitively drawn congressional districts. But, back to Jon Tester.

Tester and Conrad Burns had a debate yesterday. And I want every Democrat to look carefully at how Tester responded to accusations that he is soft on Terrorism.

They also disagreed sharply on the U.S. Patriot Act. Burns said it is needed to intercept calls placed to known terrorist phone numbers and gives law enforcement the same tools they use to fight organized crime.
"I don't think Mr. Tester understands this enemy," Burns said. "We cannot afford another 9/11. I can tell you that right now. He wants to weaken the Patriot Act."
Tester said the Patriot Act is eroding the very freedoms the terrorists are trying to take from Americans.
"Let me be clear. I don't want to weaken the Patriot Act. I want to get rid of it," Tester said.

Did you catch that? Jon Tester didn't go wobbly. He didn't talk out of the side of his mouth. He didn't make a bunch of excuses, or say on the one hand this and on the other hand that. He just came out flatly and said he wants to get rid of the Patriot Act. That's how it is done.

The sitting Senators down in DC need to pay attention to this. When it comes to legalizing torture and warrantless domestic surveillance, the answer is 'I want to get rid of it'.

Stand up for our rights or you will see more primary fights than you know what to do with.

Tester: I Want to Get Rid of It | 5 comments (5 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Tester: I Want to Get Rid of It (4.00 / 3)

Wow. In Montana, yet. Once again we see that just standing up for what you believe and expressing it strongly is a winning way to campaign. Feingold proved it and so did a valiant few others. How hard is it for the Dem party managers to get something this simple? With one unapologetic unwobbly sentence Tester pulled the curtain off Burns' smarmy synthetic "patriotism" for all to see. And he won't pay a price for it.

Dems who want to supress primaries for their own greedy/idiot reason might want to consider that the alternative -- the only alternative -- to open, active primaries is third party candidates. They may have managed to shyster their way out of the Green cuckoo this time, but the threat will grow stronger every time they put their interests ahead of the voters'.

PS: Boo, you surely meant "Jon Tester did NOT go wobbly" in the 3rd paragraph from the bottom. Sorry to go all editor again.

FDR's response to progressive demands: "I agree. Now go out and make me do it."

by DaveW on Tue Sep 26th, 2006 at 01:21:49 PM EST

Re: Tester: I Want to Get Rid of It (4.00 / 2)

It is so refreshing to hear words like this coming from a candidate. Simply refreshing! We need more like this. The fact that the congress critters tend to talk out of both sides of their mouths, it makes it terribly hard to understand just how they do stand on issues. When they do speak clearly, it is simply amazing just how much we read into that which they mean. It should not be second guessing on such serious matters.

by BrendaStewart (stormyweather1@hotmail.com) on Tue Sep 26th, 2006 at 01:33:46 PM EST

Re: Tester: I Want to Get Rid of It (4.00 / 2)

That is awesome! No "I voted for it before I voted against it" nonsense, just some straight talk.
Like you say, it would be great to hear that on other issues from people who are actually in office, not just running for it.

I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own. ----- George Carlin

by Poeschek (n_poeschek@yahoo.com) on Tue Sep 26th, 2006 at 01:55:14 PM EST

SPOT ON (4.00 / 2)

You said it best, Booman:

"The sitting Senators down in DC need to pay attention to this. When it comes to legalizing torture and warrantless domestic surveillance, the answer is 'I want to get rid of it'.

Stand up for our rights or you will see more primary fights than you know what to do with."

John Mccain Called his wife WHAT??

by brendan on Tue Sep 26th, 2006 at 02:03:15 PM EST

Backbone Detected in Montana Dem! (none / 0)

Finally! If we ever get a real Congressional investigation of Executive branch abuses under the Patriot Act, it will make the Church Committee's expose of the CIA seem laughably tame.The Dems need to take a clear stand in favor of our Constitution. Sounds kinda obvious, no? How do all those right-wing, original-intent folks balance the Patriot Act with the Constitution? The cognitive dissonance must be approaching overload levels.

by Teach313 (teachSKIP313ATmacDOTcom) on Tue Sep 26th, 2006 at 05:51:32 PM EST

Tester: I Want to Get Rid of It | 5 comments (5 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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