Today the US Senate voted against a bill that would have retored habeas corpus, or the right for detainees in Guantanamo and other foreigners to challenge their detention in the courts. Forty Three Senators voted against restoring an institution as fundamental to this country as The Bill Of Rights - the right to a fair trial.
The propsoed legislation, being sponsored by Senators Leahy/Dodd,needed approval by 60 votes in order to be to pass its first phase in the Senate. It received only 56, with 43 voting against. Because I believe it is vital to understand who amd where those in our government are voting in a way most progressive Americans believe is profoundly wrong, I am publishing a list of the NAY voters by STATE. More below.
Roll Call
3/5 Vote Result: Cloture Motion Rejected
Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 2022 to S.Amdt. 2011 to H.R. 1585 (National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008)
Here are the NAYS Broken Out By State. I have intentionally boldened the states with 2 senators votong NAY
UPDATED: Where there is an asterisk the Senator is up for re-election in 2008
Alabama: Sessions* (R-AL),Nay Nay Shelby (R-AL), Nay
Alaska: Murkowski (R-AK), Nay Stevens* (R-AK), Nay
Arizona: Kyl (R-AZ), Nay McCain (R-AZ), Nay
Colorado: Allard* (R-CO), Nay
Connecticut: Lieberman (ID-CT), Nay
Florida: Martinez (R-FL), Nay
Georgia: Chambliss* (R-GA), Not Voting Isakson (R-GA), Nay
Idaho: Craig* (R-ID), Nay Crapo (R-ID), Nay
Kansas: Brownback (R-KS), Nay Roberts (R-KS), Nay
Kentucky: Bunning (R-KY), Nay McConnell* (R-KY), Nay
Louisiana: Vitter (R-LA), Nay
Maine: Collins* (R-ME), Nay
Minnesota: Coleman* (R-MN), Nay
Mississippi: Cochran* (R-MS), Nay Lott (R-MS), Nay
Missouri: Bond (R-MO), Nay
Nevada: Ensign (R-NV), Nay
New Hampshire: Gregg (R-NH), Nay
New Mexico: Domenici* (R-NM), Nay
North Carolina: Burr (R-NC), Nay Dole (R-NC), Nay
Ohio: Voinovich (R-OH), Nay
Oklahoma: Coburn (R-OK), Nay Inhofe* (R-OK), Nay
South Carolina: DeMint (R-SC), Nay Graham* (R-SC), Nay
South Dakota: Thune (R-SD), Nay
Tennessee: Alexander* (R-TN), Nay Corker (R-TN), Nay
Texas: Cornyn* (R-TX), Nay Hutchison (R-TX), Nay
Utah: Bennett (R-UT), Nay Hatch (R-UT), Nay
Virginia: Warner (R-VA), Nay
Wyoming: Barrasso (R-WY), Nay Enzi (R-WY), Nay
States with 2 Nays
Alabama
Arizona
Alaska
Idaho
Kansas
Kentucky
Mississippi
North Carolina
Oklahoma
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Wyoming
We Need to Educate Our Fellow Americans Before It Is Too Late
I spent the last 5 hours looking for a glimmer of hope that in the states where 2 Senators voted Nay, these votes were not truely reflective of the populations they respresent.
Yes, I found a progressive or left leaning blog here or there, but by and large I found APATHY. Yes, there is a general feeling amongst all Americans that the Patriot Act is not good for the American people. But that is largely where the understanding of our severely eroding freedoms as both Americans and leaders of the free world ends.
It's time we stopped preaching to the choir - ourselves. If there is to be a true renewal in America, it must begin with a dialoque between Progressives and those on the other side now. We just might find we have more in common than we think. If we don't at least try, I fear that blame for the benign ignorance of the current administration's shredding of the constitution will lie at our feet as well.
Here is a blog from Alabama that is part of the net roots 50 state progressive round up:
http://www.leftinalabama.com/...
There may already be a DKOS working group that is reaching out to these sites/activitists. If so, we need to double our efforts and I for one volunteer. If not, this is an incredible opportunity for DKOS to take a meaningful leadership opportunity is helping to educate not very blue states about the foundation that our country is built upon.