How should Democratic members of the House respond when the GOP introduces a bill based on a demonstrably false premise.
I am, of course, refering to HR 895 (http://www.rules.house.gov/...), the GOP resolution condemning the Times for "leaking" the existence of the SWIFT program?
That's the question of the day.
Should they aggressive drive home the facts that prove beyond all doubt that the SWIFT program was public knowledge prior to the story in the Times (see Glenn Greenwald's definite piece here
http://glenngreenwald.blogspot.com/... )?
Should they put a link on the Democratic Party's website to the super-dee-dooper secret SWIFT website only accessable by those with Texas Ranger decoder rings, http://www.swift.com/
[By the way, Kos, would you please consider linking to this on your webpage?]
Should they repeat the words of G. W. Bush on the campaign trail in April 2004 bragging that the US is closely monitoring terrorist financing, as in?
Before September the 11th, law enforcement could more easily obtain business and financial records of white-collar criminals than of suspected terrorists. See, part of the way to make sure that we catch terrorists is we chase money trails. And yet it was easier to chase a money trail with a white-collar criminal than it was a terrorist. The Patriot Act ended this double standard and it made it easier for investigators to catch suspected terrorists by following paper trails here in America.
"
Should they use snark and introduce an amendment condemning Google for linking to website containing references to the SWIFT program as far back as 1995 and banks that have produced pamphlets on the SWIFT program prior to 2001 (this my favorite, see this diary for a brief discussion http://www.dailykos.com/... )?
Or should they call for more study and respond by saying "the conclusion is not known'?
Well, take a look at the initial Dem response to Oxley's resolution.
http://www.democraticleader.house.gov/...
The House Dems have decided to go the "conclusion not known route".
I CAN'T STAND IT.
Sorry, I had to get this off my chest.
Please consider calling Barney Frank who is leading the the Democratic response. Tell him to not go with "conclusion unknow". The conclusion is known. The GOP is full of it. Say it loud and say it proud.
Congressman Barney Frank
2252 Rayburn H.O.B.
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5931