The following is the text of an email that I sent to both of my Washington State senators today, Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, urging them to vote Yes on the Censure Resolution that Senator Russ Feingold courageously introduced on the floor of the senate today.
I urge every Kossack to also contact their own senators with email, faxes and phone calls, ASAP, so that their senators (of either party) know where they stand on this critical issue, and realize that they have our support if they vote Yes, and our strong disapproval if they vote No or abstain.
It is only by pressuring and supporting our leaders to do the right thing in taking meaningful action on this and all other dangerous and illegal Bush administration and GOP policies that we will get them to do so, and reverse our slow slide into the abyss of tyrrany and chaos.
Use my words or your own, it doesn't matter, just let them know what you think and how you feel on this and other important issues during this critical time in our country's history.
I urge Senator Cantwell/Murray to support Senator Feingold's Censure Resolution against President Bush for his authorization of the illegal NSA wiretap program. As countless constitutional experts have stated publically, this program is absolutely illegal and outrageous, and a danger to both civil liberties and the separation of powers between the executive and legislative branches of government.
By being outside the legally required oversight of both the judiciary and congress, it is not only illegal and a dangerous precedent, but it also prevents the courts and congress from knowing whether the program is not overstepping its bounds by spying on innocent Americans and foreign nationals, not to mention whether it's effective in actually defending our national security.
The president cannot be allowed to continue with this illegal and potentially dangerous program. The program must either be stopped immediately or forced to comply with FISA, investigations must be held right away to determine whether it has restricted its operations to legitimate eavesdropping and has been conducted efficiently and effectively, and the president himself must be held accountable for his blatantly illegal actions in repeatedly authorizing this program.
I would eventually like to see impeachment proceedings brought against the president eventually, but that is the role of the house, not senate. But as a senator, it is within your power to support Senator Feinfold's Censure Resolution to begin the vital and necessary process of holding the president accountable for his actions and bringing this wiretap program fully within the law.
With Democrats being in the minority, I realize that chances are that this resolution won't pass. But the message that you will send by supporting it, and by having as many senators as possible supporting it, will be heard loud and clear by the GOP, by the White House, by the public, and by the press. And it is an important message to send right now, to make it clear that the Democratic party, and all patriotic senators who put the interests of the country above those of their president or party, do not and will not support this illegal program.
Senator Cantwell/Murray, by supporting this Censure Resolution, you have the power to let the president, his supporters in the senate and house, and the public, know that you do not and will not stand by while this illegal and dangerous program continues unabated, and that you will do everything in your power to bring it in compliance with the law, and the president to task for authorizing it. If you do not vote to support this resolution, you will effectively be sending the president, his supporters and the voting public, the message that you support this program. Do you want to send them that message? I certainly hope not.
Please vote to support Senator Feingold's brave, legitimate and necessary Censure Resolution!
I'm including a poll to guage how fellow Kossacks feel about this resolution.