mushinnoshin

No, I’m not surprised by Obama’s shift to the center, and particularly the capitulation on FISA. I am disappointed, not because he went to the center, but because he went to the wrong center.

And more to the point — it was completely unnecessary. The “let’s take a quick piss on the wall between church and state” thing? Yeah, that’s both trivial and shrewd. But does anyone really think there’s a significant block of citizens whose potential swing votes hinge adamantly on the feds being granted unprecedented new powers to spy on us while AT&T and friends are given a free pass to circumvent the courts? Please.

And compared to the number of independents who might have come out of the shadows had they for once seen a leader actually do something extraordinary and stand up for what’s right?

No, there’s only one reason for him to take the position he took — he wanted the bill to pass. Read into that what you will. And that’s why you’ll find so much discouragement now among his supporters.

Anyway, it’s not yet enough to lose my vote. But it can’t be allowed to go by without comment. He has to take the lumps he’s asked for. “My Candidate, Right or Wrong” is how the last regime worked — no thanks.

And it’s worth pointing out that this sort of thing is precisely why the ACLU will continue to get more of my money than any politician.

Update — Feingold FTW: