A Legacy of Torture

When John McCain proposed a campaign finance reform bill that George W. Bush deemed unconstitutional, Bush tried to kill it behind the scenes in congress. But Bush failed, and the bill passed. Since the bill was popular, Bush signed it, thus giving us an early introduction to his casual contempt for constitutional government. Today, though, he's willing to break out the veto pen in order to try to prevent congress from reiterating the illegality of torture.

Comments

I'm starting to think this Bush guy kinda sucks.

Posted by southpaw | March 8, 2008 2:23 PM

How popular? Were there polls that checked on how many people knew what McCain-Feingold was about without being told?

Posted by David Tomlin | March 8, 2008 2:26 PM

southpaw writes: "I'm starting to think this Bush guy kinda sucks."

And so do his remaining supporters - every last stinking one of them. They're on a moral par with people who enjoy snuff films.

Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | March 8, 2008 2:39 PM

This veto has little or nothing to do with the future use of waterboarding or any other "harsh interrogation technique." Torture will be discontinued (at least formally) next January 20th if the D's win. Rather, the veto is a part of a preemptive legal strategy to block future prosecutions by maintaining the myth that waterboarding falls into some gray area. As if the federal criminal statute is ambiguous on torture. It's not.

Congress stupidly bought into this strategy by appearing to concede that there was an ambiguity in existing law that needed be fixed. Thus the passage of HR 2082 and the inevitable veto. Congress continues to play the Bush/Cheney game on cue. Democrats should be launching an aggressive investigation of torture and pushing hard for an independent prosecutor.

Posted by Geaghan | March 8, 2008 7:50 PM

I've heard this charge before - that GWB was against Campaign Finance before he was for it. McCain-Feingold and its ramifications are a bit of a hobby horse of mine, and I'd be curious to see the source(s) for this particular accusation, if anyone could spare the time.

B Bowman
San Diego, CA

Posted by B Bowman | March 9, 2008 5:37 AM

Uh, Bowman, it took me less than two minutes to find this:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28653-2002Mar27.html

I guess you Repiglicans have research skills that are as shabby as your critical thinking skills, even when it comes to your "hobby horses."

Posted by MoeLarryAndJesus | March 9, 2008 12:42 PM