To Censure or Not to Censure

For one Senator that is an easy question to answer. Yesterday, Senator and Presidential hopeful, Russ Feingold started the process of a Senate censure and now the Senate Judiciary Committee will look into formally condemning President Bush’s domestic spying program.

Feingold said Bush broke the law and violated the Constitution when he authorized the National Security Agency to conduct a warrantless wiretapping program as part of the war on terrorism.

"Congress must respond," Feingold said Monday on the Senate floor. "A formal censure by Congress is an appropriate and responsible first step to assure the public that when the president thinks he can violate the law without consequences, Congress has the will to hold him accountable." (From Forbes)

Sadly, Democratic leaders in the Senate are maneuvering away from a debate on the issue in attempts not to alienate “swing voters”. The most brazen line of the day has so far been Joe Lieberman, Senator from Connecticut, who said he had not read it and wasn't inclined simply to scold the president.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, attempted to capitalize on the fact that Democrats are shying away from the fight and attempted to call an immediate floor vote on the censure.

This is another story of one Democrat doing the right thing and the rest running away.