When it came time to vote on the Patriot Act, Russ Fiengold was the only senator to vote "No." He was probably one of very few senators who read it. I wouldn't be surprised if he was the only one who read it.

I want my country back

Josh Marquis, the Clatsop County DA who is the champion of the death penalty and known for his far-right views on law & order is one of three nominees for US Atorney for Oregon. He was nominated by a commission dominated by DAs, law enforcement people, and crime victims. Is Ron Wyden forwarding this nomination to the White House? Can this be real? Progressives need to let Wyden and the Obama administration know Marquis's history and block this atrocious potential appointment.

Posted by: Munir | Oct 28, 2009 8:31:30 PM: "Josh Marquis, the Clatsop County DA who is the champion of the death penalty and known for his far-right views on law & order ... Is Ron Wyden forwarding this nomination to the White House? Can this be real? Progressives need to let Wyden and the Obama administration know Marquis's history and block this atrocious potential appointment."

You might be surprised to learn that Josh has a long history of donating to Democrats, a long friendship with your blue Governor Teddy K and likely your blue Senator Ron W as well dating from the old days in Bluejeans Oregon. Josh is pretty adept at manipulating the political process and nobody's dummy. I don't know who the other nominess are but off handedly I would think that Josh could get that job.

I'd say if this is a concern to anyone you'd better get on it because I guarantee you Josh is many steps ahead of you and leaving no stone unturned. Personally as a criminal defense attorney I think he is way off base on those issues which are very central to the position. Although I would also say I have always found him to be a friendly honest guy- well I guess I should say I never had a case against him either as I know this will raise the hackles of many of my friends- And he is blue alright and has been since he was a young man.

It sounds like Senator Wyden is developing arguments to win over the notoriously conservative Senate Intelligence Committee. I wish him success.

He was nominated by a commission dominated by DAs, law enforcement people, and crime victims.

So what should they do, poll inmates at OSP on their choice for US Attorney?

Once again we see Wyden is more talk than action.

Wyden has done this once too often without ever following through in substantive ways to be taken seriously. He always just angles for maximum political benefit without acting like a grownup and a leader and taking action to stop it

Where's his promise to filibuster this bill if it ever makes it to the floor like his best bud Liebermann --- and chair of the Homeland Security Committee by the way --- did on the health care bill?

For that matter, where's his threat to lead the effort to unseat Liebermann for both offensives against the very foundations of what true progressive Democrats actually stand for? It is the Majority membership who actually choose committee leaders, and not the Senate Majority Leader as the pathetic Democratic Senate members would have us believe.

And by the way, as much as people want to fete former Republican Arianna Huffington and the cast of self-important people over at HuffPo, just remember less than a year ago they scored $25Mil in venture capital from people who aren't exactly out front in support of genuine progressive Democratic politics focused on helping poor and working people. There are a lot of "creative" ways VCs can see to make an investment that could make money, and a lot of ways to choose a market and appeal to it to make a VC investment payoff that have little to do with sincere commitments to principles and values before anything else.

"mp97303 | Oct 28, 2009 - So what should they do, poll inmates at OSP on their choice for US Attorney?"

Actually the functions of the U.S. Attorney covers many, many responsibilities that are not involved with the criminal justice system- Just like the Oregon Attorney General. The U.S. Attorney's office oversees legal issues in a multitute of federal agencies and is involved with enforcement of all types of federal laws and regulations. While law enforcement certainly has legitimate concerns they are primarily concerned with criminal justice issues which does not cover all of the watefront. Finally, the U.S. Attorney, like the Oregon Attorney General, is really a law firm administrator. Actually inmates may have a good perspective to share on the criminal justice system as many of them have seen more of it from the inside that say someone who has proclaimed themselves to be a victims advocate.

"Actually inmates may have a good perspective to share on the criminal justice system as many of them have seen more of it from the inside that say someone who has proclaimed themselves to be a victims advocate."

I checked and the victim's advocate on the selection panel is the head of the National Crime Victim Law Institute, a victims rights law center run out of the Lewis and Clark Law School. If all Oregonians were asked who they would rather have to review the qualifications of the top federal prosecutor, about 98% would prefer a victims' rights professional over convicted felons. The rest would be split evenly between people who comment on BO and former felons.

Please argue this point. I have work to not do and could use another laugh.

"It sounds like Senator Wyden is developing arguments to win over the notoriously conservative Senate Intelligence Committee. I wish him success."

Wyden will have about as much success in such a venture as he had persuading the Senate Finance Committee to go for a public option. I'm sure Wyden will be just as sincere as he was working with Baucus.

So by all means, let's give Wyden a hard time for not being more successful. I'm sure Bill Bodden is equally critical of Dennis Kucinich for his lack of success with a more conservative Democratic Congress.

Oohhhh, the patriot act. I love how it basically allows the government to do whatever it wishes with its subjects. Warrantless searches. All kinds of communications monitoring. Greatly expanded asset forfeiture provisions. Ya can't have a police state that's worth a shit without it.

"So by all means, let's give Wyden a hard time for not being more successful. I'm sure Bill Bodden is equally critical of Dennis Kucinich for his lack of success with a more conservative Democratic Congress."

There's a big difference between Wyden and Kucinich, la-la-land, that apparently escapes you. Wyden has set his bar low and failed. Kucinich has real progressive standards with a much tougher challenge stacking bigger odds against him so success will be much more difficult for him to achieve.

Another difference: Wyden voted for the Patriot Act. Kucinich didn't.

More differences: Check their records on adhering to the Constitution and supporting human rights. But if you are, as you appear to be, a Wyden acolyte then you wouldn't want to publish what you find.

Another difference: Wyden voted for the Patriot Act. Kucinich didn't.

These arguments were heard back then. The Democrat Party squelched that talk. Now the wind has changed direction a little, Windsock Wyden is changing with it.

I think it is about the Democrat's strategy to make sure progressives don't cut in on their action. Steal their thunder, then, much later, annouce it as your own. Most politicians are Godly conservatives. Democrats put it in the closet to win blue districts. You don't have 60 votes in teh Senate. You have 60 blue squares in some American fiction like Time or Newsweek. Funny how every time just the required number of Democrats defect. WHen did that last happen on a major issue with the Republican Party?

In the days when theere was a difference, there was a difference in yearly earnings and lobbying monies. Since the mid-1970s, there has been no difference. That was when we permanently won the Congress. The left bickers so much because it eats only scraps thrown from the table. Stop feeding them and let them starve, finally. Then, announce your true party affiliation. Stop giving hope to misguided half liberals like Blue Oregon. Democrats have to make you laugh. The national party decides what the next "grass roots initiative" will be. Precious.

Posted by: Carla Axtman | Oct 29, 2009 9:54:23 AM

So what should they do, poll inmates at OSP on their choice for US Attorney?

Or they could just find someone who isn't a shill for the death penalty. That'd be fine.

There. See. Turn some godless rapist into a cause celebre, but don't have a problem with expanding the war in Afganistan. Oh, you do have a problem? Where has that been criticized like you were so quick to do with the last President? Democrats daily prove Churchill's saying, "one death is a tragedy, but 10,000 deaths is a number". Do you have the stomach to kill, or not? The right is consistent. Who knows what Democrats stand for?

Now there's a news flash - Kucinich is more liberal than Wyden or Wu or Merkley or DeFazio or Blumenauer or John Conyers or George Miller or Henry Waxman. Golly - I had no idea before you pointed that out. I looked - only one Senator voted against the Patriot Act, Feingold, and if you want to ridicule every Senator who tries to fix that earlier vote that is your God-given right, but please understand how deliciously dopey and irrelevant you sound to the rest of us. Or would you prefer that we live with that horrible law so that we can continue to heap scorn on the 99 who voted for it?

Did it ever occur to you that you might increase your relevance in this world if you adopted a modicum of perspective? Nah, didn't think so. Please, do blather on.

"Kucinich is more liberal than Wyden or Wu or Merkley or DeFazio or Blumenauer or John Conyers or George Miller or Henry Waxman."

By what convoluted thinking did you manage to bring Wu, Merkley, DeFazio, Blumenauer and Conyers into this debate?

<h2>I think the point, Bill, is that you are thoroughly removed from the mainstream of liberal thought in this state, as well as from reality. Your voice is a fringe, ineffective one, relegated to the Siberia of BlueOregon comments. Meanwhile, great liberals like Earl and Ron and Peter prosper and are rewarded by the voters for their progressive politics and their pragmatism. That must make you very sad and lonely. I think it is you who has produced absolutely nothing, despite your sincerity.</h2>