Levin Comes Out Against Torture

Last week, Levin was praising Warner, McCain, and Graham for standing up to the administration.  Now he's changed his tune.

The Administration has been even more relentless in their effort to legitimize the mistreatment of detainees and to undermine some of the cornerstone principles of our legal system.  While the bill before us is a modest improvement over the language originally proposed by the Administration, it has adopted far too many provisions from the Administration bill.

"A substitute, which we will be offering later on today, is the [Armed Services] Committee-approved bill.  That will do a much better job, if we adopt it, of protecting our troops who might become detainees in the future, and does a much better job of upholding our values as a nation."

Levin is a key influential opinion.  This can be beaten back, and what it looks like to me is that Levin is trying to run out the clock with an alternative piece of legislation that turns the current atrocious bill into a procedural impossibility and keeps the Senate from passing anything this session.  Call Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins and ask that they protect Habeas Corpus and the Constitution, and oppose the Military Commissions Act of 2006.

Susan Collins
461 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-2523
Fax: (202) 224-2693

Olympia Snowe
154 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: (202) 224-5344
Toll Free: (800) 432-1599
Fax: (202) 224-1946



Display:


Snowe's 800 number does not work (none / 0)

at least not from here in HI


by scottmaui on Wed Sep 27, 2006 at 03:15:35 PM EST

Re: Levin Comes Out Against Torture (none / 0)

Right now, Pat Leahy is on CSpan2 - saying EXACTLY the right things.  Go watch it.

He is talking about Arar, no habeas corpus, rubber stamp Congress, administration hiding behind state secrets privilege, etc, etc.


by jc on Wed Sep 27, 2006 at 03:46:00 PM EST

Re: Levin Comes Out Against Torture (none / 0)

Glad that chickenshit Salazar is not a decider. I just wonder how Joe-mentum became more important to him than our founding principles?


by zappatero on Wed Sep 27, 2006 at 03:50:02 PM EST

Liveblogging the Levin Amendment (none / 0)

Jack Reed is up now, after Leahy.

He is accepting a lot of the Republican framing, rather than referring to the constitution.  

He comes back to "have procedures that are legitimate", and then is going to "how we treat prisoners is how U.S. soldiers will be treated."

Makes this a practical issue.

He is advocating for the Levin amendment, from a more moderate, practical perspective.


by jc on Wed Sep 27, 2006 at 04:02:47 PM EST

Re: Liveblogging the Levin Amendment (none / 0)

Jack Reed, is with great detail (a lot of legalisms) going through the issues with this bill, as conflicting with Article 3 of Geneva Conventions.


by jc on Wed Sep 27, 2006 at 04:10:09 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Levin Comes Out Against Torture (none / 0)

Last week, Levin was praising Warner, McCain, and Graham for standing up to the administration.  Now he's changed his tune.

He wouldn't have done without it being forced to by his Democratic constituents who are better people, and Americans, than he.

Fair schmair....keep givin' 'em hell until they do the right thing. And then be ready to give them more hell the next time they need it. It's all most politicians understand and respond to.


With Democrats Lieberman goes for the jugular. With Republicans he goes for the lips.
by Sitkah on Wed Sep 27, 2006 at 04:35:18 PM EST

What about (none / 0)

Specter?  Since he was making noise about amending to restore Habeas Corpus?  Has he folded yet/already as usual?

-- Stu


by sdf on Wed Sep 27, 2006 at 04:46:53 PM EST

Re: Levin Comes Out Against Torture (none / 0)

Collins: No on the Levin substitute.


by Kagro X on Wed Sep 27, 2006 at 04:55:00 PM EST

Re: Levin Comes Out Against Torture (none / 0)

Chafee voted yes, Collins and Nelson of Nebraska no on the Levin.


by Stealth on Wed Sep 27, 2006 at 04:56:26 PM EST

Re: Levin Comes Out Against Torture (none / 0)

Specter votes no.


by Stealth on Wed Sep 27, 2006 at 04:57:24 PM EST

Death in Snowe's family (none / 0)

I called Snowe's Bangor office, and the staff person there told me that there had been a death in Snowe's family.

So, I know you'll be nice, but be especially nice.


by lambert on Wed Sep 27, 2006 at 05:02:08 PM EST

Re: Levin Comes Out Against Torture (none / 0)

Loses 43-54.


by Stealth on Wed Sep 27, 2006 at 05:03:55 PM EST

Re: Levin Comes Out Against Torture (none / 0)

Loses 43-54.

Those who voted for Levin's amendment should support a filibuster.


With Democrats Lieberman goes for the jugular. With Republicans he goes for the lips.
by Sitkah on Wed Sep 27, 2006 at 05:18:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Levin Comes Out Against Torture (none / 0)

Carl Levin is one reason I am proud to be a Detroiter, proud to be from Michigan, and proud to be a Democrat.

CARL LEVIN IS A MENSCH.

Carl Levin comes from a family that is so rich, they do not have to care.  But they all do, because they were all raised right.

If every Congressman was like Carl Levin, then Congress' approval rating would be 125%.

He makes the rest of us with D's after our names look better, because he has a D after his name.


by jfrankesq on Wed Sep 27, 2006 at 07:41:27 PM EST


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