Rachel Maddow in Shock: Tea Partiers Defeat PATRIOT Act
Rachel Maddow is using her “report” on the Republican tea caucus blocking the extension of the PATRIOT Act to replay her “interview” with Rand Paul, and rail about abortion. Rant all you want, Rachel, but people are noticing that you haven’t even mentioned the Act several minutes into your tirade.
Is this ad-libbed?
She misses, of course, the real story: which is that the libertarian wing of the GOP is defending what’s left of our civil liberties. There she is with a big Glenn Beck-like chart, explaining that there are two kinds of conservatives: libertarians and authoritarians. According to her — and me — the GOP party establishment has paid lip service to liberty, in the abstract, but in reality it has been quite the opposite. Everybody claims to be a “libertarian,” but when they get into power it’s a different story. Never mind that Democrats vote with them — they started it, according to Rachel. It’s all the Republicans’ fault.
And she still hasn’t mentioned that the Tea Party made the difference on the PATRIOT Act….
C”,mon, Rachel, you’re supposed to be reporting — and maybe even commenting on — the news.
OH WAIT — She’s finally mentioned it, over five minutes into her rant: “26 Republicans bucked their own party on this vote.” It’s “man bites dog” — Republicans voting against the Act “from the right.” And now they’re questioning Afghanistan. “What happens to American politics now?” she asks. “It’s a realignment.”
The evil smirking Thomas Frank is being brought in, at this point, so I’m changing the channel….
But as to what Rachel said about a realignment: that’s right, but it isn’t going to stop there. We’ve been doing our job here at Antiwar.com, reaching out to the Right on foreign policy and civil liberties issues, for fifteen years now, along with many others. That campaign is reaping a harvest, and the resulting cornucopia is going to astonish the country.
UPDATE: Oh, and by the way, hours after the PATRIOT Act went down to defeat, Matt Drudge has yet to report it. Instead, we have the red-hot news that a Texas school district is having second thoughts about making the study of Arabic mandatory.
UPDATE 2: On the other side of the divide, the newly-AOL-ized Huffington Post headlines: “Beyond Left and Right: House Defeats Patriot Act Extension,” but the story doesn’t live up to its billing. Rep. Dennis Kucinich is quoted, but not a single Republican who voted “nay,” and the phrase “tea party” is nowhere to be found. Beyond left and right? Not quite.
UPDATE 3: The Washington Post got it right, for once:
“House Republicans suffered an embarrassing setback Tuesday when they fell seven votes short of extending provisions of the Patriot Act, a vote that served as the first small uprising of the party’s tea-party bloc.”
Justin
February 8th, 2011 at 7:13 pm
Terribly misleading article. If you want to attempt to understand what this person said just watch the clip from tonight yourself and interpret it for yourself. Tea partiers did not block this act, Democrats voted again it in far larger numbers.
Paleo-Conservative
February 8th, 2011 at 7:15 pm
But Democrats were expected to vote against it since they've traditionally been opposed to the Patriot Act. All of these Republicans voting against the Patriot Act is something new.
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tommauel
February 8th, 2011 at 7:28 pm
This is great news. If these Republican votes carry to Afghanistan the publicity alone will hasten the end to involvement. They may even rally more Republicans anxious to block Obama. And maybe we can get some real Pentagon cuts.
Justin
February 8th, 2011 at 7:29 pm
The other sites I have read covering this story have reported that only 8 of the 26 Republicans who voted against this were elected on the Tea Party platform. In all, 40 Tea Party candidates won their races last November. The emphasis on Rachel's segment was between those who say they are for smaller government and those who actually pursue it. Of the 40 running on the platform of smaller government that won their races, only 8 of them actually went through and voted against the establishment Republicans. Rachel's point seems valid to me.
The title of the article gives the Tea Party too much credit.
Justin Raimondo
February 8th, 2011 at 8:24 pm
Wrong. All the freshmen were tea partiers. Liberals in denial: they'd rather lose and be alone in their rightness than give credit where credit is due. Typical, unfortunately.
JLS
February 8th, 2011 at 9:03 pm
exactly! Blind partisanship.
Watson
February 8th, 2011 at 9:31 pm
But wait! Obama, the constitutional scholar who obviously doesn't believe in constitutional rights, wanted a 3-year extension of these PATRIOT Act provisions. Instead, he got a Democratic mutiny.
All in all, a great day for freedom. And hopefully there will be more mutinies to come.
Stephen
February 9th, 2011 at 4:30 am
wow.. Justin. Pull head from ass before you suffocate. If you’re not in denial then stop trolling ass hole.
GradyWilson
February 9th, 2011 at 4:49 am
"… Liberals in denial: they'd rather lose and be alone in their rightness than give credit where credit is due … " – JR
You sound like a pathetic whining child. This comment has nothing to do with the article – just an adolescent strawman ad hominem against "liberals" by Raimondo. Typical, unfortunately.
Speaking of credit – why aren't you giving credit to the 122 Dems who voted against?
emsnews
February 9th, 2011 at 5:15 am
What is best about this news is how the real left joined up with a significant number of Ron Paul allies to finally, FINALLY defeat this odious bill, a stain on our Constitution and a menace to society! Congratulations, Ron, on getting more than one Republican to agree with you. I am certain, you did a lot of talking to get them to openly defy their own leaders.
emsnews
February 9th, 2011 at 5:19 am
This is a first opening in the new Kucinich/Ron Paul alliance they both announced this last month. I SUPPORT THIS TOTALLY. Even though people will remain partisan, as I keep saying, 'Building coalitions means reaching for COMMON ground.' And I am so very relieved to finally see this happening in our Soviet-style Congress that passes nearly anything lobbyists want with hardly a peep.
Clearing the aisles of all the lobbyists (AIPAC and business) is a first step in cleaning the stables. Breaking up BOTH political parties is a first step towards real change.
jojo
February 9th, 2011 at 5:32 am
Madcow? Sorry folks instead of Keith getting the boot, Rachel needs a swift one off the air.
For Grady—leave Raimondo alone–he is the best of the lot. Tea party has always been a scam.No matter what happens in Washington–it's an all pre- planned motive outcome. Shelving the Pat'riot Act and the scums who introduced it get off scot free.Biggest danger for America is Repigs/Teabeggers getting majority in 2012 :^(
GradyWilson
February 9th, 2011 at 5:39 am
I'm with you there. At this point I'd have no problem voting for Ron Paul for President. Maybe Justin could take some pointers from Mr. Paul about building bridges with the left rather than blowing them up.
Tom L
February 9th, 2011 at 5:56 am
If you weren't such a thin-skinned little reactionary jackass.. (how's that for an ad hominem) you'd see that Raimondo's been doing that for years… bringing the left's Anti-war positions to the Fascist right.
But, no, blind partisanship is more important.
Ta,
Tom L
February 9th, 2011 at 6:00 am
The "Tea Party" is a Koch Bros./Dick Armey created illusion. The energy behind a lot of the "Tea Party" is honest Americans from all across the traditional (and falsely dualistic) political spectrum waking up to the horror-show that is our government.
Put down the rhetorical knives. The Best thing that could happen is RP running as a Repuglican, getting shafted again in the primaries and running 3rd party after that. He'll have coattails at the election and defections after that.
Ta,
jojo
February 9th, 2011 at 6:55 am
Only in USA politicks–a biggie Scam
"The House voted 277 to 148 for the PAT'RIOT (PACK RAT) Act extension — 23 votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to pass it under a procedure that allows bills that aren't controversial to pass quickly.
The measure is now expected to return to the House floor for a regular vote that would require a simple majority to pass. If House members vote then as they did Tuesday, the extension will pass easily."
Lear K
February 9th, 2011 at 7:04 am
At CIA, grave mistakes, then promotions
"In December 2003, security forces boarded a bus in Macedonia and snatched a German citizen named Khaled el-Masri. For the next five months, el-Masri was a ghost. Only a select group of CIA officers knew he had been whisked to a secret prison for interrogation in Afghanistan.
But he was the wrong guy.
A hard-charging CIA analyst had pushed the agency into one of the biggest diplomatic embarrassments of the U.S. war on terrorism. Yet despite recommendations by an internal review, the analyst was never punished. In fact, she has risen to one of the premier jobs in the CIA's Counterterrorism Center, helping lead President Barack Obama's efforts to disrupt al-Qaida.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110209/ap_on_go_ot/u…
jojo
February 9th, 2011 at 7:08 am
Toomy–ever read the History on the BOXER revolution in China? here is a jest of it, the English wanted goods from china but china did not want paper money but SILVER.When England ran out of Silver–they decided to send in Bible Thumpers and when that did not succeed–vast amounts ship loads of opium were sent–thousands of opium dens opened up and millions of chinese were addicted.England used opium as currency for trade. Chinese revolted and raided all the English ships carrying opium and sunk/burned them to the bottom of the sea.Then the bible thumpers were thrown out. Boston tea party–is nothing compared to the Boxer revolution. Too bad, Americans haven't done the same,statrers, ousted KosherLOOTchangers wrecking our country
emsnews
February 9th, 2011 at 7:24 am
Up until this year when suddenly Justin shifted his ire onto the entire left. This is why I came here in the past: to form alliances. It is most disheartening.
Libertarians have a real problem here: they want things we progressives desire but they can't help but side with the very rich who run the US into the ground. Moving our industrial base overseas, for example, is an even worse problem than our oversized imperial ambitions: nay, it is the SAME THING.
Libertarians should try to see why this is so: if our bankers and corporations move all of their assets and activities overseas, they demand an empire to back them up politically as we see in say, Egypt. Egypt is heavily exploited by the US. The aid to Egypt is merely bribes to keep the elites there and the military operating for our own ends.
Or rather, the ends of our elites here who get very rich off of these sorts of things. The focus of the elites is overseas because this is where they are moving their wealth!!!! Libertarians have no ideology for stopping this madness. None at all.
This is why we have to debate things. People who need jobs here in the US can't find any since we moved the 'good' jobs (the ones that once made our country great) overseas and even the parasite banking jobs are being moved offshore, too! To various islands and to Asia.
GradyWilson
February 9th, 2011 at 7:25 am
'blind partisanship'? wtf?
Acknowledging the obvious fact that 122 Dems voted against while only 26 Repubs voted against is not what is partisan – claiming that "Tea Partiers Defeat Patriot Act" is what is partisan isn't it?
If Raimondo has been attempting to unite the antiwar left and right 'for years' why wouldn't he celebrate this Patriot Act rejection as the bi-partisan accomplishment that it is. Why would he celebrate the 26 votes while attacking liberals and their 122 votes?
emsnews
February 9th, 2011 at 7:28 am
The Tea Party began (I was there!) with Ron Paul people. It was taken over by Palin and her Fox TV pals. So this 'organization' (sic) is split down the center with the Ron Paul half pulling away from the Palin pals.
I hope Ron eventually pulls the entire thing down and reverts to what he was in the past: his own boss with his own organization. That would work much better and beware of Foxes in Teahouses. :)
curmudgeonvt
February 9th, 2011 at 7:37 am
My understanding of what happened is that it was defeated, yes, but, BUT, that was only the "fast-track" version. It will come back in the house in short order in the regular fashion to be discussed and argued and voted on – where it will probably pass once the leadership has had a chance to twist some arms. Sorry, I neglected to read a couple of comments above where jojo said exactly the same thing. A simple majority will be needed which they already have. So the Tea Partyers get their HEADLINES and the repubs get their Patriot act extension, eventually, and the citizens of the US continue to get ………
Arithmetic
February 9th, 2011 at 8:24 am
Uh, if all 87 GOP freshmen are Tea Partiers, then that makes it even less impressive that less than 10 voted against the bill.
Justin Raimondo
February 9th, 2011 at 8:35 am
Why shoud I? They're just shills of the capitalist-imperialist ruling class, after all, according to you — right?
Tom L
February 9th, 2011 at 8:53 am
Completely agree. I have no hope for the "Tea Party" as an kind of organized movement, but simply as an expression of a shift away from the corporatocracy that is the false Dem-Repug duality. The history of the Koch bros. and their machinations have been nothing more than laughably inept. They are the new bogeymen (or is that old bogeymen) who exist to undermine what honest libertarians of the Rothbardian bent have been saying for decades. Raimondo may pillory the public members of the left more than those on the right, but that's no reason go after him as some corporatist sympathizer.
That's patent nonsense, and over-the-top rhetoric, cf. Grady Wilson daily here at AW.com.
He's right to go after Shill-for-the-almighty-state Maddow. It's her job to put the Pauls and, by extension, libertarians into the Koch's sphere of influence and tar them all with the same smears. Anyone who knows the history of the Koch's vs. RP/Lew Rockwell/Mises and Rothbard know this connection to be tantamount to libel. The Koch's are not libertarian in any way. But, thankfully, their machinations in the political sphere have been laughably inept. Their Tea Party Express is just another coat-tail attempt by them to steer real political change their way.
Don't fall for the bogeyman parade again, it's a designed distraction.
You will find no better friends than libertarians if your goal is to stop the butchering of people by the State. Period.
Ta,
Tom L
February 9th, 2011 at 8:56 am
The Repugs that voted against it were the ones that swung the vote. The Dems voting against it was fait accompli (and something to be cheered for, absolutely). But, the repugs that broke with the party to vote against this deserve our approval not our scorn.
Nowhere in the post do I see Raimondo attacking the 122 Dems. Omission is NOT an attack, cf. my thin-skinned comment above.
Ta,
Tom L
February 9th, 2011 at 8:58 am
It's a fantastic event. We should all be ecstatic… until the Senate starts their schtick and the 8 freshmen have their families threatened with extinction between now and the re-vote.
Ta,
Mr. Raven
February 9th, 2011 at 9:02 am
Great post and my stance exactly, I am very willing to work with Libertarians on anti war, anti police state and Federal Reserve/crony capitalism issues, but I think it's sad that they can't see that globalist capitalism is at the very base of the problems we are facing. :( Still even though my home base is in the Green party I'd vote for Ron Paul over Obama.
sal magundi
February 9th, 2011 at 9:25 am
if only the republicans years ago had mutinied against bush, who didn't believe in constitutional rights either
Watson
February 9th, 2011 at 10:12 am
"So the Tea Partyers get their HEADLINES and the repubs get their Patriot act extension…"
You forgot the 67 Democrats who will also get their PATRIOT Act extension.
curmudgeonvt
February 9th, 2011 at 10:32 am
didn't forget…they're not the ones getting the headlines…
Tom L
February 9th, 2011 at 10:51 am
It's not news if it was expected. Ron Paul getting 25 other Repugs to vote against it is a big deal within that disgusting organization.
Just like it'll be news when (hypothetically) Dems vote against the extension of unemployment benefits to infinity… that would be news. Rupugs voting against the police state is a big deal.
Ta,
Watson
February 9th, 2011 at 11:21 am
…"didn't forget…they're not the ones getting the headlines… "
And that changes it, how? We're not supposed to take any notice of the pro-PATRIOT Act Democrats if the reporter didn't mention them in the headlines? There is headline after headline today about how the Dems stopped the Republicans from passing the extension, the following articles making brief mention of the Tea Partyers saving the day. But then, the reporters fail to even mention the Dems who voted FOR it. Anyone reading the headlines would assume the Dems voted in a monumental block whereas in truth, they wouldn't have needed the Tea Partyers at all if they had. Pity that Obama is all for it also.
Joe Calgarian
February 9th, 2011 at 11:32 am
Can you Americans please vote Ron Paul next election? For the love of God please?
ANU News.net Rachel Maddow in Shock: Tea Partiers Defeat PATRIOT Act
February 9th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
[...] Rachel Maddow is using her “report†on the Republican tea caucus blocking the extension of the PATRIOT Act to replay her “interview†with Rand Paul, and rail about abortion. Rant all you want, Rachel, but people are noticing that you haven’t even mentioned the Act several minutes into your tirade. Is this ad-libbed? She misses, of course, the real story: which is that the libertarian wing of the GOP is defending what’s left of our civil liberties. http://www.antiwar.com/blog/2011/02/08/rachel-maddow-in-shock-tea-partiers-defeat-patriot-act/ [...]
Ball
February 9th, 2011 at 3:54 pm
The REASON they wanted to fast-track it was to avoid any DEBATE!
@teddlem
February 9th, 2011 at 4:24 pm
It's a small "wing" of the GOP, but the libertarian wing is starting to show some sting!
curmudgeonvt
February 9th, 2011 at 4:39 pm
My Dear Watson…I feel your outrage, your pain. It's obvious that the Dems also have issues. BUT, that was not the point of my comment which was specific to the TPers getting headlines for show because the Patriot Act extensions will likely pass, eventually, nor of the original article which was in reference to Ms Maddow missing the point. I really apologize if I didn't cover your issues to the level of outrage that you so capably expound upon but that wasn't my point.
muggles
February 9th, 2011 at 5:16 pm
The very gradual growth of libertarian thinking among Republican office holders is finally showing results. It is no longer Ron Paul (and one or three others) versus everyone else. Now it is a couple of dozen congressmen on the GOP side.
This is cause for celebration. Defeat of more fascist legislation and embarassment for the clueless GOP House leadership. Enough of "go along to get along."
GradyWilson
February 9th, 2011 at 6:44 pm
When 122 Democrats vote against the Patriot Act and only 26 Republicans dressed up as Tea Partiers vote against is it really appropriate to run a column titled "Tea Partiers Defeat PATRIOT Act"? Didn't the Democrats have something to do with this Justin?
Watson
February 9th, 2011 at 7:34 pm
Being that I am in a peaceful mood this evening, I accept your apology.
Phantom
February 9th, 2011 at 8:09 pm
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Robert Arthur Menard
usavsus.info
famguardian.org/Subjects/Freedom/Freedom.htm
freedom-school.com
sedm.org
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barefootsworld.net/index.html
http://3wisemenessentials.com/commerceteachers.html
worldfreemansociety.org/tiki-index.php?page=Front+Page
Justin Raimondo
February 9th, 2011 at 9:12 pm
When the Democrats had a congressional majority, the Patriot Act was extended every time. Now that the Republicans are in charge, with a big Tea Party caucus, the Act was deenacted. Go figure…
The Tea Party, The Patriot Act, and Big Media confusion over the breakdown of the left-right paradigm | LostRepublic.us
February 10th, 2011 at 2:35 am
[...] Patriot Act, a vote that served as the first small uprising of the party’s tea-party bloc.†(Read more from antiwar.com) [...]
GradyWilson
February 10th, 2011 at 3:00 am
Regardless of MY views it seems like someone (like YOU who is writing the column) who is allegedly attempting to build bridges with the anti-empire left would celebrate the bi-partisan support (weighted heavily Democrat) in defeating this rather than using it as an opportunity to attack someone you rather obviously hate (Maddow)?
Why not use this as an opportunity to build bridges instead of blowing them up?
Justin
February 10th, 2011 at 9:47 am
This author is hopelessly partisan sadly. I don't see 8 of 26 Republicans that voted no being Tea Partiers being enough to give them credit. More swing Republicans in general voted no than the Tea Party members of the House. Give up your blatant partisanship and don't give credit where credit isn't due.
Arithmetic
February 10th, 2011 at 10:13 am
"When the Democrats had a congressional majority, the Patriot Act was extended every time. Now that the Republicans are in charge, with a big Tea Party caucus, the Act was deenacted."
Post hoc much? The first sentence is true, but the 2nd doesn't tell us what you think it does. Consider this:
2010 Patriot Act vote:
Democrats: 162-87
Republicans: 152-10
2011:
Democrats: 67-122
Republican: 210-26
Sure, it's worth noting that Republican "nays" increased from 10 to 26 (even as Republican "yeas" increased from 152 to 210), but it's at least as noteworthy that Democrats flipped on this from almost 2-1 in favor to almost 2-1 opposed, against the wishes of a Democratic president. You said above that all the freshman Republicans ran on a Tea party platform, yet only 9 out of those 87 voted "nay" on this. Is that really supposed to encourage us about the GOP or the Tea Party? Anyway, this bill was only "defeated" because the GOP leadership tried a procedural shortcut. 277-148 in favor will be enough to pass it the old-fashioned way, and you can bet your ass the GOP will do so.
GradyWilson
February 10th, 2011 at 4:44 pm
" … You (Raimondo) said above that all the freshman Republicans ran on a Tea party platform, yet only 9 out of those 87 voted "nay" on this. Is that really supposed to encourage us about the GOP or the Tea Party?
good question
guest
February 11th, 2011 at 1:19 pm
What does it matter if congress acts or doesn't act. The US government along with its news media now fully endorse change of government by a throng of citizens standing in protest. If we simply walk like the Egyptians we can throw out both democrats and republicans and force a new government of the people, by the people, and for the people on this great nation. May 1st would be a great date for our throngs to stand on the Washington Mall and toss the whole damned bunch of political buffoons out on thier ears and ear marks and take back the government.
scott
March 5th, 2011 at 7:55 am
U.S.A. State Sponsored Terror (rock music video) Released
Anti U.S. Police State Musician/activist releases his 5th rock video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aXbojImKNlI
Television interview at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/RTAmerica#p/u/1/2Kxmg…
prada
November 17th, 2011 at 12:55 am
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