[Flux Capacitor]

----I think we need to make our voices herad about this, but I am not so sure that President Bush had much of a choice on this one.----

Bull. The partial-birth abortion ban was at least one bill that was more politically risky than this.... but Bush signed it.

Campaign-finance reform wasn't an issue with anybody outside of the New York Times newsroom. Bush would have lost nothing, politically, by vetoing the damned thing immediately. But Karl Rove convinced him otherwise -- don't worry, Karl assured him, the Supremes will surely save America's ass on this -- and the insane strategy has just blown up in his face, and ours.

Of all the names listed above, I consider Bush the most responsible for foisting this atrocity upon us. I expect congressmen and senators to be idiots, but I didn't expect George W. Bush to play political football with the First Amendment, especially over such a non-issue. The buck has got to stop with him on this, and unless some miracle takes place, CFR will be Bush's most damaging domestic legacy.

-Dan

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I know you make good points. I agree it is a mess,I just don't know how much of it could have been avoided.

I still think it is the politics of the Senate and Congress that are to blame for most of the mess we are in...

[ZULU]

I agree with you.

Carl Rove is an evil, duplicitous conniver, devoid of any philosophical principles. Rove is also behind an impending move to unseat Republican Representative Tom Tancredo in a Colorado primary because Tancredo has been an outspoken opponent of the failure of the National Government to control our borders against illegal aliens. That rat Rove actually Tancredo he was no longer "welcome" in the White House. Tancredo has called for tightening border security, putting all new immigration on hold until we can straighten out INS, and other measures Rove feels are politically incorrect.

[Tamzee]

I expect congressmen and senators to be idiots

Of course.... but that IS the Legislative Branch according to the Constitution.

Given the opposition that Bush has been trying to navigate regarding appointing judges, fighting terrorism, repairing the economy, etc, and given the fact that our so-called "majority" in the House and Senate are not solid ones, Bush cannot stomp all over Congress at will. As you pointed out, he has already gone out on risky limbs (ex. partial-birth abortion ban)... unfortunately for us, he is not a King that can constantly cater to only the small conservative percentage of the total electorate.

The way to prevent legislation such as this is to elect a right-leaning super-majority in Congress and educate the public about why a law such as this is harmful.

[Fledermaus]

EXCELLENT POST!

Bush could have vetoed this bill and came out a HERO for free speech.