Offering frequent news and analysis from the majestic Evergreen State and beyond, The Cascadia Advocate is the Northwest Progressive Institute's unconventional perspective on world, national, and local politics.

Friday, December 16, 2005

Murray and Cantwell stand up for freedom

Both of our great U.S. Senators voted NO on the Patriot Act renewal, taking part in a bipartisan vote against cutting off debate (and thus prohibiting the Patriot Act from passing the Senate). They were joined by their fellow Northwest Senators Larry Craig (R-Idaho) Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon).

The Patriot Act is an extremely important issue for us. At its core, this debate is about the Bill of Rights, and the freedom that all of America's citizens are entitled to.

This new version of the Patriot Act is a dangerous intrusion upon the civil liberties guaranteed to us by the United States Constitution. That is why it must be defeated. Our Senators' stance on this proposal is commendable, and we thank them for standing up in the name of freedom.

Here's what Murray and Cantwell had to say about their vote:

"Today, the United States Senate sent a strong message that we cannot undermine the rights of our residents as we work to protect our nation. Because serious questions about the use of the Patriot Act have come to light, we need to proceed with caution. That's why, along with a strong bipartisan coalition of senators, I voted against moving forward until American liberties are protected." - Patty Murray

"[The Senate vote] protects the civil liberties of U.S. citizens - to make sure that their financial, medical and business records aren't being investigated without due cause or due process. [I and other lawmakers] have always been concerned about who's watching the watchers. You need to have checks and balances. There has to be oversight to make sure there are no abuses." - Maria Cantwell
Senators Murray and Cantwell deserve a tremendous round of applause for their courageous votes. Leadership takes strength, and our state's U.S. Senators are doing a great job.

This vote also reaffirms that there's no need for progressives to feel guilty about supporting Maria Cantwell's reelection campaign. Cantwell is a good representative for Washington State in the U.S. Senate.

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