Does this seem as stupid to you as it does to me?
This was just posted on Suburban Guerrilla (firedoglake makes the same claim, as does mcjoan @ daily kos, and Shakespeare's Sister (sourcing a new york times article.)) Marvel at it.
Just got this from one of the staffers in Reid’s office:
We entered into a unanimous consent agreement — the choice was have a cloture vote and lose (we simply did not have the votes) with no amendments allowed or actually get votes on four dem amendments. Because it was a UC agreement any member could have objected.
This raises the already unbelievable stupidity of the Stupid Party to new heights. You write off a filibuster (which might fail, because this is, after all, the Stupid Party, and you can count on some Senators anxiously chasing after the votes of the damned even though they're not going to get them) in exchance for votes -- which they will lose along party lines -- for some doomed amendments. And then, no matter how they vote, the Evil Party will start plastering up the “The Democratic Party Is Anti-Torture” ads along with the rest of their already-planned-and-implemented election season smear campaign.
The Democratic leadership sold their souls for nothing. No, less than nothing. You do not compromise on torture. It is evil, it does not work, and the United States should not do it. And if they think the Evil Party will give them smooches for selling America down the river, they are woefully misguided.
Update: It's true. Fuck you, Democratic Party, it's going to be a cold day in hell before I vote for or contribute to you again.