Alcee Hastings: “this morning's papers carry, among others, the following stories: --The New York Times reports that ``The 9/11…”

“this morning's papers carry, among others, the following stories: --The New York Times reports that ``The 9/11 Commission is Said to Sharply Fault Role of Congress''. --The L.A. Times has a story titled, ``The State Department Seeks Shift in Iraq Effort''. --The Sun Sentinel reports that the American death toll in Iraq has reached 900. --The Washington Post covers military recruitment, concluding that the pool of future recruits has dwindled to its lowest level in three years. --And, all these papers and others have stories on the poor shape of the economy and the hardships that the American people are facing. So, I ask: don't we have better things to deal with two days before going into recess. Is there any sense of responsibility in this Republican Congress? This bill, more than anything else, is about the politics of a national election. The White House political machine is in full gear, playing to the lowest denominator to reinvigorate the xenophobic and intolerant wing of the Republican Party. Recognizing that they lack the votes to pass the discriminatory Federal Marriage Amendment, the Republican House leadership is now focusing on slamming shut federal courthouse doors to gay and lesbian Americans. This bill is at its core a bar on redress for violations of fundamental rights. If Congress by statute can end run the Bill of Rights, no rights to liberty, due process, or equality under the law are safe.”