[credit: Joel Pett]
[credit: Jim Morin]
If you need yet another example of government by special pleading consider the resolution offered by senators from both parties concerning democracy in Egypt. Russ Feingold(D-WI) and John McCain (R-AZ) led an effort in July to pass a resolution asking Hosni Mubarak to move toward free and fair elections. The resolution attracted support from both sides, but the administration and two senators objected, and two more Senators used "secret holds" to block the legislation from the Senate floor. The resolution called for election monitors in Egypt, and end to martial law, the release of political prisoners and respect for human rights--all good things. But Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) did not think so, primarily because she is head of the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Egyptian dictatorship has a very cozy relationship with our permanent security apparatus. Nor did Roger Wicker (R-MS) like the idea of freedom for Egyptians because of his relationship with top lobbyist Bob Livingston whose firm was being paid by Mubarak under a long term lobbying contract. That's how they do.