Today's badass move by Senator Ron Wyden

Carla Axtman

Today on the floor of the US Senate, some pretty extraordinary stuff took place.

1. There was actually a real, legitimate, talking filibuster. Senators took to the floor ( the real, old-fashioned Mr. Smith Goes To Washington way), and made a case to the American people about why they're obstructing a vote.

2. The filibuster was led by Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who, when he isn't doing weird and crazy stuff like trying to slash the public safety net for the elderly, is doing some serious sounding of the alarm against the Obama Administration's claim that it has legal authority to kill an American on American soil without due process.

3. Who (besides other Republicans) stood up with Rand Paul and filibustered with him? Oregon's own Senator Ron Wyden. I haven't yet found full video of Senator Wyden's remarks. But Politico has the opening remark, which you can see here.

Update: A longer excerpt of Senator Wyden's remarks:

The fact that the Obama Administration is actually trying to make a legal argument that it's okay to kill US citizens on US soil without due process, even if it's meant only for extraordinary circumstances, is appalling. And yes, I voted for Obama. But this is just flat wrong and frankly, antithetical to what it means to be an American as far as I'm concerned.

And it's our job as Americans to stand up for the right thing, especially if the guy we supported and voted for is doing something wrong. And make no mistake, Obama is absolutely wrong to be doing this.

So well done, Senator Wyden. Today you were a badass. Would that more of your colleagues follow suit.

Incidentally, this talking filibuster is EXACTLY what Senator Jeff Merkley has been fighting for with filibuster reform. Today we saw how important it is that Senator Merkley's reforms become reality.

By Carla Axtman March 06, 2013