How sausages are made

[dougo]

Here's a sad insight into how our government works (or doesn't work): Sen. Arlen Spector sponsored a provision that was added to the PATRIOT Act (which was used to justify the recent attorney firing scandal). But this provision came from one of his staff members, and Specter didn't even bother to read it let alone think about its implications: "The first I found out about the change in the PATRIOT Act occurred a few weeks ago when Senator Feinstein approached me on the floor..." Feinstein says "I don’t believe that anyone on this committee knew it was in the law... no Republican, no Democrat." Don't ask them, they just work there.