Democrats Fail to Stop Telecom Immunity

While everyone's eyes are on the primary results, my eyes wandered over to the Senate, where the Democrats once again let us all down. They failed to remove telecom immunity from the FISA bill. They are in effect saying that if the big communications companies broke the law, they should be immune from any accountability.

Why? Why would this be the prevailing opinion in the Senate? Or in the Democratic half of the Senate? And why, why, WHY do the Democrats keep capitulating and giving the President everything he wants, even when it is clearly wrong?

I no longer buy the argument that they're just spineless, and terrified to be portrayed as "soft on terror." There simply must be more to it than that. My two pet theories: 1) The wiretapping and data mining the White House has already done has lead to a wealth of dirty secrets, and those secrets will be revealed if the Democrats don't capitulate; or 2) The Democrats are eager to have all of these expansive powers when they next are in a position of power. I would happily entertain a third theory. Anyone?

One thing is certain: Republicans stick together, and Democrats do not. Every single Republican voted against the removal of immunity. Slightly less than half of the Democrats voted with the Republicans. Again, why?

[Excerpt]

Dems Fall Well Short Of Stripping Immunity From Spy Bill

An attempt to strip lawsuit immunity for telecom firms which helped the government tap phone calls fell well short in the Senate, leaving liberal Democrats on the losing side of what they believe is a fundamental civil liberties debate.

Only 31 senators _ all Democrats _ voted to take away retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies facing lawsuits over wiretaps carried out under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). Sixty-seven senators _ a mix of Republicans and Democrats _ voted against the amendment. . .

Read more at: CBS News