Who's Minding the Store? Bush & Civil Liberties

Photo from source, Think Progress

So, George W. Bush says that his "expanded powers" to spy on anybody he wants to are urgent, and that the FISA bill is crucial to American security. Then he says he'll veto this essential safety measure if it doesn't include retroactive immunity for telecom companies. Companies he said did nothing wrong, but need the immunity anyway.

Now, the icing for this crappy cake. The people responsible for overseeing all of this, to make sure our civil liberties are protected? Well, there are no people! Surprise!

[Excerpt]

White House Civil Liberties Oversight Board Vacant As Bush Pushes For More Surveillance Powers

In 2004, the 9/11 Commission recommended the establishment of the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board “to ensure that concerns with respect to privacy and civil liberties are appropriately considered” by the President “in the implementation of all laws, regulations, and executive branch policies” related to national security. [snip]

Now, the board is officially vacant. The terms of the original members expired on Jan. 30, 2007, but “no nominations have been sent to the Senate Homeland Security Committee, which must approve appointees for the five vacancies" . . .

Read more at: ThinkProgress