Get Active: Add Your Name to ACLU Ad

I'm going to give an effort to make this my last post on the FISA vote for the day. I know that I'm a bit more passionate about it than some people are. But if you're like me, and you were angered by this decision, here's a way to vent, just a little bit:

[From Email]

Congress just compromised your rights by passing the FISA Amendments Act.

Today elected officials in Washington sold out the Constitution -- again.

Cowed by the Bush administration's pre-election scare tactics, the Senate passed privacy-stealing FISA legislation undermining your Fourth Amendment rights.

It's outrageous, unconstitutional and un-American. That's why the ACLU is prepared to challenge this law the moment George Bush signs it -- and you can rest assured, they'll be meeting our lawyers in court.

Our lawsuit will send a powerful message to those in Congress who played it safe when they had the opportunity to defend the Constitution. You can join the ACLU in sending that message by signing on to our ad letting Congress know that if they won't stand up for freedom, you and the ACLU will.

We'll be taking out a full-page ad in a major national newspaper announcing our lawsuit and expressing our outrage at this abandonment of Constitutional principles. Our goal is to run an ad that contains the names of tens of thousands of Americans who believe in the Constitution and want Congress to hear us loud and clear: next time, stand up for our rights.

Click here to include your name in the ACLU's FISA newspaper ad.

ACLU to Sue Over FISA Vote

Image from source, Raw Story

OK, feeling even better now. I still hate that the Senate (including 1/3 of Democrats) voted for the FISA bill. But maybe it's fixable. Cross your fingers.

[Excerpt]

ACLU, EFF will challenge FISA update in court

As the Senate voted to endorse a Bush-administration backed plan to expand its surveillance authority and grant retroactive legal immunity to telecommunications companies that facilitated warrantless wiretapping, the American Civil Liberties Union unveiled plans to challenge the new law in court. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Sen. Russ Feingold on FISA Vote

OK, now that I've vented my spleen regarding the disastrous FISA vote, I get to feel a little more hopeful about the whole deal. Senator Russ Feingold, an ardent opponent of the FISA bill appeared with guest host, Rachel Maddow on tonight's Countdown with Keith Olbermann. I trust Feingold's opinion, and if he feels hopeful about this thing (provided Barack Obama is elected in the fall), I guess I can feel hopeful too.

FISA Bill Passed by Senate, Liberals Pissed

Yep, I said it, right in the headline. I'm pissed off. We have a Democratic majority in the Senate, and a bill that according to Constitutional scholar, Jonathan Turley, "eviscerates" the 4th amendment, passed anyway. As far as Turley, and myself, and many other liberals are concerned, the purpose of this bill was not the public interest. It was to cover a lot of political ass, and--for reasons we still don't fully understand--protect big corporations.

Remind me again, is the President and Congress supposed to defend the corporations, or is it the Constitution? Whatever, they're both C-words, right? We can only guess at the reasons that 1/3 of Democrats voted for this travesty, along with--what--all of the Republicans? Blackmail, backroom deals, fear of being labelled unpatriotic. The result in any case, is that President Bush, with an approval rating in the high twenties at best, got exactly what he wanted from a Democratic Congress. Here are just a couple of things that suck about this:

- 70% of the Senate does not know what the telecommunications companies are being pardoned for. They've been given retroactive immunity for breaking the law, and 70 Senators do not know what those infractions even were.

- Warrantless wiretapping by the Bush Administration did not begin after 9/11, it began in February 2001. And yet, this change in the FISA law is being justified as a response to 9/11. It's just a flat lie.

There's more, but I'm done. I'm pissed, but I'm done. For now.

Turley: 4th Amendment to Be Eviscerated Tomorrow

Constitutional scholar, Johnathon Turley was on Countdown with Keith Olbermann tonight with guest host (and Greenlee Gazette favorite) Rachel Maddow, discussing the likely passing tomorrow of the FISA bill in the Senate. If you're wondering what all the fuss is about, if you can't understand why I've been harping on this for months and months. . .watch this clip.

And as a side note, where are all of those "gun clingers" who were high-fiving each other over last week's Supreme Court decision on the 2nd amendment? Is that the only amendment that matters?

Stand With Christopher Dodd Against Telecom Immunity

It's a shame that someone like Senator Christopher Dodd never really had a shot at the Presidency. While I'm eager to see Barack Obama become President--and I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt about his FISA bill stance--Dodd is one of the few Senators out there actively trying to beat this thing.

If you feel like I do, join him in his fight to head this thing off. It may be futile, but you'll feel a little better.

[From Christopher Dodd's call to action letter]

For the last nine months, when retroactive immunity has surfaced, we have been able to delay its passage.

We were able to stop it in December because I had an army behind me.

Two months later, it stalled again -- this time in the House.And last week, we managed to delay action one last time.

But when the Senate returns from the July 4th recess, we will vote on FISA legislation that includes retroactive immunity for telecom companies that may have illegally helped the Bush administration spy without warrant.

It's a bad bill and we need action to stop retroactive immunity from becoming law. I've introduced an amendment with Senator Feingold to strip immunity from the bill. This amendment has the support of Majority Leader Reid and Senator Obama, but it needs 51 votes to pass.

Will you sign on as a citizen co-sponsor of our amendment?

Sign on now!

Together, we can prevent this assault on our Constitution. Let's do it one more time. With your help, we can stop the further erosion of the rule of law.

We'll be in touch soon.

Chris Dodd

Keith Olbermann's Special Comment: Obama & FISA

Still think that Countdown with Keith Olbermann and MSNBC (or Greenlee Gazette, for that matter) are "in the tank" for Barack Obama? You might think otherwise after watching his most recent "Special Comment."

Barack Obama's Not-so Cozy Relationship with Bloggers

Image from source, Huffington Post

In the many-pronged attacks on Barack Obama, a constant one from the right is that he's far-left, and in the pocket of "the MoveOn.orgs." People who actually read left-wing blogs know that this is nonsense.

The latest diversion from the left-wing "netroots" is Obama's decision to vote for the "compromise" FISA/telecom retroactive immunity/warrantless wiretaps bill. The netroots don't like it. I don't like it. Not one little bit. It's not enough to dampen my enthusiasm for his election, but it's enough for me to want him to explain what is in that bill that would "protect America."

[Excerpt]

Serenity Lost: Obama And The Netroots

Only weeks into the general election campaign and already a notable tension is beginning to materialize within the Democratic Party. At question is Sen. Barack Obama's relationship with the progressive netroots, the online community that helped aid the Senator's rise to the presidential nomination, but has since seemingly played second fiddle in terms of courted constituencies. . .

Read more at: Huffington Post

Democrats Who Voted for FISA Getting Telecom Cash?

Photo from Huffington Post

There is a basic difference--in my opinion--between right-leaning media outlets (radio, magazines, blogs), and left-leaning ones. The right will typically stand by a corrupt conservative politician, offering excuses, playing devil's advocate; unless that politician confesses or is convicted. Even then, their guilt is often downplayed. On the left, there is a less strenuous devil's advocate play, and when the politician seems to be dirty they are often called on it.

Ronald Reagan's "Eleventh Commandment," Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican, doesn't seem to have a counterpart on the left. Ask a Democrat to defend Bill Clinton's actions, and you'll likely get some background--that the Republicans were out to impeach him for whatever they could find, and that the action was silly--but you won't get much defending. Same for William Jefferson's infamous "money in the freezer" story.

And now comes the FISA bill, with the retroactive immunity for telecom companies that acted illegally on the President's orders, and allows warrantless wiretapping. Liberals are severely bent that any Democrat would vote for such a thing. And those that do are openly suspected--by liberals--to either be "in the tank" for the telecoms, covering their asses for what they were implicit in, or that they're being blackmailed for their votes.

All three scenarios are strong possibilities, but the first now seems to have some evidence to back it up. Take a look.

[Excerpt]

Dems who flipped on FISA immunity see more telecom cash

House Democrats who flipped their votes to support retroactive immunity for telecom companies in last week’s FISA bill took thousands of dollars more from phone companies than Democrats who consistently voted against legislation with an immunity provision, according to an analysis by MAPLight.org. . .

Read more at: Politico

Young Turks on Telecom Immunity and Wiretaps

I have to go out to dinner, so this may be my last post of the evening. In fact, I don't even have time to review this video before posting it. But after having watched dozens of these Young Turks videos, I'm quite confident that the subject has been covered to my satisfaction.

Later, if I have time, I may come back with an update. Good night, everybody!

UPDATE: I just watched the video, and yep, it was just what I wanted. Angry and chock-full of F-bombs and the like. As it should be. This was a wretched decision by Congress, and it can't be honestly covered politely. Way to go, Cenk!

House Gives Bush Wiretaps and Telecoms Immunity

This is a frustrating, exasperating, irritating, maddening, stupefyingly dumb ass move by Congress. The Senate still has to follow suit for it to go through, but I worry that they will. It's being called a compromise, but many are calling it capitulation. It is really neither of those. It's a cover-your-ass move for Congress, plain and simple. If they made this into the big issue it deserves to be, many Congresscritters (on both sides) would have big problems. So, they've taken out their Sharpies, and they're blacking out parts of the Constitution. Nice.

[Excerpt]

House votes to expand Bush wiretap powers, telecom immunity

Less than 24 hours after introducing a controversial measure to expand President Bush's authority to spy on Americans, the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives on Friday voted to approve the administration- and Republican-supported bill, sending it to the Senate where it will likely be adopted. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Off the Hook: Olbermann & Turley on FISA Compromise

If my rant about the Democrats' capitulation on the FISA/telecom immunity bill wasn't good enough to keep your interest, here is a much better take on it. For all the talk about Countdown with Keith Olbermann being liberally biased, please check out the major criticism of not only George W. Bush and Republicans, but Democrats as well.

Telecom Immunity a Done Deal?

Photo of Steny Hoyer from source, Raw Story

This story has been exhausting for liberal bloggers like me. For months and months, we've been writing, reading, calling and emailing our representatives, telling them "No immunity!" Congress now seems prepared to "compromise" (read: capitulate) to the Bush administrations' wishes, allowing them to continue to wiretap without warrants. And the biggie: retroactive immunity for the telecom companies who aided Bush illegally.

Not incidentally, such a ruling would also insulate Bush himself from further scrutiny in this matter. And I suspect that some members of Congress from both sides of the aisle want to cover their own butts as well. Disgusting.

[Excerpt]

Deal reached on wiretap expansion, telecom immunity

Wary of making the debate between liberty and security into a campaign issue, Congressional Democrats appear ready to retreat in their years-long effort to instill some sort of accountability on the Bush administration and its enablers in the telecommunications industry for their extra-legal surveillance of Americans. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Lame Republican Ad: 3 am Phone Call (Again)

The "3AM Phone Call" ad Hillary Clinton ran was kinda dumb the first time around. Yet, it keeps getting repurposed, both by Clinton herself, and others. Here the National Republican Congressional Committee uses it to lie. Or rather, to lie by omission. It is true that the Democrats in Congress will not pass the domestic spying bill the way Bush wants it. It is NOT true that they won't pass it.

At issue (as I've reported many times) is that Bush (and Republican cronies in Congress) want retroactive immunity for telecom companies that helped Bush--presumably illegally--to spy on Americans. This immunity would halt lawsuits that would ultimately reveal Bush's part in that scheme. There is no other reason--at least none that has been presented logically--for the provision. So they resort to really (really, really) lame ads like this one.

Bush Backing Down on FISA Telecom Immunity?

Photo from source, Raw Story

Could The Decider just be getting tired of all of this? Maybe he's feeling a little lame-ducky, who knows? What's known is that the retroactive immunity he wants for telecom companies is really to protect his own backside. It's possible he's just going to play the odds. After all, when the Bush Administration is finally put to sleep, will there be a lot of interest in Congress and the courts to go after him? I would hope so, but I'd wager Bush will go out with a whimper, not a splash--and will not have to pay for his misdeeds. Unless you believe in karma, or maybe. . .could it be. . .Satan!?!

[Excerpt]

Bush backing down in FISA fight?

After months of using politically loaded rhetoric and hyping "bogus" terror threats to push Congress to give him the domestic spying bill he's demanding, President Bush seems to be backing down.

The Wall Street Journal reports Tuesday that the White House is softening its hard-line approach to updating the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. . .

Read more at: Raw Story

Dennis Kucinich and Congress' Secret Session

Congress has only gone into "secret session" six times ever. For some reason, the FISA/telecom retroactive immunity discussion was deemed important enough to warrant such a session. Dennis Kucinich would not agree to participate, and here explains why.

It's very interesting if you're into politics, maybe not so much if you're not. But whatever you do, stop the video before they get into the folk singing. . .that was even too much for me.

Bush Issues Another Warning About Telecom Immunity

Photo from source, Raw Story

When is this dog and pony show going to end? Anyone who knows anything about this subject knows Bush is just making excuses to try to cover his butt. He wants retroactive immunity for telecom companies (who he says have done nothing illegal), because he doesn't want them to roll over on him. But, he keeps troweling on the excuses, says Congress is endangering the country by not passing the bill--as he wants it. But, he will veto the bill if it doesn't include the immunity.

If he feels this strongly about the immunity--so much so that he's willing to "endanger" the country--he must have some serious crap to cover up. C'mon, Congress. Hold your ground!

[Excerpt]

Bush says House aiding 'trial lawyers' by not granting telco immunity

UPDATE: Feingold fires back at Bush's 'transparent fear mongering'

Growing increasingly frustrated at House Democrats' refusal to give him the authority he's demanded on terrorist-surveillance legislation, President Bush has resorted to using increasingly partisan and misleading rhetoric, immunity opponents charge. [snip]

"The President's fear-mongering and efforts to mislead the American people have become increasingly transparent," Feingold said in a prepared statement. "The House should continue to stand up to these tactics and decline to grant immunity to companies that allegedly cooperated in the president�s illegal warrantless wiretapping program. It is unacceptable that this administration seems to be more interested in avoiding all accountability for the program than it is in working with Congress to pass a bill that both allows us to aggressively go after suspected terrorists and protects the privacy of innocent Americans."

Read more at: Raw Story

Florida Rep. Wexler Explains Contempt of Congress

Sometimes political fights--even those we feel passionate about--can come across as petty, boring or confusing to other people. News media often plays up only one angle or one side of an issue, or they might just largely ignore the whole story. If you throw in right-wing radio, which might be painting the story as inconsequential, or just the whining of the opposition, it becomes very difficult to get people to sit still and listen to why an issue might be worth their time.

Among the many things that have outraged me about the Bush administration, the two I know and care the most about--the fight over telecoms, and the contempt of Congress of the Bush Administration--are both unsexy, and difficult to get people to sit still for. That's why I like this video, by Rep. Robert Wexler (R-FL), regarding the latter of my two pet issues. In a relatively short video, he spells out the importance of the issue, using just enough words to explain the issue without causing drowsiness.



If you care about the issue of this Imperial Presidency and their unchecked power, and have that one person (or persons!) who you are trying to sway, show them this video. Maybe you'll get them on board.

And by the way, good on you Rep. Wexler! Your state needs a champion for justice, and so does this country.

House Comprimise on Surveillance Bill Circulated

It's a mixed bag of news on the surveillance bill, and the "retroactive immunity" part of it. Seemingly, immunity is still out, but maybe could be put back in. It's still kind of up in the air. But at least, the House of Representatives is not knuckling under in any kind of hurry. I guess that's something.

[Excerpt]

House Dems Circulate Draft of Surveillance Compromise

. . .Of course, just because the House bill does not have retroactive immunity does not mean that the final bill to arise from the process will not. As the Politico reported last night, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) now favors a strategy of "ping-ponging" alternatives back and forth between the two chambers. What that means is that the House could vote out a bill that does not contain retroactive immunity, but that the Senate could vote to add it back in, sending that back to the House, where such a modified bill might pass with the help of moderate Democrats. Of course, such a strategy could also lead to stalemate, as the Politico points out. . . .

Read more at: TPM Muckraker

Nancy Pelosi Still Fighting Telecom Immunity?

Photo from source, TPM Muckraker

There have been signs that the House of Representatives is ready to compromise (read: cave) on retroactive immunity for telecoms. This has angered many Democrats (including this one). This article indicates that maybe, just maybe, they're not ready to cave after all. But I'm not ready to get my hopes up yet.

[Excerpt]

Pelosi: Surveillance Bill Focus Should Be on "Exclusivity"

. . .The Bush administration, which circumvented FISA to conduct its warrantless wiretapping program, does not want its hands tied. And a majority of Republicans helped vote down an exclusivity amendment offered by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in the Senate, where by bipartisan agreement, the measure required 60 votes. There is such a provision in the House's surveillance bill, which passed last year.

Pelosi says that she "absolutely" opposes retroactive immunity for the telecoms, but that she "didn't want the fight to be so focused there that we neglect exclusivity." Pelosi added that the House leadership was "at the mercy of the 17 or 18 Democrats in the Senate who are voting with the Republicans on this" and said that "we are trying to work with the Dems in the Senate to come to an agreement" on exclusivity, immunity, and other issues. . .

Read more at: TPM Muckraker