We need to keep the pressure on ‘SellOut’ Reid. More phone calls…more FAXes…more emails.

Keep the pressure on!

I was impressed by what CA did to Feinstein. Any chances of repliating that elsewhere? Won’t work against Schumer & Clinton in NY though.

Russ! Redd!

Thank you, Russ.

I wonder if he knows what a lifeline he is for those of us despairing over the shredding of our constitution, while so many of our “elected representatives” just catatonicly suck their thumbs.

The truth is that if the Republicans have to amend telecom imunity back into the bill, they should be required to do so in the bright light of day — standing publicly for obstruction, for big money donors, and for Presidential fiat against the rule of law.

REALLY good point, Christy — one that the Dem leadership should take to heart.

Dems gain when Republican values and actions are brought into the daylight. This is one reason I’ve urged a Democratic filibuster on a number of issues [e.g., Mukasey]: it would give the Dems the opportunity to stand up for their values, and to point out what the Repubs stand for. Currently all the Dems stand for is folding when the going gets tough.

I fear the Dems are so enamored with the idea of “power brokering,” that they don’t bother to notice that the Republicans have fished the “poker chips” out of the garbage can, rather than dealing in “real” ideas.

alt.title: Oath of Office, if you can keep it.

eCAHNomics @ 2

I was impressed by what CA did to Feinstein. Any chances of repliating that elsewhere? Won’t work against Schumer & Clinton in NY though.

Why not?

What a pity Russ isn’t Leader!

I think that Reid has to be confronted with the question:

If you did not intend for the Judiciary Committee to fulfill its function of ensuring that legislation like this is consistent with American rights and values, why bother sending it to the Judiciary Committee at all? To submit the Intelligence Committee version to the Senate is not only disrespectful of Senator Leahy and the rest of the Judiciary Committee, it is a virtual acknowledgement that the Senate Majority Leader is willing to ignore our Rights and Freedoms when he feels like it. Is that the message you want to send?

purely in terms of tactics, Reid should simply submit the House bill — that way, he can say avoid favoring either committee while using the excuse that it makes more sense for the Senate to either pass that bill as is, or by amending it tell the House exactly what it would like changed.

A.Citizen @ 6

eCAHNomics @ 2

I was impressed by what CA did to Feinstein. Any chances of repliating that elsewhere? Won’t work against Schumer & Clinton in NY though.

Why not?

They have more money than god & don’t give a FF about what the voters say. They also have control of all the D party levers. R party in the state is comatose in many places, so no opposition.

It is high time we drew a line in front of the Constitution and said “no further lawbreaking will be permitted in the name of liberty.” Now, let’s get to work…here are a few ideas for starters, and I’m sure that you all have many, many more as well. We should stand for liberty, the Constitution and the rule of law. I do. What say you?

I just love a CHS call for action supporting the constitution and the rule of law.

High Time (the tune, on youtube)

I don’t recall the words “basket warrants” or “retro-active telecom immunity” being used in the debates the other night.

Heard a lot about drivers licenses though.

I don’t know what happened to get the bill out of the SJC; there were remarks here about Whilehouse’s vote — what was that about?

Was Whitehouse doing something to keep the bill from reaching the Senate under conditions where Reid could ignore the SJC version and opt for one with telecom immunity built in?

A little education, please?

eCAHNomics @ 9

A.Citizen @ 6

Why not?

They have more money than god & don’t give a FF about what the voters say. They also have control of all the D party levers. R party in the state is comatose in many places, so no opposition.

All the more reason to make that a point of attack.

Hey, it could be worse. We could have Gordon Brown as leader of the D Party. From americablog:

Gordon Brown to slash climate change department

I don’t know what happened to get the bill out of the SJC; there were remarks here about Whilehouse’s vote — what was that about?

Whitehouse voted against stripping telecom immunity from the bill, but then indicated he thought the “Specter compromise” was acceptable — thereby making it perfectly clear that telecom profits, and not national security, were his primary concerns.

(Specter suggested that the Federal Government be made the defendant responsible for paying any judgements in lawsuits concerning the telecoms.)

We should stand for liberty, the Constitution and the rule of law. I do. What say you?

I say Russell Feingold for Vice President.

The utterly insouciant disregard for the Constitution underlies BusChen’s putative Sovereign Immunity (***).

Not only that, the Bush mal-administration has yet to shoot straight with the people.

Woe unto BusChen and their minions… in either party.

***

A doctrine precluding the institution of a suit against the sovereign [government] without its consent. Though commonly believed to be rooted in English law, it is actually rooted in the inherent nature of power and the ability of those who hold power to shield themselves.

Oilfieldguy @ 11

I don’t recall the words “basket warrants” or “retro-active telecom immunity” being used in the debates the other night.

Heard a lot about drivers licenses though.

Not even a whiff of FISA… Nor, any Oversight issues whatsoever…

Eureka Springs @ 10

It is high time we drew a line in front of the Constitution and said “no further lawbreaking will be permitted in the name of liberty.” Now, let’s get to work…here are a few ideas for starters, and I’m sure that you all have many, many more as well. We should stand for liberty, the Constitution and the rule of law. I do. What say you?

I just love a CHS call for action supporting the constitution and the rule of law.

High Time (the tune, on youtube)

Biden Dodd Kucinich Paul,

Loo Hoo. @ 16

I say Russell Feingold for Vice President.

fixed

Hi
I know it’s asking to much the whole bill should die a silent death and the judges that serve on the panel should keep doing their job.

Everyone that voted for this should be thrown out of office it’s that simple for they no longer serve the consitution or the electorate.

If they ever did, more than likely corporate masters.
jo6pac

My version of restoring the constitution. Federal Marshals show up at the offices of the President and Vice President, lead them from the building in handcufs, allowing them to talk to no one, and taking them to a secret location from which they might be released or maybe not. They are then Impeached by the house and tried by the senate, and no excuse for National Secret is accepted. We all know that the State Secret thing is nothing but a coverup of the wrongdoing of the king and his cronies. If the speaker of the house won’t issue said warrents, tnen the Majority leader of the Senate does. If they don’t, they are also dragged off. I’m not saying we put them on a plane to Egypt, or something, even though it’s tempting. It is high time for the gutless people who lead the democratic party to either defend and protect the Constution as they swore to do, or be subject to prosecution, and never mind the Be very afraid thing. If they try that, they get investigated by “retired” FBI agents. Else, we have lost the republic and I fear that we shall not see it again.

p.lukasiak @ 15

(Specter suggested that the Federal Government be made the defendant responsible for paying any judgements in lawsuits concerning the telecoms.)

For which brave stance Specter was awarded the Pressidential Medal of Freedom.

Not one penny for tribute!

Ok, O/T. I’ll get back on later. This is getting hard to follow and I’m not sure if this news ever got any mention here at FDL. Somebody (TRex??) was trying to follow all these stories but I think lost track after the preacher in the wet suit with the dildo up his ass. Anyway, Florida Representatine Bob Allen, Republican, natch, The Merritt Island Republican “was accused of peering over a stall in a men’s public park restroom, then agreeing to pay $20 to perform oral sex on Titusville police Officer Danny Kavanaugh.” He was convicted of a second degeree misdemeanor. Poor guy. Who is Florida State Rep. Bob Alen who has been convicted of soliciting a sex act?

Allen actually co-sponsored a bill months before his arrest that would have increased public sex charges from a misdemeanor to a felony. The proposed bill addressed “unnatural and lascivious acts or exposure or exhibition of sexual organs” within 1,000 feet of a park, school or child care facility.

Oh, yeah. And the Florida co-chair of the McCain for President campaign. Details?

Allen stopped as he and Kavanaugh left the restroom and asked if he was a police officer, then motioned to follow, prosecutor Pat Whitaker said.

“If I was a cop, why would I be hanging around here?” Kavanaugh testified saying. “Well they come here too sometimes,” he said Allen responded.

As they neared the car, Kavanaugh said he asked what Allen wanted him to do. According to Kavanaugh’s testimony, the discourse went as follows:

“I don’t know what you’re into,” Allen said.

Kavanaugh asked if Allen wanted oral sex.

“I was thinking you would want one,” Allen said.

“But you’ll still give me the $20 for that, right?” Kavanaugh said.

“I would not argue with that,” Allen answered.

With straight people, we usually pay to get blowj*bs. This knucklehead was paying someone to give one?

I need a scorecard.

So I ran into an interesting fact today.

Guess how much the interest on the Federal debt will cost us this year???

p.lukasiak @ 20

Loo Hoo. @ 16

I say Russell Feingold for Vice President.

fixed

got my vote!

cahuenga @ 26

So I ran into an interesting fact today.

Guess how much the interest on the Federal debt will cost us this year???

Give up.

$470,000,000,000.00
Nearly half a trillion dollars just in interest.

You don’t need probably cause to issue a warrent for the arrest of George Bush. He has admitted on National Television that he broke the law. I am not a lawyer, but it would seem to me that if the house was led by anyone with any guts, Bush and Cheney would already have been arrested (and releasd on 100 million dollars bail) and their offices, computers, and files impounded and searched. Maybe Pelosi should be arrested with them, as she is obviously a party to a criminal conspiracy.

CHS – You are fast turning into one of my favorite ‘writers.’

CTuttle @ 18

Oilfieldguy @ 11

I don’t recall the words “basket warrants” or “retro-active telecom immunity” being used in the debates the other night.

Heard a lot about drivers licenses though.

Not even a whiff of FISA… Nor, any Oversight issues whatsoever…

Great point in my view. Pretty important stuff to ignore in favor of beating the livinmg shit outta the same stuff that came up at the previous debate. But these people will take positions and we can judge them. But Dodd’s to be appluaded because he was out front. The others are getting in line behind him.

cahuenga @ 26

So I ran into an interesting fact today.

Guess how much the interest on the Federal debt will cost us this year???

$406 billion last fiscal year.

p.lukasiak @ 20

Loo Hoo. @ 16

I say Russell Feingold for Vice President.

fixed

In eight years!

cahuenga @ 29

$470,000,000,000.00
Nearly half a trillion dollars just in interest.

I honestly don’t know how to say numbers that big. Thanks for writing it out.

Good post and all but wouldn’t the best thing be to do nothing and leave FISA alone altogether? I don’t hear anyone advocating that. Seems strange to me that we’re changing the law for people who have repeatedly broke it and we’re not even making them tell us what they did when they broke it.

Anyhow, how many more times do we need to see the Dems rollover on the Constitution in the name of “security” (or telecom donations more likely in this case). If our legislators, Dem/Rethuglican alike, have a square choice between money and the people (or Constitution) they will pick money every time.

This is also why Hilary and Obama are such awful candidates. They are both beholden to their big donors. Obama actually voted with the Rethuglicans to help his then biggest donor, Com Ed. In Illinois we have the highest elecric rates in the country thanks to ComEd.

Loo Hoo. @ 33

p.lukasiak @ 20

fixed

In eight years!

Yay Loo Hoo. A democrat with a Long Term Plan.

eCAHNomics @ 33

cahuenga @ 26

So I ran into an interesting fact today.

Guess how much the interest on the Federal debt will cost us this year???

$406 billion last fiscal year.

a billion here and a billion there, pretty soon you’re talking about real money

Beerfart Liberal @ 31

CTuttle @ 18

Not even a whiff of FISA… Nor, any Oversight issues whatsoever…

Great point in my view. Pretty important stuff to ignore in favor of beating the livinmg shit outta the same stuff that came up at the previous debate. But these people will take positions and we can judge them. But Dodd’s to be appluaded because he was out front. The others are getting in line behind him.

mediamatters has a good summary up.

Through 17 debates this year, roughly 1,500 questions have been asked of the two parties’ presidential candidates. But only a small handful of questions have touched on the candidates’ views on executive power, the Constitution, torture, wiretapping, or other civil liberties concerns. (A description of those questions appears at the end of this column.)

The words are “War Crimes Tribunal” and “Truth & Reconciliation Commission.” Anything less is obsequy.

If we want to see spine from our representatives, we have to show it ourselves.

Here’s a copy of an intended letter to the editor that will also be the basis for a letter to Harry Reid:

Soon our Congress will be engaged in deliberations about whether to give the major telecom companies retroactive immunity for their cooperation with the current Administration in letting the Government have access to the private records of thousands of Americans without warrants or probable cause. On its face, this is, by definition, unreasonable search and seizure. Furthermore, if the President had wanted to access the information legally, there are steps that could have been taken to lawfully proceed. However, the President chose to acquire the information that he wanted by Presidential fiat, and he is now trying to co-opt Congressional approval in making Presidential whim into the law of the land.

This matter is currently in the courts. If Judges see fit to dismiss cases because they find that the telecom companies acted in good faith, that’s a verdict I’m willing to accept, because the court did its job of acting as impartial, objective observers who can interpret the laws. I am not willing to accept a pass from one of the principals with collaboration from a legislative branch that sees fit to legitimize the President’s actions retroactively to their own detriment. You will be publicly saying that whatever the President does is legal simply because he did it. You will be placing the President of the United States above the law. This single act turns the rule of law and the balance of power in our government on their ears.

The Congress is being asked to erode the power of the Judiciary, and to weaken its own legal standing as a co-equal branch of government. The question is, are citizens willing to sit idly by and let the Legislative Branch of Government as well as the Judiciary Branch become subservient to the Executive Branch of Government without objection, or will they step up and come forward for the rule of law, the separation of powers and the Fourth Amendment? Thank you for your time and consideration.

Nice, Ann in AZ.

There are now somewhere between 750 – 950 thousand names on the terrist watch list, which does not seem to faze any of the dem leaders except DK. This whole ‘let’s just give up so much liberty and no more’ mime of the dems is disgusting. FISA itself is unconstitutional. Arguing about how to make it better is like argueing about the best way to keep troops in Iraq or make NAFTA and the WTO less awful. Just scrap these pieces of crap and reread the Constitution!

Loo Hoo. @ 42

Nice, Ann in AZ.

second

Veritas78 @ 39

The words are “War Crimes Tribunal” and “Truth & Reconciliation Commission.” Anything less is obsequy.

If we want to see spine from our representatives, we have to show it ourselves.

Did you hear this podcast from electricpolitics What Is Torture?

Profound considering that the President designates who is an enemy combatant.

john in california @ 43

There are now somewhere between 750 – 950 thousand names on the terrist watch list, which does not seem to faze any of the dem leaders except DK. This whole ‘let’s just give up so much liberty and no more’ mime of the dems is disgusting. FISA itself is unconstitutional. Arguing about how to make it better is like argueing about the best way to keep troops in Iraq or make NAFTA and the WTO less awful. Just scrap these pieces of crap and reread the Constitution!

Not to worry. I figured out about a week ago (and don’t remember the exact # but am too lazy to redo it), that at that rate, and assuming the pop doesn’t change, it’ll be another 150 years before we’re all on the list.

The best spine we can show is to refuse to give money to Pelosi and Reid, and if they are not up for re-election then, we impeach them. Now. I suspect you’ll find a whole host of things that they don’t want out in their closets. And a few things that are so damaging that they are paralyzed, because the Rethugs found them. Well, if the rethugs found it, so can we, and it ought to be made public. They do not have the security of this country in mind, and more than the King does. We don’t need them.

i sing of Olaf glad and big
A Poem by e. e. cummings

i sing of Olaf glad and big
whose warmest heart recoiled at war:
a conscientious object-or

his wellbelovéd colonel (trig
westpointer most succinctly bred)
took erring Olaf soon in hand;
but—though an host of overjoyed
noncoms (first knocking on the head
him) do through icy waters roll
that helplessness which others stroke
with brushes recently employed
anent this muddy toiletbowl,
while kindred intellects evoke
allegiance per blunt instruments—
Olaf (being to all intents
a corpse and wanting any rag
upon what God unto him gave)
responds, without getting annoyed
“I will not kiss your fucking flag”

straightaway the silver bird looked grave
(departing hurriedly to shave)

but-though all kinds of officers
(a yearning nation’s blueeyed pride)
their passive prey did kick and curse
until for wear their clarion
voices and boots were much the worse,
and egged the firstclassprivates on
his rectum wickedly to tease
by means of skillfully applied
bayonets roasted hot with heat—
Olaf (upon what were once knees)
does almost ceaselessly repeat
“there is some shit I will not eat”

our president,being of which
assertions duly notified
threw the yellowsonofabitch
into a dungeon,where he died

Christ (of His mercy infinite)
i pray to see;and Olaf,too

preponderatingly because
unless statistics lie he was
more brave than me:more blond than you

cynic @ 47

The best spine we can show is to refuse to give money to Pelosi and Reid, and if they are not up for re-election then, we impeach them. Now. I suspect you’ll find a whole host of things that they don’t want out in their closets. And a few things that are so damaging that they are paralyzed, because the Rethugs found them. Well, if the rethugs found it, so can we, and it ought to be made public. They do not have the security of this country in mind, and more than the King does. We don’t need them.

How do we find them? I’m sure you’re right, so my Q is honest, not a snark.

From the California Democratic Party:

You have changed the conversation inside the California Democratic Party. 30,033 of you, to be exact.

Last night, the Women’s Caucus of the California Democratic Party approved your resolutions to censure Senator Dianne Feistein. Then, in a speech before hundreds this morning, Party Chair Art Torres immediately and directly addressed your movement to censure Senator Feinstein.

This three-day event has been transformed by your activism. I am sitting at the meeting, with my computer on my lap, constantly refreshing the signature totals on the Senator Dianne Feinstein censure resolution.

We made up a poster in the middle of last night. It is now out-of-date. You can see the picture of it above. What was 29,708 signers is now 30,333. So we slapped a new number on it.

I have a stack of papers here, a marker and some tape. I am going to sit here and keep slapping up new numbers as the Executive Board members walk by. The number is turning heads and influencing conversations.

Julia Rosen of the Courage Campaign is liveblogging the event.

A’57 @ 48

i sing of Olaf glad and big
A Poem by e. e. cummings

i sing of Olaf glad and big
whose warmest heart recoiled at war:
a conscientious object-or

his wellbelovéd colonel (trig
westpointer most succinctly bred)
took erring Olaf soon in hand;
but—though an host of overjoyed
noncoms (first knocking on the head
him) do through icy waters roll
that helplessness which others stroke
with brushes recently employed
anent this muddy toiletbowl,
while kindred intellects evoke
allegiance per blunt instruments—
Olaf (being to all intents
a corpse and wanting any rag
upon what God unto him gave)
responds, without getting annoyed
“I will not kiss your fucking flag”

straightaway the silver bird looked grave
(departing hurriedly to shave)

but-though all kinds of officers
(a yearning nation’s blueeyed pride)
their passive prey did kick and curse
until for wear their clarion
voices and boots were much the worse,
and egged the firstclassprivates on
his rectum wickedly to tease
by means of skillfully applied
bayonets roasted hot with heat—
Olaf (upon what were once knees)
does almost ceaselessly repeat
“there is some shit I will not eat”

our president,being of which
assertions duly notified
threw the yellowsonofabitch
into a dungeon,where he died

Christ (of His mercy infinite)
i pray to see;and Olaf,too

preponderatingly because
unless statistics lie he was
more brave than me:more blond than you

Ehren Watada! *g*

Ian’s already upstairs!

BusChen is a two-headed monster wreacking havoc on our country and our planet. There can be no accommodation with this shatterer of worlds.

The energy source with the capacity to bring change belongs to the Power of Life. Not the Forces of Death.

The elect of the people either do the will of the people or become the first fruits of revolution.

FYI, new post

CTuttle @ 51

A’57 @ 48

i sing of Olaf glad and big
A Poem by e. e. cummings

i sing of Olaf glad and big
whose warmest heart recoiled at war:
a conscientious object-or

his wellbelovéd colonel (trig
westpointer most succinctly bred)
took erring Olaf soon in hand;
but—though an host of overjoyed
noncoms (first knocking on the head
him) do through icy waters roll
that helplessness which others stroke
with brushes recently employed
anent this muddy toiletbowl,
while kindred intellects evoke
allegiance per blunt instruments—
Olaf (being to all intents
a corpse and wanting any rag
upon what God unto him gave)
responds, without getting annoyed
“I will not kiss your fucking flag”

straightaway the silver bird looked grave
(departing hurriedly to shave)

but-though all kinds of officers
(a yearning nation’s blueeyed pride)
their passive prey did kick and curse
until for wear their clarion
voices and boots were much the worse,
and egged the firstclassprivates on
his rectum wickedly to tease
by means of skillfully applied
bayonets roasted hot with heat—
Olaf (upon what were once knees)
does almost ceaselessly repeat
“there is some shit I will not eat”

our president,being of which
assertions duly notified
threw the yellowsonofabitch
into a dungeon,where he died

Christ (of His mercy infinite)
i pray to see;and Olaf,too

preponderatingly because
unless statistics lie he was
more brave than me:more blond than you

Ehren Watada! *g*

I pray this does not come to pass
But I suspect it will

There is some shit I will not eat.
Amen

Here’s a letter I sent to DiFi last week and will now send to Barbara Boxer and DiFi (again). Feel free to plagiarize if you wish, but please write your senators.

There has never been a more urgent need to preserve fundamental privacy protections and our system of checks and balances than the need we face today, as illegal government spying, provisions of the Patriot Act, and government-sponsored torture programs transcend the bounds of law and our most treasured values in the name of national security.
I urge you to make the following changes in S. 2248, the Administration / Rockefeller bill:
• No amnesty for breaking the law: Remove the provision giving the Attorney General the sole discretion to provide retroactive and prospective immunity to any telecommunication or other companies that spy on their customers. Consumers need the right to bring suit in either state or federal court to hold the telecoms accountable for illegally handing our information over to the government and our states’ utility commission need to be able to investigate or file suits that seek to stop the companies from spying on us in the future.
• Restore court review of orders for surveillance when not all participants in the conversation are foreign as a check on governmental access to our information.
• Require surveillance orders to specify who is going to be listened to or what facilities the government is going to tap into, in order to prevent authorizing dragnets that can sweep up Americans’ communications just as long as a specific, known US person isn’t the “target.”
• Place restrictions on the how and how long the government may keep, use and disseminate any US person’s information collected under this new warrantless dragnet. The data should be destroyed after it is used only for its intended purpose and datamining should be forbidden.
• S. 2248 should sunset on December 31, 2009, requiring a complete review under the next US government, hopefully one which will be more committed to upholding the Constitution than the current one.

cynic @ 30

You don’t need probably cause to issue a warrent for the arrest of George Bush. He has admitted on National Television that he broke the law. I am not a lawyer, but it would seem to me that if the house was led by anyone with any guts, Bush and Cheney would already have been arrested (and releasd on 100 million dollars bail) and their offices, computers, and files impounded and searched. Maybe Pelosi should be arrested with them, as she is obviously a party to a criminal conspiracy.

The interests in control of the executive branch have ufortunately meshed their business interests with America’s energy needs. Our dependenance on Oil is their “business.” A 50 billion dollar “business venture” in Iraq gone astray, now costing trillions…..

jo6pac @ 21

Hi
I know it’s asking to much the whole bill should die a silent death and the judges that serve on the panel should keep doing their job.

Everyone that voted for this should be thrown out of office it’s that simple for they no longer serve the consitution or the electorate.

If they ever did, more than likely corporate masters.
jo6pac

I was wondering about that…if the bill fails do we revert to the original law? Wouldn’t that be better all the way around?

Christy, I am constantly awed by your intellect, your energy, the ready way you have with language, and the thoroughness with which you approach every topic. If what you do is not journalism, then there is no such animal as journalism. Thank you!

FISA immunity on its face would apply to telcos AND any other person (individual, company, etc.) that did or does provide the relevant “cooperation” (itself broadly defined).

With that as a precedent, we can expect this and future GOP administrations to apply the same standard to other favored industries – financial services, oil, insurance, munitions – that provide information about the public to the government, with no restrictions on its use or processing by the government and its private contractors.

Just as torture (which provides no credible intel) is a key component in Cheney’s strategy of rule by intimidation, telco/corporate immunity is a key component to his strategem of obtaining unrestricted government access to private information.

It’s time to Just. Say. No.