Remember, Glenzilla writes a non-subtle petition to Harry Reid you can sign here.

Anyone listening to these feeble gasbags on the floor of the senate would conclude that this whole thing is some big debate about whether or not to require warrants on foreign-to-foreign calls routed through the US, something absolutely no one disagrees on. That and the foundations of democracy would virtually crumble if these poor, put upon telecoms who engaged in domestic spying, violating the rights of millions of Americans, might not be allowed to do a Scooter Libby and skate for their crimes.

'Cos they're great patriots, they love their kids and they're good to their dogs, I guess.

I'm now clear on the definition of "bipartisan," though. It means any time the Democrats give in and help the Republicans do what they're going to do anyway.

Since Dodd will be reading some blog reader comments, I thought I'd throw up a few of ours:

Millineryman:

The Constitution is a cornerstone of American democracy, why do you think some of the leaders in both parties are affraid of preserving it, and demonstrating to the world that America is strong and confident that our liberty and freedom can endure any challenge from the inside and out outside?

PhysioProf:

Dear Senator Dodd:

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking on this essential issue. I am a New York resident, and I have exhorted Senators Schumer and Clinton to do everything in their power to support your filibuster of the Intelligence Cmte version of the FISA bill. This is a key moment in the constitutional history of our Republic, where we as a nation either repudiate or embrace the rule of law. Allowing telecommunications companies to avoid the consequences of committing felonies while reaping massive profits rewards corporate lawlessness at the expense of ordinary citizens.

I commend you for standing staunchly on the side of embracing the rule of law, and I dearly hope that you succeed in your efforts. In these acts, you are a true patriot and defender of our Republic.

Best regards, PhysioProf

LS:

Dear Senator Dodd and other Senators who are standing up for the Constitution;

My family and I are so proud of you!! We pay our hard-earned money to the telephone companies for telephone service, not to assist in a program that spies on us without warrants. We pay our taxes to help support America, not to spy on us without warrants. While we support protecting this Nation from external attacks, we consider spying on American citizens without warrants to be a violation of the 4th Amendment of the Constitution, and an internal attack on the citizens of this great Nation.

Clearly, the request for retroactive immunity is needed, because there must have been illegal activities perpetrated on us by our government with the complicity of the very telephone companies that service us. The Administration and the telephone companies must be held accountable, no matter how painful it is or our Constitution really is becoming worthless. We are a nation of laws not men. Therefore, you, together with the other Senators that stand up for America are true heroes!!!

Congress:

No retroactive immunity for telcoms!
No prospective immunity for telcoms!
No basket warrants!

Signed: A Patriotic American family that wants its country back!!

PS. Please make sure that at all times, the United States of America is referred to as The United States of America and never, ever, ever as The Fatherland The Homeland. It causes WWII War Veterans in our family to roll over in their graves.

Ann in AZ:

I think standing up for our rights as Americans is basic to being a good American. We cannot so easily slide into giving up our rights one by one to governmental overreach and expect to remain a democratic Republic. If we do give up our rights, before we know what happened, we will have become a dictatorship. Senator Dodd and the Senators who are standing with him are doing the heavy lifting necessary to maintaining our Republic as it was founded and not giving way to those politically inclined toward creating a dictatorship, and we citizens thank them very much. As for any Senator that doesn’t, you too will be remembered. Thank you for revealing your true colors, Senators, because what you do here is the proof of who you are.

Jim White:

Thank you Senator Dodd for your patriotic service to our country.
I see this FISA battle you are waging as a clarion cry for our country to return to the rule of law. I am not asking that the government abandon surveillance. I am only asking that the government abide by reasonable laws and allow appropriate levels of independent oversight so that we the people can be assured that the powers which we vest in our intelligence community are used for the purposes for which they have been designated. Please make it clear to anyone listening tomorrow that the Senate Judiciary Committee version and House version of the FISA renewal do not weaken our surveillance capability in any way but instead improve the Constitutionally mandated oversight function which has been missing.

Without law, we have no government.

You would all do better than Barbara Mukulski, who appears to have disinterred the scribes of Hee-Haw to author her floor speech. Our FISA laws were apparently written back when Blackberries were "something you put on your breakfast cereal."

Oh what a kneeslapper.

These people should not be legislating anything more technical than a sliderule.