Thanks Jane.

Stenchy Horror.

Calm Down.

Hi, Jane. You may want to mention that a little more than $266 has been raised.

“$266,920″

There’s a typo in the URL on the last line of the ad … http://ColorOrChange.org

[Mod: thank you, sending this along to the ad folks]

“Dispensing amnesty for high-dollar telecom donors…”
__________

How does one accurately find out who in Congress got how much from the telecom lobby?

My specific (though by no means exclusive) interest, of course, would be Porter, Reid, and Ensign (NV).

Nice add. More please.

Any info on radio or TV adds?

Love the ad!

The only part of the debate I could grab this morning is up on YouTube. Barbara Lee

Great ad…love it.

Digg it here:

http://digg.com/politics/Steny.....ngton_Post

I didn’t see the Barbara Lee quote in the ad! That’s perfect!

Sell-Out Steny

Great blogger minds think alike, Jane! I followed the link from the earlier thread just a few minutes ago and discovered to my disgust that Pomeroy and C. Peterson both voted for this bill.

And, in the spirit of change, I’m declaring this my independence day…

Thank goodness the wee cabin in the tall timber is in Oberstar’s District…just sayin’.

Every library Friends group in America should sponsor a city-reads program every university should sponsor a freshman orientation reading project… and select It Can’t Happen Here. Because it is.
.
.
Prairie Today: independently yours….

Jane!!! Thank you and Glenn and Howie for all you do.

awesome ad!

a question - it is clear that this what happened today was not the result of only hoyer’s initiative. he had pelosi and reyes behind him. don’t know what they promised him to take the heat on this one.

i don’t object to going after hoyer first since he put himself in front of this mess, but i do think we have to be careful of creating a false narrative that serves to obscure the role of other members of the house leadership, and indeed a majority of the caucus.

any ideas on how to do that?

The ad for the WaPoo is excellent. The picture and graphics alone, of course, should have considerable impact in Metro DC, which has a large African American majority that knows how the feds have ill-treated their leaders in the past. The new Security State this FISA bill will enable and institutionalize will be like J. Edgar Hoover’s worst excesses (not his party dresses) on steroids, with a supercomputer.

Fabulous ad. Thank you Jane and everyone who worked so hard to make it happen.

Here is the roll of votes on the bill. How did YOUR representatives vote?

So, what are the next steps? If we insist that Obama take a position on this issue, can he actually get the bill killed in the Senate? Can Senator Chris Dodd filibuster it? Can the Senate bill be amended sufficiently to kill it?

(Thom Hartmann or Randi Rhodes would know these things off the top of their heads, but not me.)

what can we do?

Been multitasking today, have CSPAN, CNN, MSNBC and Firedoglake all running simulcast-ish and nary a word yet about FISA on the MSM but I’ve heard the story about a pregnancy teen pact about a dozen times. End of the Republic, people.

Hoyer’s district is 30% black, in case the ad made anyone wonder about the demographics.

Done.

Thanks for the link.

Thanks Jane.

Sending this to the Sacramento Bee:

It is no coincidence that Steny Hoyer and his best friends forever in the republican
party pushed through the FISA immunity bill just minutes before Scott McClennan
testified before the House Judiciary Committee. McClennan has information that may
lead to facts coming out about the rabid and unlawful nature of the Bush/Cheney presidency.
The immunity bill also includes crimes commited by the Bush people.

How many citizens have you heard clamoring for immunity for the telecoms and
the Bush administration for spying on Americans? This is simply an act of disregard
for the American communtiy and gives coverage for crimes committed by large
corporations and our own government. This includes the democratic side of the equation.
Where is the oversight?

Fascism is when there is no day light between the government and corporate structures.
Unfettered corporate power does not support democracy.

Mary M. McCurnin

Great ad. Thanks for all your hard work. Suggest another ad that does not emphasize it primarily as black issue, just to make sure that everyone knows it is about everyone, although the image of Dr King is surely compelling.
I really think Steny has got to go, and I am terribly disappointed in Pelosi.

that’s a great ad, will forward to everyone.

I’ve already gone on the attack against Murphy and Sestak. Trouble on the line…

Love the ad. However, in the next one it might be better not to dilute the message by including stuff about mandatory minimum sentences and drug laws.

The message is FISA, Privacy and Amnesty=coverup

In fact, it’s the Amnesty = coverup that may be the stongest easiest message to get across to low info voters.

Excellent ad.

Is the ad being run on African American radio, cable shows etc? Also any potential candidates we can run against Steny later?

that really is a beautiful ad. wow.

jane, can you tell us who did the design? i love it.

Put down my 100 how about you? We need to get all these traitors out of office as soon as possible. Also let them know the did the wrong thing in voting for the telco’s and CYA for Darth’s ASS! The people of this are disgusted by their votes if the calls to c-span are any indication of the general feeling in this country!

Coming.

We’re working like crazy back here, hence light posting.

I don’t know. I was just answering my own question.

Randi also says “Don’t worry, the next congress and President will overturn it.” I disagree. The genie is out.

also, in the last fisa thread, i made a list of dems who voted against the fisa bill today, and also the PAA extension in feb. (hugh explains the necessity of doing this in an earlier comment).

there are already some potential corrections and i’d appreciate any errors you all can find. thanks!

More Bushshit:

“The White House pulled out the old executive privilege trump card at the last minute today to avert a House government oversight committee vote to hold Administration officials in contempt of Congress.

Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) has announced that EPA Administrator Stephen Johnson and Susan Dudley, administrator for information and regulatory affairs at the White House, have invoked executive privilege as the basis for not complying with subpoenas from Waxman’s committee seeking documents about new smog requirements and a decision blocking California greenhouse gas limits.”

http://tpmmuckraker.talkingpoi.....ything.php

I think I get why my comment disappeared.

Just so you know, I was merely speaking to the powerful impact of the ad and the facts, not anything else at all.

We need a “you’re next, they’re comin’ for you” specifically aimed at the 2nd Amendment/hunters.

Make FISA = PETA to them…

Awesome AD Jane! Way to hit the ground running!

disagree. for me the issue is equal justice for all. need to highlight the “justice for thee but not for me” that has just been codified by Congress.

Thank you.

OT:
On CNN.
Katrina supplies finally show in New Orleans three years later.

aaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Hope you don’t mind selise (I gave you full credit) but I posted your cross-ref list at Salon in the letters to Glenn Greenwald’s latest.

Hoyer didn’t do this just by himself. He had the support of Pelosi, Clyburn, Reyes, and Emanuel, all of whom voted for the bill.

http://www.opensecrets.org/

tracks contributions, lobbying, etc.

Well, I can take some solace in the fact my two Reps voted nay…!

Good focus. Amnesty = Cover-up, which is always worse than the underlying crime. Except maybe not here. KISS. Keep it short and sweet.

Dugg it how about you??? Come on pups.. with the Lake being down it wasn’t getting the clicks(the Lake gets paid for those clicks) so be sure and Digg this post.. It is the very least you can do to help support our Lake and show you care that these fine front pagers keep us informed and for their calls for action against those who would destroy our constitution!

I agree. I would no more trust some future Congress to repeal this travesty than I would trust this Congress to do so.

Thank you

The gang of 8 must have been about to be dragged into those lawsuits..

Actually, it’s probably all of the above; i.e., what you say, what LHP says and what Prairie Sunshine says.

Different ticklers for different folks if you will.

I just emailed my congresscritter, Joe Donnelly, to tell him that I will actively campaign against him when he stands for reelection because of his vote today, and I mentioned the ActBlue campaign.

Sadly, only two of Indiana’s congresscritters voted NO (Carson and Hill). I plan to email all of those who voted Yes, but figured I’d begin in my own back yard. Grrrrr.

Call me confused but isn’t it impossible to retroactively grant immunity for past illegal acts unless you get a pardon and then don’t you have to admit what the acts you comited were? I know if the President does it orders someone else to do it its not illegal…. but still.
My next question is sure the teleoms might have immunity but does Bush? Can we make the telecoms produce evidence of the spying they are doing now at some later date? After all this immunity is very questionable I’m sure if we win big in November we can take it away.
Heck maybe we should merge the telecom and cable companies to save cost right now we pay more for less service as Chris in Paris at America Blog is always pointing out.

Thank you Mr Bush …. A dollar short and three years late… What asses this administration is!

of course not! just so long as folks understand that it is a tentative list at the moment. i’ll post a corrected list later - and again i encourage folks to check my work. it was a quick analysis and i’ll be checking it again tonight myself.

Thanks!

Yep, they were threatened by something worse than facing the voters at the polls.

i would like the COMEMERATIVE TEE-SHIRT [sic]

Good options for Strange Bedfellows; the best are those CongressCritters who are most vulnerable to re-election.

Excellent question.

My guess is that by running it (relatively inexpensively) in the WaPo, talk radio hosts who depend on the D.C. (and Maryland) demographic who had slaves as ancestors, will bring it up on their shows.

oh snap

So when is Waxman going to start issuing warrants:)

Waxon/Waxoff

I have no faith.

EPU’d:

I know Section 802 is getting all the attention but 803 is equally odious:

SEC. 803. PREEMPTION.

`(a) In General- No State shall have authority to–
`(1) conduct an investigation into an electronic communication service provider’s alleged assistance to an element of the intelligence community;
`(2) require through regulation or any other means the disclosure of information about an electronic communication service provider’s alleged assistance to an element of the intelligence community;
`(3) impose any administrative sanction on an electronic communication service provider for assistance to an element of the intelligence community; or
`(4) commence or maintain a civil action or other proceeding to enforce a requirement that an electronic communication service provider disclose information concerning alleged assistance to an element of the intelligence community.

“…alleged assistance to an element of the intelligence community…”

Roughly 70% of CIA intel work is now outsourced to private companies. It is by now long-standing settled aggregate case law that you have no 4th Amendment protection from privacy violations perpetrated by private actors, your only recourses have been statutory and/or civil/tort.

Those will be now be totally gone with the passage and Bu’ush signature of this shit. Notice “alleged assistance.” Henceforth the allegations will remain just that.

I think the entire House Democratic leadership will get the message.

One would hope that the Senate Democrats are watching as well . . .

Good idea the FBI is listening to your phone today tomorrow they FEDs are coming for your guns!

Thank you - I see my guy, Arcuri, got $6000, almost all from…ATT and Verizon.

Bobby, for the record, 70% of the intel dollars may be going to private companies but that does not mean the private companies are doing the actual intel work.

As of the mid nineties, most of the so-called Intelligence community was upgrading their computer systems and tools from fifties era technology and that’s where a lot of those dollars are going.

p.s. can you give me a link? i might leave a comment with some of the details and rational for the analysis. thanks!

I am fortunate my congress critter Anna Eschoo voted against the FISA bill I will be sending her a note of thanks for standing up for the constitution and the rule of law..

– We need a “you’re next, they’re comin’ for you” specifically aimed at the 2nd Amendment/hunters. –

They already know that the DEMs are inclined to implement registration, and other “reasonable” steps to curb violence. DEMs might as well write off the 2nd amendment advocates, for the most part.

I love the graphics. Very menacing and film noir.

jane, this is one sweet post and i surely needed it after that vote

thank you

Two words, just for starters: ChoicePoint and Blackwater (the latter of whom was just reported to be tooling up an intel operation).

I don’t think we can really know with any specificity what proportion of actual intel gumshoe work is now being done by the private sector.

Clearly, a lot of people are responsible for this. Every one of those representatives should have known what he was voting for. Sometimes, though, it’s good to make examples. Hoyer would be one - since he was a driving force behind this.

I wish I had ideas on what to do about this. For me, online banking doesn’t seem nearly the wonderful thing it did twelve hours ago. Do you think the NSA couldn’t break SSL if they set their minds to it? If they can tap enough places, they might not even need to.

All I have to add in the way of strategy is that whoever we go after, make sure it works. If Hoyer isn’t going to be vulnerable no matter what, concentrate on some of his supporters who are. Make it seem like the most dangerous place to be in Congress is standing next to Steny Hoyer. He clearly craves power, and if he doesn’t have as much, he and others will get the message. And make sure the message is clear: You took an oath. Honor it.

Anyways, gotta go. It’s a sad day, but maybe some good can come of it.

As of the mid nineties, most of the so-called Intelligence community was upgrading their computer systems and tools from fifties era technology and that’s where a lot of those dollars are going.

My impression is that most of the hardware upgrades were disasters. A lot of the outsourcing goes for IT, data analysis, etc.

Respectfully disagree.

The ad skillfully rifles the message across the digital divide. Liberals and those with internet access already understand FISA.

This ad appeals to a completely different demographic, talk-radio hosts in DC/MD who rely on audiences who have zero access to a PC and ancestors whose were slaves. Based on BrendanX’s comments, that’s a big chunk of the Dems in Steny’s district.

IMHO the ad screams that we will primary Steny in 2010.

The add is still “inclusive” enough that others outside the above described demographic will still get it.

As a point of reference see TBogg’s classic take down of Mitt Romeny on MLK.

Black History Month with Rahsaan Roland Romney

The responses from TBogg’s commenters are priceless.

You know, Jane, I’m thinking that actually, it wasn’t just Steny who this is ‘brought to you by’ - I’d love to have regional ads with pictures of all the reps who voted for this thing - real ‘wanted poster’ sorts of things. “Wanted, for murder of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights”

Yeah, well, they’re not just whores for the telcoms. As LS implied, and I agree, there’s something else going on here…and I don’t think I’m being all tinfoilhatty.

Good focus. Amnesty = Cover-up, which is always worse than the underlying crime.

Yes, and those who vote to grant retroactive immunity are complicit in the cover up.

I can’t give a link directly to the comment (Salon isn’t setup that way) but here the comment page it was on as of a few seconds ago.

I am horrified at how many NY DEMS voted yeah. Ackerman and McCarthy both know better and Ackerman has a safe seat. Bishop. Bishop! WTF?

Go Jane, Go!
Marvelous ad.
I just gave and am encouraging everyone I know to give.
I also called the wretched Hoyer’s office and told a clearly exasperated staffer that I was giving to Blue America with the express purpose of getting “The Leader’s” sorry self out of an office he has soiled.

Well, in Mike Arcuri’s case - a) he’s up for reelection this year, b) he’s a newbie, so he doesn’t exactly have a huge, well oiled organization to raise funds for him(like Hinchey), and b) he’s been targeted by the GOP. So, part of me thinks Mikey just could not give up on the money - I mean, after all…HE was not in the Gang of 8 - it’s not going to be his butt on the line..HE had nothing to do with what happened in 2001, etc. But, after voting the right way every single time this business came up…boom, he caves in. I think in his case, it was money talking.

– If we insist that Obama take a position on this issue, can he actually get the bill killed in the Senate? Can Senator Chris Dodd filibuster it? Can the Senate bill be amended sufficiently to kill it? –

Dodd or Feingold (or Leahy, or Obama, or ANY other SINGLE senator) could singlehandedly prevent passage next week (force back to back cloture widgets, one on motion to proceed, one on final passage), but they can’t cause much more delay than that.

Amending to make it poison to the WH is possible only if 60 Senators decide to take that step.

Obama could incite a dramatic public reaction by asking the public to call Congress, picket, etc. But he’s not calling for public outrage, and his personal opposition is qualified/lukewarm spittle.

Respectfully disagree.

When Cheney shot Harry in the face, the FDL threads were the best source of info on hunting, hunting birds, hunting birds in TX, hunting penned quail in TX, hunting safety, the kind of gun Cheney used, pellet velocity, different kinds of ammunition, loads, pellet distribution over distance ….

A lot of lurking hunters who read FDL.

I guess I’m just basing things on my knowledge of what was going on when I left Booz, Allen at the end of ‘94. There was a lot of cash being spent on all parts of the situation including Hardware and software upgrades and new technology for imaging and neural nets type stuff.

But they were having to replace comm systems that were in secure facilities and used paper tape, so I’m sure there were more than a few f*ck-ups along the way.

Same with my Rep, Rev. Emmanuel Cleaver of KC.

– As LS implied, and I agree, there’s something else going on here…and I don’t think I’m being all tinfoilhatty. –

You expect a false-flag atrocity?

WaPo:

CURRENT AFFAIRS
Rent-A-Spy
Three quarters of the U.S. intelligence budget now goes to outside contractors.

…Today, intelligence contracting is a $45 billion-a-year industry, he says, chewing up three quarters of the estimated $60 billion intelligence budget. It is no longer limited mainly to providing hardware; its reach now extends from top to bottom, from data-mining contractors who sift the Internet for terrorist activity to spy handlers, regional intelligence analysts and ex-special operations troops who run paramilitary operations…

They are doing ops, immune from the 4th Amendment.

Are we going to have any follow up polling to see if these ads worked or if Steny is going down in the polls?

Can’t help you with online banking and SSL but for anonymous web stuff, I suggest tor , sponsored by the EFF. Better yet, though slower, use tor to access Anonymizer or the kaxy anonymizer and you are really set. There is also PGP and OpenGP (for linux…and the mac(?)) for encrypting emails - use 4096-bit keys…NSA would have a MAJOR heart attack trying to break that. For added benefit, if you can deal with a bit of complexity in setup, is mixminion, an anonymous email system that routes through the tor network. Encrypt an email and send it via mixminion and you are set.

My comment was about the Gang of 8 being held responsible somehow in the lawsuits against the Telcos…as a possibility. Nothing about false flag stuff.

The Representatives of San Diego,CA voted against this bill with the exception of Bilbray, the Republican(there actually was one Republican that voted against it). I have called Senator Reid’s office indicating that he should NOT ignore a hold any Senator places on this bill(I urge others to do the same 202-224-3542) and Senator Boxer urging her to put a hold on the bill.
Great ad but Pelosi, Reyes, Emmanuel and Harman(CA) also should be targeted; when Harman states her email is full and phones inundated by her constituents AGAINST immunity,etc. and she completely ignores them, time for her to go also.

I watched the speakers on this bill on CSPAN and it was obvious that they forgot (or ignored) the aspect of their oath that they are to protect the Constitution from ‘domestic enemies’; They seem to be forgetting that the Bush Administration HAS acted in a manner that presented a danger to the Constitution.
And I just watched Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa)-in the McClellan hearing- state he ‘prays’ that this country will never be a democracy.

One can only hope that the Senate does something to kill this House bill.

And now they are claiming ‘executive privilege’ regarding documents that overturned CA’s air quality standards:
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/hom.....41740.html

– When Cheney shot Harry in the face, the FDL threads were the best source of info on hunting, hunting birds, hunting birds in TX, hunting penned quail in TX, hunting safety, the kind of gun Cheney used, pellet velocity, different kinds of ammunition, loads, pellet distribution over distance … –

I personally know plenty of DEMs who are firearms enthusiasts. But every call for firearms registration, limitations on private ownership, resistance to CCW as a matter of right instead of by permit, etc. comes from a Democrat. Schumer, Feinstein, etc.

The DC law was implemented by Democrats. Chicago gun laws are implemented and maintained by Democrats … need I go on? Before you start on the “Democrats are friends of the 2nd amendment” line, you better have some ACTION to back up the rhetoric. Because right now the action from the Democrats is to erect MORE regulation, not less.

prior to the elections of 2006, the cries at FDL were for

Accountability. Oversight. Now.

from CHS, sept 26, 2006.

to which I ssaid, at post #4

just make sure any Dems you help elect do not turn into enpty, toothless rhetorical vessels like Barack Obama, who will roll over for the repeal of Habeas Corpus and the Geneva Conventions, not to mention the U.S. Constitution he swore to uphold.

now they have rolled over once again, gutting the 4th Amendment, or rather, retroactively legitimizing Bush/Cheney’s blatant surveillance in violation of it.

when, oh when, will all the people of good faith outraged by this sellout to corporate tyranny ever abandon their unreciprocated devotion to the (D) Party?

my outsider stance from 2006 that (D)’s will behave just like (R)’s had predictive validity.

Devote some of the buckets of money being raised to support of Independent candidates against the likes of Hoyer - how about that for ‘change?’

Because, and here is another empirically testable hypothesis:

The attempt to alchemically transform the (D) Party from a corrupt, bought-out faction devoted to corporate tyranny in the ‘Homeland’ and Imperial aggressions abroad, into an instrument of Progressive change on issues of Peace, the Environment, Social Justice and Civil Rights - this attempt will not succeed in 2, 5, 10, or 15 years.

the bookies haven’t quite decided about 20.

But, if even a portion of the hard work and money devoted to this fruitless task were instead oriented towards a social movement with electoral strength outside of the 2 party duopoly, then some of the Progressive change this is supposed to be all about will enter the realm of possibility.

Or is it all about simply, More and Better Dems?

to which I note that the very few better Dems are powerless to affect the capitulations of the rest of the Party, but would be quite powerful as crossover swing votes in conjunction with 3rd Party or Independents.

Don’t need a false flag. Bush is going to hit Iran (directly or via the Israeli proxy, which is the same as the US hitting Iran). Iran will respond throughout the ME and, possibly, even here and across Europe.

THAT is all they need. They will whip something up via an Iran attack without actually having to FAKE an attack.

I did not understand one thing after the first sentence.

I am sure you are right. But I have no clue what you said.

Really feeling my technotard status right now

And when the author was here for the book salon, I believe he specified that the money amount was 60-70% but that the actual amount of intel operations outsourcing was far smaller than that.

In order to even be involved with the acquisition of the tools, you need alphabet soup clearances (Top Secret with Special Compartmentalized Information Facility access). Those clearances are not handed out like M&Ms. That is what is being paid for.

– My comment was about the Gang of 8 being held responsible somehow in the lawsuits against the Telcos…as a possibility. Nothing about false flag stuff. –

Got it. I don’t think they have any legal culpability, whatsoever. A bit of political risk, yes, but I think Rockefeller and his “letter in the safe” experience shows that the political risk is fairly small. No worse than the political fallout incurred by passing this law.

ad copy: is the second “colorofchange.org” in the footnote spelled right? It looks like “colororchange.org” on my screen.

[Mod: thank you and also thanks to cboldt for bringing this to our attention]

I would like to repost this which bobby g posted downstairs;

I know Section 802 is getting all the attention but 803 is equally odious:

SEC. 803. PREEMPTION.

`(a) In General- No State shall have authority to–
`(1) conduct an investigation into an electronic communication service provider’s alleged assistance to an element of the intelligence community;
`(2) require through regulation or any other means the disclosure of information about an electronic communication service provider’s alleged assistance to an element of the intelligence community;
`(3) impose any administrative sanction on an electronic communication service provider for assistance to an element of the intelligence community; or
`(4) commence or maintain a civil action or other proceeding to enforce a requirement that an electronic communication service provider disclose information concerning alleged assistance to an element of the intelligence community.

“…alleged assistance to an element of the intelligence community…”

Roughly 70% of CIA intel work is now outsourced to private companies. It is by now long-standing settled aggregate case law that you have no 4th Amendment protection from privacy violations perpetrated by private actors, your only recourses have been statutory and/or civil/tort.

Those will be now be totally gone with the passage and Bu’ush signature of this shit. Notice “alleged assistance.” Henceforth the allegations will remain just that

scary stuff right there, if the government wants to get something there is nothing the state can do about it

there is a permalink for each comment at salon - but it’s not obvious in it position at the bottom left of your posts. i will go looking, do you post under “Praedor” at glenn’s place?

CURRENT AFFAIRS
Rent-A-Spy
Three quarters of the U.S. intelligence budget now goes to outside contractors.

and these outside contractors WILL steal from us

– ad copy: is the second “colorofchange.org” in the footnote spelled right? It looks like “colororchange.org” on my screen. –

It is clearly a typographical error. I pointed it out above too — repeating it here so the typesetter has yet another chance to see the “catch.”

You’re too slow, Bobby already brought it up.

10th Amendment??

We’re working on it.

I bet ron paul would contribute to this add…and then some, I think we can co-opt his help on this issue

Sorry, I thought time might be short so I posted it before reading the comments.

This is a very well-informed group of people at FDL, so:

Why are the motivations of 2/3rds of the “Representatives” completely opaque? Why don’t we understand why they do what they do? (If we understood what controls them, we could have seen it coming and maybe done something about it. Of course, “More and Better Democrats” works, too…)

– Don’t need a false flag. Bush is going to hit Iran … –

Ahhh … good points. Really good points. If the US is implicated in some international dust-up, then there would/could be blowback in the form of violence against US/Euro interests. Hence, a need to ramp up surveillance locally.

You may be on to something. The perceived urgency on the part of Congress could result from being informed about a foreign-affairs intention.

Frankly, I think the ad racializes the issue in a way that confuses the point and weakens the impact.

and I think bobbyg’s point should be added to this add;

“private corporations are now allowed to listen in on you, your kids, your wife and your busniness meetings without a warrant and there is nothing you can do about

you ARE next”

yikes! they sure loaded that bill up with bad shit.

with that kind of impunity, many of those shady, well-connected contracting firms or operators will find ways to freelance with the information they have access to.

Thanks Democrats!

http://obama.senate.gov/contact/

Dear Senator Obama:

Please lead the fight to stop the bill that just now passed the U.S. House, the FISA amendment that gives telecoms immunity and the president new powers. I’m so shocked that Rep. Adam Smith voted for this terrible bill - I worked on his campaign when I lived in his district. I sent thank you notes for their NAY votes and will send a donation to:

Rep. Rick Larsen
Rep. Jim McDermott
Rep. Jay Inslee

And I sent a donation to Blue America PAC vs Retroactive Immunity. We’re fundraising at about $1,000 per hour at
http://www.actblue.com/page/fisa

Thank you,
My Name

WA Democrats voting YEA
Rep. Brian Baird
Rep. Norm Dicks
Rep. Adam Smith

– Sorry, I thought time might be short so I posted it before reading the comments. –

NP. I thought it was good to be repeated. A single comment is easily overlooked. Nature is full of duplication and redundancy in messages for a reason. I see the author/artist is aware of the typo.

That MF’r Baird has GOT to go!
He is currently on a tax payer funded trip to the freaking Galapagos islands to study Global Warming!!
I can’t even see straight I am so pissed off about that and I am going to do something about it too.

Obama drops the ball:

“After months of negotiation, the House today passed a compromise that, while far from perfect, is a marked improvement over last year’s Protect America Act.

“…It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I will work in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses. …

“It is not all that I would want. But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay. So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives - and the liberty - of the American people.”

Sorry. Tor is an anonymizing network sponsored/supported by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (one of the Good Guys(tm) along with the ACLU). It provides anonymous web browsing and even anonymous email possibilities (if you are careful). I have 3 truly anonymous email accounts spanning gmail, yahoo, and hushmail that I access ONLY via tor. There is not a lick of real, valid personal information associated with any of these accounts. They cannot in any way be traced to me. I have them just in case.

I also use OpenGP (the open source version of PGP, which is “Pretty Good Privacy”). It encrypts emails, documents, etc, using what is called the public key system. You use OpenGP/PGP to create a public and private encryption key protected by a passphrase (not a mere password, a phrase of indeterminant length, hopefully broken up with capitals, symbols, and numbers). You then provide your PUBLIC key to persons you would like to be able to send encrypted messages to you that ONLY you can read. They use your public key (in combination with their own private key they have to create) to encrypt a message to you that could ONLY come from them. You receive the message and can decrypt and read it (it happens on the fly if you setup properly) but anyone listening in would only see gibberish.

This is the first paragraph above encrypted and signed with my OpenPG key:

—–BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE—–
Hash: SHA1

- —–BEGIN PGP MESSAGE—–
Version: GnuPG v1.4.9 (GNU/Linux)
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×6W24v+7gCgwwt5vcUKZmIVMSR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=VE/I
- —–END PGP MESSAGE—–

—–BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE—–
Version: GnuPG v1.4.9 (GNU/Linux)

iEYEARECAAYFAkhcDAsACgkQQ1zMa8lZQthHHgCg6eYW8Wz5xXwT/F4NUusXazd9
C3gAn35FqdGdJaBskBbgxLl9NfSUDExZ
=2jBy
—–END PGP SIGNATURE—–

I also have encrypted partitions on my computers that only I can view because only I know the encryption key.

Anonymizer (and Kaxy) is a website that you can go to. You then enter the web address of the site you want to visit anonymously and it takes you there but hides the site from your ISP and any NSA spooks listening in. If you use tor to then visit one of these website, you are really anonymized. Anyone who tries to determine where you are located would see almost any country/location in the world other than where you really are.

Mixminion is a tougher nut to crack. It is a service that provides for anonymous emailing via anonymizing emailers and fowarders. It scrubs the from information from an email so it is impossible to trace. For me, I use a program called Tork, which is a nice, simple GUI frontend to tor, mixminion, and a bunch of other anonymizing services. It makes using mixminion simple…otherwise it is quite daunting to setup and use.

Lowey too.

Yep, I was coming here just to post that: http://tpmelectioncentral.talk.....romise.php

Well, that does it for me. Maybe I’ll support Ron Paul, at least he’s for constitutional rights. /snark

That’s does it. I’m voting for Kucinich…I’ll write him in.

Oops. Lost a online name: I post at salon under tempus.

“It is not all that I would want. But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay

NOT acceptable, UNINFORMED and he has lost my support

Ah…here is the permalink:

http://letters.salon.com/opini.....3bf51.html

he knows the fisa bill is plenty as it stands and he knows we will pass one that IS acceptable

he is caving, they are holding something over his head and I do not accept it

Well there you go. Not even objection via speech, let alone formal objection by Senate rules so as to delay passage and increase public awareness and political pressure.

I like the ad. Outstanding graphics, first of all. And the choice of targets, MLK and MX, is pointedly political; if you try to assert your rights in any sphere, this bill is what you could have to contend with. As others have said, we know that there were many other victims of cointelpro and the like that can be used for other ads, like the “Got milk?” series as it were.

But big hollering issue that needs to be injected into the fall campaign and into political discussions generally, and real soon, is inequality and how it has already come to the point where society no longer feels the way it did a generation ago. Contrasting the self-serving and rich-patron-serving nature of the FISA capitulation with the distortions of the criminal justice system is one way to extend that discussion.

Also, I think there’s a population that is aware enough to read a WaPo or other major daily sometimes, and yet thinks of core liberal issues like civil liberties as things that only concern bourgeois folks, probably because they have to spend a lot of energy and time staying out of the jail. This ad makes the connection from that direction as well.

Hoyer and Pelosi spit on the graves of those who fought and died defending the Constitution including the 4th Amendment. For a bag of silver they were willing to sell out the Constitution and the honor and memory of those buried in hallowed ground around the world.

Why are the motivations of 2/3rds of the “Representatives” completely opaque? Why don’t we understand why they do what they do?

2/3 of the Reps serve corporate Power, not us or our Constitution.

My atty, in the telco suit, says that about thirty years ago there was a scotus decision that said the telcos could keep track of numbers but not content.Because of Mark kleins’disclosure of the SF hub and similar sites there is reason to believe that content was involved So ATT is liable for fourth amend,(constitutional),violations whereas MCI isnt’t.As soon as anything is redirected to nsa or fbi or any other intel agency(publc or private) it is a violation . The redirection is the violation.So once the basher signs this into law the telcos will ask for dismissal and EFF and ACLU will bring consitutional,IE {fourth amend) charges up against ATT.
I think that’s kinda what he said.

Thanks so much, Jane. Haven’t had time to do more than lurk lately, but I did contribute to this a few days ago. Keep it up.

What are the odds for a filibuster? Anybody know?

[quote]It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I will work in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses.[/quote]

Yeah, believe it when I see it. You sent an email boasting of having 1.5 million new donors across 50 states, and you just betrayed every single one of them.

Obama’s rationale is illogical. What does Congress have to do with giving the President a power that the President is granted under the Constitution?

Well there you go. I will NOT vote for Obama in the Fall.

Looks like I wont be voting for ANY Democraps in the fall. Green, libertarian, socialist, communist, whatever. ANYTHING but GOP or Democrap.

Nice dictator you are Obama. He is just DROOLING to exercise his unitary executive dictator powers.

Bastard and coward.

drops the ball ?!?!

travels, double dribbles, and a HUGE technical foul !!!

and has this already been posted -

‘Leadership’ sends out fundraising email

As Speaker, I can tell you that we need a Democrat in the White House and a strong Democratic majority in Congress to drive change forward. Our June 30th FEC deadline is vital to our success in November. All eyes will be on Democrats’ fundraising totals as a measure of our party’s unity and strength.I ask that you please help to show our commitment to across-the-board victories this November by making a contribution of $35, $50 or more…

link

dese are some pigs

Obama does say he will work to remove retroactive immunity from the bill. I don’t really believe he’s serious about that, but if he got that, it would be a deal breaker for the Republicans.

He didn’t drop the ball - that was a carefully crafted message to keep as many gullible progressives on board while assuring the elites that he will do their bidding, see to their interests exclusively. It is something he is good at.

When there are a couple days without comment from him before a contentious issue like this, then you can expect a triangulating, half-stepping, vague ambiguous ’statement’ like this coming up, and, of course, no meaningful actions.

these folks are playing a whole different ball game than the ‘progressive blogosphere’ so fervently wishes they were playing.

from 2006

sept 26, 2006.
FDL - post #4

just make sure any Dems you help elect do not turn into enpty, toothless rhetorical vessels like Barack Obama, who will roll over for the repeal of Habeas Corpus and the Geneva Conventions, not to mention the U.S. Constitution he swore to uphold.

it’s worse than that - he a Con Law guy

None … not when Obama supports the Hoyer sell out … I say we run this against Obama too … it is too bad that Obama didn’t even read the FISA bill .. so much for a new way of doing things

well .. Obama just did too

if clinton wants back in and her staff reads this blog, she can jump on it now

Well, that’s it. I will have to start making much much more use of tor and encryption for all my emailing henceforth. I have a brother who lives outside the country so those conversations/emails are especially vulnerable to illegal tapping, though even domestic calls and emails are now fair game (on the Prez’s say-so that it is legal).

I’m thinking Mexico or Canada for now, perhaps New Zealand for the longer term.

I’ve been automatically giving a little each month to thw Blue America Retro Immunity campaign. I might just have to pitch in a little more now.

Great job!

it’s worse than that - he a Con Law guy

I think in this case the emphasis is on the Con.

There you go. If not Ron Paul or Nader, I may write in Clinton.

I have cut off ALL funds and support from the Democraps. I donated money this morning to Collins Bailey, the Rethug running against Hoyer. I have removed my name from all Democrap mailing lists, including Obama’s.

I’m done with these fuctards and criminals for good.

–Obama does say he will work to remove retroactive immunity from the bill. I don’t really believe he’s serious about that, but if he got that, it would be a deal breaker for the Republicans. –

Okay, here’s how that can play. Either he co-sponsors or sponsors an amendment. End of effort. Or, he insists on the amendment being brought up for a vote (we went through this once before in S.2248 … I’ll go look to see if he sponsored any amendment THERE to remove or modify immunity). BFD, an amendment can be tabled by a simple majority, or stiffed by 41 Senators rejecting cloture, or made to be the equivalent of rejected by a pre-agreed 60 vote threshold.

He’s blowing smoke, pure and simple.

thanks, that helps. going through the pages now….

awesome, thanks!

I just got off the phone after screaming at Norm Dick’s staff person about his vote on FISA. I am so mad and my husband yelled a few choice words from the other room that I’m sure were heard. Steam coming out of ears.

Obama co-sponsored Feingold/Dodd S.Amdt.3907 when S.2248 went through the Senate in February. That amendment was rejected on a 31-67 margin.

The Feingold/Dodd amendment was in competition with Specter/Whitehouse #3927 (to substitute the government for the telecoms) and Feinstin’s #3919 (transfer the case from District Court to FISC), for how to handle the immunity issue.

– What are the odds for a filibuster? Anybody know? –

I give about 78.2% chance (that precision makes it look like it’s not a guess — but really, it’s just a frickin’ guess) of one cloture vote. Something that “resembles” a filibuster, but is really a “show” to fool the rubes.

I give about a 0.0003% chance (that’s three in a million) that Dodd of Feingold use their power of objection to force two “full-period” (no agreement to waive the time periods stipulated in Senate Rule XXII) cloture votes.

Please don’t run against the entire Vichy Dem party.

Jane’s doing this exactly right. We concentrate our resources against Steny. Believe me, all the Vichy Dems are watching.

The Art of War.

There are too many other critical issues, the economy, universal health care, ME occupations, renewable energy, banking reform, oversight, …. on and on, that liberals need traction on.

– scary stuff right there, if the government wants to get something there is nothing the state can do about it –

That’s a very strong “state’s rights” federalism issue. Some states aim to be more protective of the right of privacy, than the federal government is. The state of Maine PUC was pulling the feds in to account for snooping.

What the feds are doing is telling the states that the state governments have no power to question federal government action that may intrude on privacy rights recognized and otherwise enforced by the states.

But state’s rights is becoming a quaint and outdated notion.

Don’t forget that the big telecom companies are responsible for holding back advanced technology available to internet users in many other countries from Americans because the companies insist on profiting on these improvements through steep surcharges like the one they put on phone service bills. They are too powerful for commodities providers and this is just another way to gouge the public.

Agree.

FWIW, afaik, he abstained from the vote.

In the Presidential race, you’re cutting off your nose to spite your face. The GOP will interpret every vote Obama doesn’t get, as support for them at the national level. Is that the message you want to send?

We’ve known since Edwards dropped out that no liberal would get elected POTUS.

Obama’s running for President, that means he’s running to the middle. All the other Dems in the Senate have A LOT MORE responsibility under these circumstances.

As always your information is much appreciated.

When we finish throwing our collective temper tantrum it will still be the SUPREME COURT - first, last, and always.

And recognizing that, I will most likely hold my nose and vote accordingly.

But there goes a lot of folks who do GOTV. There goes a lot of folks who do phone bank volunteering. There goes a lot of money that might have paid for ads in some of those vital swing states.

For what? A triangulation exercise as gifted as any that the Clintons or Bush were accused of pulling.

Just talked to Feingold’s and Dodd’s DC offices. I requested that both use their “power of objection.”

Again, thanks for all your efforts cboldt.

Dave Neiwert a few flights upstairs on McCain and Latinos.

Joe Donnelly voted for it…not a surprise. This is the email I received when I sent a note with my concerns of illegal wiretapping:

My top priority as your Congressman is to ensure that our country is equipped to prevent and respond to threats against American interests, both at home and abroad. Nothing is more important to me than protecting our nation from those who would do us harm.

As you know, the 1978 FISA law governs the domestic collection of foreign intelligence. Last summer, our intelligence agencies disclosed that a large backlog of FISA court warrant requests had formed because the law had not adequately been updated to take into account technological advancements. In addition, the decision by a federal intelligence court judge that even some foreign-to-foreign communications require FISA review further underscored the need to modernize existing surveillance law.

On August 4, 2007, I joined the House of Representatives in passing S. 1927, The Protect America Act, which the president signed into law the next day on August 5. S. 1927 was designed to temporarily allow the Director of National Intelligence and the Attorney General to collect electronic surveillance of individuals reasonably believed to be outside the United States without a FISA court warrant. If the subject of the requested surveillance was located inside the United States , the FISA court was required to review and authorize the request before any surveillance was conducted. This six-month law, temporary by design to allow in-depth debate and the careful crafting of a responsible and permanent update to FISA law, expired on February 16, 2008.

On February 14, I voted to extend the temporary law for another 21 days to allow Congress and the President more time to complete an update of FISA law. The extension failed to pass the House and following that vote, I voted against a motion to adjourn for the upcoming Presidents’ Day recess because I felt that Congress needed to stay in session until we could bring the FISA matter to resolution. Although the Protect America Act has expired, America has not been left in the dark. Existing surveillance warrants authorized under the expired law will remain valid through August, and law enforcement and intelligence officials still possess all the tools they did prior to last August as the permanent, 1978 FISA law is still in effect.

As you probably know, one contentious issue has been whether Congress should provide existing immunity protections retroactively to telecommunications companies that may have cooperated with President Bush’s now defunct warrantless surveillance program. To date, the full House has not considered any legislation providing retroactive immunity.

I believe Congress and the president should put aside their partisan differences and get down to the business of crafting a new FISA law for the 21st Century that provides the necessary tools to the intelligence community to keep American secure, while also safeguarding our civil liberties.

Thank you again for contacting me about this important issue. Please do not hesitate to write, call or email me again if I can ever be of assistance. Also, if you would like to receive regular updates on my actions on your behalf in Congress, sign up for my e-newsletter, The Donnelly Dispatch, at http://donnelly.house.gov.

Sincerely,

Joe Donnelly

Member of Congress

First, he didn’t address the illegality of wiretapping without a warrant.

Secondly, notice that he frames the need for this to “protect American interests”…not terrorism, but interests…curious wording there.

Last, he fails to make a case of why telecoms deserve to be shielded from lawsuits after breaking the law.

When we finish throwing our collective temper tantrum it will still be the SUPREME COURT - first, last, and always.

And it will be Blue America.

Local races like US Representative may not be as sexy as presidential races, but today proved that they matter a great deal. Donna Edwards was needed today, but more than that, we need more like her.

Steny, not so much.

True and we must keep our eyes on the goal. GOOD Dems, progressive Dems, and lots of sunshine on what they are doing. We do, however, need the WH and the Congress - otherwise, our agenda is gone.

I just canceled my contribution to BO. My money’s going to colorofchange, strangedfellows et. al. now.

Yeah and they can brute force decrypt it in how long. They own more super-computers than anyone else ot they used to when we were a first line country. That was way back in the Echelon days, too. I run tor, too, so i know everything I just said is not news to you.

EFF & Cryptogram! I’m getting drunk to mark the day the music died.

I’m hoping that your odds are a bit low. Dodd did make a big big point of opposing this before. I will write him a “this is the moment” email over the weekend. Maybe some pressure there will help him buck the hierarchy (disgusting jerks).

“This is just the beginning. We’ve now raised over $266,000 and we’re working hard to put it to good use, and make sure a price is exacted for this abuse of the public trust.” JH

Yeah, let’s make ‘em cry for their mama. Obama’s not getting another dime from me.

My guess is Obama feels vulnerable on national security. Notice how he trotted out those dinosaurs from the Clinton Administration for his national security team. Wants to show he can be commander in chief. Thing is I don’t think anyone can be president of the United States who doesn’t buy into this mind set for war and American supremacy/hegemony.

i wish that somehow the ads could list all who voted ’yea’ on this…in one big display…seems that would be covering more ground at once in each ad….their names listed, over and over and over and over and over again.