email in my inbox from Give ‘em Hickeys Harry.

deleted unread.

’nuff said.

Prairie Today: Minnage a Trois

That was a nice statement from Dodd, but I would have been happier if he had placed our ad into the record. Jello Jay put a reprehensible op-ed in.

This is really hard to watch. Ten tons worse than a train wreck.

That rips it. Obama just voted in favor of cloture.

I still find it hard to believe that any self-respecting Democratic Senator can support this. Must be alot with no self-respect.

What is this procedural issue they’re voting on right now?

Self respecting and democrat doesn’t really belong in the same sentence. There are only a few to speak of. They could have kept this whole fiasco from happening by refusing to bring it to the floor.

Thank you Christy.

Cloture.

This is the cloture vote on whether to proceed to the actual vote on HR 6304. They need 60 yes votes. I think they’ll have 61 or 62, and Obama is one of them. He may well have lost a huge amount of his support for good.

corporate pig

Did you notice how he just casually strolled to the table to make that Yes vote? I’m really feeling a great deal of contempt for the politicians who are voting for this bill (Clinton just voted yes)

Thanks – I forgot they needed cloture to proceed.

That’s really quite poor; he didn’t have to.

Clinton aye.

Clinton and Biden. Aye. Our country is lost.

I take back that 61 or 62 prediction. They may get 70.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Wednesday he planned to reopen a $35 billion competition between Boeing Co (BA) and a team of Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC) and Europe’s EADS to build new aerial refueling tankers.

Pelosi has now been paid for her complicity in illegal wiretapping and torture.

They need 60 yes votes. I think they’ll have 61 or 62, and Obama is one of them. He may well have lost a huge amount of his support for good.

don’t know about huge, but he’s lost his chance for mine.

Clinton just changed her vote to no.

Clinton changed her mind?

Clinton just voted NO on cloture. Not sure what you all are talking about.

That was my thought.

Out with the bums.

clinton, realizing that it will make no difference to the final vote changed her vote to Nay

Clinton just changed her vote to no. (Is it because she knows it doesn’t matter now?)

Some art to look at while this treason is going on.

Just like my Congressman Yarmuth was paid in goodies for our district when he voted for FISA.

Now for some good news. Beer thirty has arrived and the smoking (ahem) lamp is lit.

Wonder if Obama will as well.

coward doesn’t even have the courage to let her “yes” vote stand?

looks like more fucking kabuki from here.

Yup.

Clinton changed her vote and left Obama holding the bag? Dude is getting played!

Like a trumpet by a strumpet

Well lets see if today is the day Obama decides to Sister Souljah us I hope all those Center Dems who did so much for Hilary help Obama the same way.

Watch the Yellow Cur Dems shed their blue mantles, snarling at their electorates as they slink toward vacuous justifications. This is a very sad day for America.

Maybe Clinton just had an oops moment.
If Obama is being played, he set up the rules.

Obama said oops on 6 state Senate votes – Los Angeles TimesJan 24, 2008 … He pushed the wrong button, he asserted at the time. … asking that the record be changed to reflect that he “intended to vote yes.” …
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationwor…..9399.story -

It is very difficult to justify Barack voting against Bingaman, Cantwell, Byrd, and other progressives on this cloture vote. He said he would fight the bill all the way short of final passage. Another cave-in.

Since flag burning is now illegal, I intend to waterboard my flag today as representation of just precisely what the United States Senate wrought upon our constitution today.

Osama Bin Laden wins again.

Is anyone else having a problem with the server(s) being slow? Slow loading time. That sort of thing.

it’s hard not think about all the time the 110th congress has spent on unnecessary and damaging fisa modification legislation this past year…. and wonder what today would be like if instead they had spent that time on real investigations and impeachment proceedings.

Christy, did you have time to eat lunch today?

yes.

suspect you have a bit of company watching this with you.

the squirrels are doing their best, i’m sure…

Yes, very.

yeah, long lag time to log in. Once logged-in, comments post normally.

make that 20 seconds for comment to post

They are better at doing shit than doing good, that is what they get paid for

The current Congress is reflective of the “do nothing” Duma prior to the Russian Revolution. They are corrupt, complicit and callous in their disregard of the American Constitution. They are only setting the stage for a cataclysm.

home made lemon iced sun-tea with plenty of fresh spearming, and a bowl of fresh raspberries, plus a truffle. why do you ask?

Yes

Well I can’t get the show text to work and its still slow to update comments.

As Congress helps to take away our freedoms, does this mean the ‘terrrists’ hate us less today?

Wonder what the Queen of England is thinking of W today? Disgust or …envy?

I just cannot believe that Bingaman could win over 40 votes for his amendment, then the Dems won’t stick together to prevent cloture.

Are they on final passage now?

No matter whether you buy Kit Bond’s “The terrorists will kill us if we don’t pass this bill and give telecoms immunity” or Chris Dodd’s “Let’s stand up for the Fourth Amendment and the Rule of Law for a change,” both sides say that there is nothing more important to our nation right now than this bill.

And then there’s John McCain, who couldn’t be bothered to show up to vote. OK, to be fair, neither did Teddy Kennedy, but at least Teddy has a note from his doctor.

And what was so important that it trumped this vital vote on national security/defending the constitution? According to his campaign website’s calendar, McCain is holding a town hall meeting in Portsmouth OH. Doors open at 1 PM.

It’d be nice if someone asked him “Thanks for coming to our town, but with all due respect Senator, why the hell are you here today instead of back in DC voting on FISA?”

If it doesn’t come up during the townhall meeting, maybe one of the reporters on the plane could ask McCain about it later.

Oh, and I want a pony, too.

home made lemon iced sun-tea with plenty of fresh spearming,

spearming fish?

that would be “mint”.

u find it more comforting to watch this stuff at light-speed?

omg. Obama aye.

Thanks to you and everyone else. I knew it wasn’t me because Glenn and the Great Orange Satan were loading normally.

niiiice! truffle too? mmmmm

but I was asking Christy, too; she gets so bogged down tending to the Lake that I was hoping see remembered to eat.

I intend to waterboard my flag today

That’s a curiously calming image…

the jersey boys voted correctly ;o)

I totally forgot to check Glenn this morning. Is he pissed?

i know. yer sweet.

Portsmouth, Ohio holding McCain accountable? “I don’t think so!” Quips the one from Franklin County Ohio…

did the sun come up this morn?

see rememberedshe remembered

It’d be nice if someone asked him “Thanks for coming to our town, but with all due respect Senator, why the hell are you here today instead of back in DC voting on FISA?”

“My friends, if I lose, Osama wins. It’s that simple – have to stay on the trail.”

Maybe because it was recently the 4th of July, but it occurred to me that WE here are closer to the Founding Bloggers, er Framers, than most of the people the House and Senate.

Who is fighting for the Constitution? We are.
Who is fighting for the rule of law? We are.

We call, we write, we fax, we fight.
We scream, we shout, we call our representatives out.

From this day forward we should all remember who was fighting FOR the rule of law and who was fighting against it.

The people who willful negated our rights should have to pay. Politically, financially and criminally.

They think that this is too complicated for Sally Housecoat or Johnny 12 pack to figure out, they think that they can hide behind the “protect the homeland” slogans. Be we are not as stupid as they are.

I would be nice if through some brave person we find out how the spying was used against us inappropriately (spying on journalists, and innocent bloggers and political enemies) we take that info back to the people who voted for this and say, “This is what you supported.”

Knowing them they will claim the Bush admin obstructed justice and used National security as shield they will claim, “We didn’t know!”

We can say, “Yes but this was your chance to know and you willfully said you didn’t want to know.”

Cheney learned the lessons of Watergate, classify everything, put everything under national security. That was why we should have kept pushing for retribution after Nixon. And this will why we will give to keep working for retribution after Bush.

I would say I weep for America, but I am also proud of us, those who work in honor of the Constitution. The founder bloggers would be proud of us. They would yell at the press. “We gave you freedom so you could expose this crap! What the hell were you doing?!” And of course they would damn all those who voted to destroy the rights that they worked so hard to articulate and write down.

My friends, if I lose, Osama wins.

And the difference is?

Christy Thank you for watching this so I don’t have to.

I think it would actually make me cry real tears.

Ha ha. NOW Reid votes no. 707. thanks a whole bunch harry!

Hey Lakers, if you want to get rid of some of your frustrations here’s a thread that needs some more comments. I’m usually very diplomatic in my comments but today I let it all out. lol

Obama Voted No On Immunity & Got Fisa Right

http://www.dailykos.com/story/…..353/548821

Clinton changed her vote after speakng with (I think) Dodd on the floor for a while.

per HuffPo
he’s freezin’ the base out

and besides, they’re all covering that little grotesque coming out of Boulder this last hour

Or wash it clean as best you can.

In the run-up to the 2006 elections, I kept wondering what would happen if control of Congress were given to a party that, during its time in the minority, had done nohing to deserve it.

Well…

THE TORN FLAG

At midnight in a flaming angry town
I saw my country’s flag lying torn upon the ground.
I ran in and dodged among the crowd,
And scooped it up, and scampered out to safety.

And then I took this striped old piece of cloth
And tried my best to wash the garbage off.
But I found it had been used for wrapping lies.
It smelled and stank and attracted all the flies.

While I was feverishly at my task,
I heard a husky voice that seemed to ask:
“Do you think you could change me just a bit?
Betsy Ross did her best, but she made a few mistakes.

My blue is good, the color of the sky.
The stars are good for ideals, oh, so high.
Seven stripes of red are strong to meet all danger;
But those white stripes: they, they need some changing.

I need also some stripes of deep, rich brown,
And some of tan and black, then all around
A border of God’s gracious green would look good there.
Maybe you should slant the stripes, then I’d not be so square.”

I woke and said, “What a ridiculous story.
Don’t let anybody say I suggested tampering with Old Glory.”
But tonight it’s near midnight, and in another flaming town
Once again I hear my country’s flag lies torn upon the ground.

By Pete Seeger (1969)
TRO – © 1970 Melody Trails, Inc., New York, NY

It’d be nice if someone asked him “Thanks for coming to our town, but with all due respect Senator, why the hell are you here today instead of back in DC voting on FISA?”

the cloture vote is the important vote today. as obama likes to tell us – staying away as is just as good as a no vote.

while i’m not giving mcsame credit for a no vote…. seriously – if today’s actions on the senate floor are just an exercise in political theater, what does it matter that he’s not there to vote “yes”?

Sneaking in to ask good thoughts for the firefighters and my 93 year old father-in-law, just west of the evacuation zone, who pulls his curtains shut and won’t listen to the news. Thank goodness for neighbors. Is it appropriate that in California, Paradise is now on fire?

would appreciate someone re-checking mc-caint’s off-the-cuff press-oops today. i could-a swored he referred to General Obama at one point. ayuppp giddyup no kiddin’

It’s the choreography stupid !

annnd. . .1, 2, cha-cha-cha. . .3,4 cha-cha-cha

and no I’m not calling ((Adie)) stupid . . .5,6, . . .

I’m at work and it’s damn hard for me to keep them back. I just want to say how proud and grateful I am to have been part of this. I started with the Libby trial and being here has literally changed my life. I’m proud of all of us here – we can all say, when our kids and grandkids asked us what we did ‘during the war’ – we know what we did to try to protect the Constitution. I’d like a full page ad in every major daily in this country with a list of the Senators who have done this to us, with the headline: Remember this day. These are the people who destroyed the US Constitution.

Clinton has nothing to lose; plus she gets to spite the part of the base who helped derail her candidacy with a “no” vote.

Judging from the sitemeter stats, it seems that more than a few folks are dropping by the Lake today.

*waving to the Silent Majority*

Hi, everyone! Don’t be shy . . .

Feinstein and Obama are Yellow Cur Dems. Why are we looking to support him in the fall?

I was wrong about final passage, this must still be the cloture vote.

This vote is being dragged out longer than the 80 to 15 vote last week. Anyone have the running total?

What the hell is Barack’s problem? Kerry just made it to the floor to vote NO, but Barack is not changing his vote. I know he is a “junior” Senator, but what doesn’t he get about this? What could he extract from Jello Jay or Bayh or McCaskill in exchange for supporting cloture?

McCaskill, by the way, has been a total washout on every single aspect of this FISA cave-in. Just watch, Barack will make her VP.

the die has been cast…….

Reid just now: “madam president? what is the matter now before the senate?”

Uh. That would be YOU sir. /s

And so the 4th Amendment is falls before the terrorists.

Is it beer-thirty or 4:20? :-)

I was wrong about final passage, this must still be the cloture vote

wrong again, it WAS on final passage: 69 to 28, FISA is amended out of existence. Along with 4th amendment.

McSame is going to regret abandoning his base (the press). This is good news on an otherwise sorry day.

i knew that honey. *grimace*

I’d like to think that there’s SOMETHING that means more to McCain than his next fundraiser.

Seriously — his ads trumpet his patriotic service in Vietnam, but he can’t be bothered to do a little more patriotic service by showing up for at least a couple of the most major votes in the Senate?

But at least he’ll be able to say, “I didn’t vote against the Constitution”.

In South Asia, where the parties are frequently personal followings and where the issue of rule of law is frequently on the ballot, implicitly, in the form of corruption, the parties are named with appendages: Congress(I) or Communist Party(M), PLM-N or PLM-Q. I recommend we honor this and subsequent votes with a similar understanding of similarity, instead of splits like in South Asia, we should mark agglomerations.

Henceforth, we should refer to the two parties as

Grand Old Party – Democratic…GOP(D)
Grand Old Party – Republican…GOP(R)

This also relieves us of ever having that confusion between Democrats and democrats again. The GOP(D) has as little to do with democracy as the GOP(R), and they’ve shown that today.

My flag is hanging upside down and will remain so.

Isn’t Froomkin on vacation this week? (Big events accelerate when he goes on vacation.) I guess sometime before Friday, the House Sergeant-at-Arms will arrest Mukasey and dump him in the congressional holding cell. And maybe Karl will get a sex change or something.

Here is a list of DINO’s who voted “Nay” on at least one of the Amendments:

Bayh (D-IN)
Carper (D-DE)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Johnson (D-SD)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lincoln (D-AR)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Webb (D-VA)

The following are the pallbearers at the funeral for the Fourth Amendment after having voted “Nay” on all three amendments:
Bayh (D-IN)
Carper (D-DE)
Conrad (D-ND)
Inouye (D-HI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Rockefeller (D-WV)

Bayh is up for re-election in 2010.
Tom Carper, Kent Conrad, and Ben Nelson were re-elected in 2006 and won’t be up again until 2012 (We won’t forget this!)
Dan Inouye is also up for re-election in 2010 but he’ll be 86 and may not run again.
Mary Landrieu, Mark Pryor, and Jay Rockefeller are up for re-election this year (If the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee would like to know why they won’t be getting any donations from me, here are three BIG reasons).

The slimmest possible majority of the Democratic senators stood up for the Constitution. What a cold damn day!

my goodness, that took you awhile.

mine was turned upside down as soon as bozo stole his throne of ill repute in 2000.

NOW will you use my flag pic, Christy? I could send you another copy if need be or, if some kind soul could tell me how to append it…

very disappointing

that is one depressing thread. but a left a comment in support of yours.

damnably hot here.

I’m so depressed. I will work to replace McCaskill, she is worthless. Obama…I just can’t even go there at the moment. I’m going to take the kids to the swimming pool for the rest of the afternoon. Maybe the sound of children’s laughter and splashing water will help revive me.

He doesn’t do “cower,” but he trembles at losing the votes of those who do — a perfect pander.

This is a tragic day. But freedom is a constant struggle, and it’s not over yet.

Evisceration of the 4th Amendment, ascendence of the Unitary Executive, and dismissal of the Walker cases and the attendant veil of secrecy on the illegal programs they concern, are all NOT FINAL at this point, and none of them will actually take effect until and unless the forthcoming Constitutional challenges to Title II are exercised and fail. Walker has ruled that program illegal, Turley has articulated that this means the President of the US has committed at least 30 felonies. Although the possession of DOJ means any actual Federal prosecution is unlikely, the Emperor’s nakedness is showing. Bush is thus at a very weak point now, and dangerously exposed to challenge, perhaps manipulation.

(By the way, what an interesting day for Iran to choose for a ballistic missile capabilities display.)

(EPU’d)

I can’t get into Obama’s site to unsubscribe, withdraw support, LEAVE. Must be busy. I wonder why.
*sigh*

It is just as important to also remember the Repubilcans that voted Nay for all three amendments…

You either have to have the balls of an elephnat or the brain of a gnat to try and spin anything positive in what Obama did on this issue.

When you do get into Obama’s site make sure you add a “restore FISA” plank to the little platform theft parties his campaign is hosting and then cc to all the real members of the platform committee.

At least Both of my congress critters voted for the rule of law, Can’t well and Murray.
Damn good thing because I’da tore them a new asshole like I did that puke Baird.

This is just fucked up.

Excellent. Pete on youtube reciting that poem.

siri -

if you still have any emails from the campaign – there’s an unsubscribe link on all of them at the lower left

MSNBC has freakin Denny Hastert to talk about how good the FISA bill is for the country. Gawd! Hastert looks really ill. He’s lost a lot of weight.

I haven’t voted for Difi the last two times she was up for re-election. There are so many districts here in Calfornia that have been gerrymandered beyong the point of change.
I am so depressed.

I just tried to contact Obama through his (money raising) web site — site won’t load. I guess I’m not the only one trying to express my disappointment. I hope they can hear my pockbook snap shut.

Shredding the constitution wasn’t enough today. Now they are trying to obliterate Medicare. WTF….

Why couldn’t Hillary vote for it too. Now I have a major case of buyer’s remorse.

One of the key reasons I voted for Obama was that I considered Hillary likely to support this gutting of FISA and he had promised to oppose it. Fuck me for being so stupid.

love the ironic title to that ‘open platform’ bs – “Listening to America”

Turley has articulated that this means the President of the US has committed at least 30 felonies.

I remember skimming by a video of Turley but now I forget where. Was it on Kos, or TPM, or what?

Just in from MoveOn with panties in a wad that Fox “smeared” Obama. Heck, he’s been smearing himself for some time now. He puts pressure on the contitution and they want you to put pressure on Fox advertisers. Brilliant strategy, just brilliant and that’s why they get the big bucks.

Dear MoveOn member,
Over 428,000 people have signed a petition telling FOX to stop their racist and hate-filled smears against Barack Obama. If we hit half-a-million signatures, we can draw media attention and put pressure on FOX’s advertisers.

((((Christy)))) -

if you are still here (and none of us would blame you if you are not)

Thank You ! from the bottom of my broken heart, thank you for keeping us focused and informed.

naaaa
i just sent the money and deleted them.
what an idiot.
i hate this feeling more than any other in the range of human emotions.
BETRAYAL.
i hate it.

I think we are still missing something really important.
Too many smart people have let this FISA thing go on. It’s not all about money/power, there is real fear there too.
As for Barack, he is smart, has deep progressive roots, made history as the first black man to be a presidential nominee and has motivated the voting public in unbelievable numbers. Shooting himself in the foot makes no sense. It is not logical…
If he was just someones ‘boy’ (Colin Powellish), he could/would have given the election to Hill.. Oh, sidenote Karen Hughes has joined Mark Penn’s little business venture… We are being played and we need to figure out by whom and what is really going on…
Rove and Co are fanning/loving this, and Darth Cheney is still very, very dangerous.

Christy, you have mail. hope the pic comes thru. ;->

I just tried to unsubscribe and got an error message.

its on crooks and liars site

Glenn’s got it.

Hastert looks really ill. He’s lost a lot of weight.

Might have something to do with the fact that Sibel Edmonds has decided finally to ignore the gag orders placed upon her under “State Secrets” and is ready to talk to whomever will listen.

She’s had few, if any, takers so far. But if and when she talks, Denny’s gonna look a lot worse.

sorry. lots of hinky messages from that site today.

The ACLU vows to fight the FISA update…

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.

“This fight is not over. We intend to challenge this bill as soon as President Bush signs it into law,” said Jameel Jaffer, Director of the ACLU National Security Project, in a statement provided to RAW STORY as the Senate was voting.

Link

This might be what you’re looking for.

Popped in to see how this went. I waasn’t optimistic, but this really, really sucks.

you know, really,
we should go over there en masse and just leave.
we should ALL unsubscribe and we should all do it today.
not that he gives a rat’s ass, but we are a lot of people. maybe someone will at least notice.

for SOME reason i never saubscribed to BO’s site….. prob b/c he wasn’t my choice and i never gave any money nor will i as my resources are limited and i’d rather give to a person i can really get behind…

thank you to juslin @ 123 and siri @ 124. Will bookmark those for after work.

most likely overloaded? heh. rinse and repeat.

A Modest Proposal to Obama Supporters:

If you’re upset about this, demand your money back from the Obama campaign, the DNC, the DSCC, and the DCCC. A number of Clinton supporters did this to the DNC after the Rules Committee hearing and reportedly got refunds of recent donations. So it might be worth a try, you can always re-donate it if they improve their positions. And even if they don’t give it back to you, if enough folks do this it will send a message about how unhappy you are with the party and Obama. They’re all about the $ right now, denying that to them and hounding them about it is probably your best shot at getting any leverage at this point. They’ve made it pretty clear they intend to take votes for granted. So hurt ‘em where you can. If you don’t, you’re going to continue to be disappointed (can’t say I am, I expected this from him and the Dem leadership). There are plenty of important decisions coming up for Obama, including his VP selection, so if you want him to care about what you think, you need to give him a reason to. As a Clinton supporter, he’s never going to care what I think, but you folks might be able to have some positive effect on him (and if you don’t, then that tells you something, too, doesn’t it?).

Will do.

yeah?
well let me know when you find someone.
everyone I thought I could get behind has completely failed me by now.
i think we should go for the 06 master plan and replace ALL INCUMBENTS.
this sorrow i feel is going to morph into HIGHLY pissed pretty fast.
i’d like to know what to do with that anger. nothing works anymore.

i like the way you think. you don’t give up. we need more like you.

THANK YOU! (((Jackie)))

Thanks. I wondered whether there might be a version on YouTube, but for the moment was too dispirited to go look. I first heard it on one of his albums years ago, where he sings it (sort of).

Have you tried yet? The site still isn’t working for me. I’ll try again tonight.

The fix was in.. We really can’t be certain where most of these folks patriotism stands today.

BarackObama dot Com is totally crashy right now. Nobody can log in to accounts, nobody can find events, nobody can create events. Somebody is verrrry pissed at them . . . . just sayin’ not accusin’

great, thanks CC!

i’ve been trying since the final count on the Senate floor. I’ll get there tho. may take some time, but I WANT OUT of his chit. NOW!

Hi ET. Hope you’re doing well, albeit no doubt bummed like the rest of us.

Curious: do i remember correctly an Oberlin connection? If so, ever get back there?? We’re heading that-a-way in a year or so ;->

I SINCERELY hope that’s the case.
talk about the audacity of hope.
i hope he’s getting DUMPED so hard the site crashes altogether.

I did — I had a nice salad and a nectarine. Thanks for asking — it’s been a little crazy lately, hasn’t it? But I grabbed a take-out salad on the way home from my doc appointment and was able to eat and type through lunchtime. *g*

Although I must add I noticed Clinton signed onto/sponsored the actual Feingold Dodd amendment.

blushing….((thank-you!!!)) ALL of you guys here keep me strong..love to all :)

I was able to unsubscribe just now. In the “Reason” box, simply: FISA.

Dear Senator Obama:
Your vote on FISA is a disgrace. You had a rare chance to do what most of us can only dream of: to defend the Constitution and the rule of law. Instead, you voted to cover up possibly illegal activity.

Update from TPM:

Moments before the final vote, a handful of senators voted to filibuster the vote, including Sens. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, and Tom Harkin of Iowa.

Sen Hillary Clinton (D-NY) voted against the filibuster and then voted against the law a few moments later.

I guess I feel better now. Hillary is every bit as evil as Obama. She voted against the filibuster, which IIRC is the one that counts (since it takes 60 votes to defeat a filibuster) but, to be able to speak out of both sides of her mouth, she voted against the final bill. So, the cognescenti know she really supported the bill when push came to shove, but she can tell the rubes in her constituecy that she voted against. At least Obama isn’t quite that much of a snake.

exactly, the fix is in. we can be certain of the senators who voted for cloture (and against the 4th admendment) – but not those who voted against.

Hi Christy. dessert time.

*hands freshly picked black-raspberries thru toobz*

Eat AND type – you are amazing Miss Christy – just amazing. I was just trying to get through this sucking up a smoothie through a straw and got hung up with that(too many blueberries). But, again, thank you so much for all you do.

Evisceration of the 4th Amendment, ascendence of the Unitary Executive, and dismissal of the Walker cases and the attendant veil of secrecy on the illegal programs they concern, are all NOT FINAL at this point, and none of them will actually take effect until and unless the forthcoming Constitutional challenges to Title II are exercised and fail.

Please explain. How are those relevant to HR 6304? If the Specter amendment had been adopted, the current Federal case on FISA could have continued, but since it didn’t pass, that case is moot.

It’s my understanding that cloture on this bill makes it law – that is, they take it back to some committee to make sure the house and senate versions match up and then President Pretzel signs it. Is that not correct?

Point taken, but enough with the Kabuki metaphor already. Kabuki is fascinating, entertaining, often beautiful (see http://youtube.com/watch?v=Q6O7KFCCEdU)

This FISA shit is not.

ohhhhh siri – i feel EXACTLY as you!! i’m not surprised at BO’s stance cuz i knew he’d do just as he’s doing – a chicago pol who’ll bend to pressure… i could be wrong but i don’t think so..here in jersey pretty much our reps do listen at times to we the public well in my district anyway…..

’tis quite mutual, not that there’s anything wrong with that *g*

the American Civil Liberties Union unveiled plans to challenge the new law in court

The ACLU would make excellent use of any political contributions that anyone can no longer stomach sending to Barack. They will need hundreds of thousands to finance the litigation campaign against this corrupt FISA deal.

Here is their press release:

http://www.aclu.org/safefree/g…..80709.html

And here is where you can contribute immediately:

https://secure.aclu.org/site/Donation?ACTION=SHOW_DONATION_OPTIONS&CAMPAIGN_ID=1081&s_src=UNS080001C00&s_subsrc=donationpage&JServSessionIdr009=ubgmxilw57.app20a

Naturally, the ActBlue link for Blue America PAC is always open for business.

Perhaps the low price of this fix would be of interest: http://maplight.org/FISA_June08

yes. but are you sure these would have been her actions if she thought she would be the one, instead of obama, to have the power of a lawless presidency?

a nectarine sounds fantastic right about now. Why am I sitting here at work under these crappy fluorescent lights?

Look DINO senators: “AP: Bush wins passage of spy bill to protect telecoms”. Thanks for supporting the President with the lowest approval ratings in the history of our country. That ought to make you feel safe during election time, huh?

I wonder how many of those campaign staffers he took on from Clinton are still working for her … or for someone else, given that two have already gone to Faux.

I really don’t get it: he talks about leading, he talks up all the things he’ll do if/when he’s elected, but when he has a chance to actually lead, in something that actually is important, and which he cannot possibly say he didn’t know what it was about … FOLD!

We really do need better Democrats … possibly starting with a better nominee. Or maybe a whole new party, since we have the basis now for building one.

I’d like to see a listing of the vote on the filibuster.

Thanks Selise. Yes it is a depressing thread but I’m at least hoping that more people like us will tell them where they can stick it.

Exactly. Obama would have been all up in arms about FISA if he’d have lost.
Now she’s just going to do what she can to convince people that they made a wrong choice. But believe me, she’d have been far worse, or at least as bad, and I wasn’t sure about Obama. I KNOW “hil”. I always knew what we’d get with her and her corporate love.

Christy. When you get a chance, in your spare time, ahem. I sent you a pic thru e-toobz. hope you’ll use it. i’d be honored.

I thought Reidn overruled the filibuster. I asked earlier why Dodd and Feingold were not filibustering and I was told that Reid overruled it.

Its time to get a grip.

Obama was adored by so many Democrats that he breezed to the nimination based on the early caucuses. Many HRC supporters were warning against such naive and unbridled lust for a politician. We remember Bill and NAFTA and GATT, ending welfare, etc., etc. We have experienced a broken heart. So now we are stuck with a slick operator as our candidate. But it is too early for buyer’s remorse.

What are you going to do? Vote for Bob Barr? John McCain?

Obama ‘08 is all we got!

Capitulator-in-Chief wants to become the protector of the Constitution and the enforcer of the rule of law. And the sad thing is that he’s the “best man for the job” among those currently in contention.

I realize that right now, this minute, might not really be the moment to ask this question, but I’ve got to(because that is how my brain works): The ACLU is going to do their thing – which they are superlative at…but what about the rest of us? What do we do NOW? There’s a lot to be scared about now with this(and buggerhead has not even signed it yet), but what else can WE do? Or, are we totally cooked at this point?

another sober head. thanks.

(((brianb99c)))

I got in, was trying to post a new blog based on this (had actually just hit publish), and that was when it went down. It’s apparently something in their database, judging by the error message. Maybe they installed the new Windows patch that kills ZoneAlarm. [/s]

is your point that there’s really any difference?
how do you figure that?
sure Obama says he’ll get us out of Iraq, he’ll get health care, he’ll be huge on alternative energy,
just like he said he’d filibuster FISA.

blah blah blah

spare me, Obi. I’m done. seen enough.

Prairie, stateless now.

Of course I’ll vote for him, but the luster is gone.

US senate votes today are listed on this webpage:
US Senate roll call votes

Ed Shultz on Air America was talking about how maybe the next POTUS has not even emerged yet as a candidate.

Somebody, Gore? –is trying to float some kind of balloon

We don’t all love her either. Lots of Edwards and Dodd fans here, not so much HRC and Obama.

Thank you very much spineless Defeat-o-crats (borrowing from out wingnut breathren) today you handed Osama Bin Laden his larges victory yet in his quest to destroy our country.

Without your unprincipled and cowardly support he could not have achieved the victory he obtained today. ObL 1, 4th Amendment 0. Well done, Democrats!

I hope sleeping in the wetted bed is comfortable… you’ll be in it for the rest of your lives. You can never, ever change those sheets…

well, just got in awhile ago from out of town, fisa deja vu……what is going on that we don’t know about? why would dem sens show their butts like this for all to see? i’m serious, what is going on here.

eureka and muk–i posted this last weekend when i was out of town–’how can i keep from singing?’, radio series with pete seeger, click on the radio series link….

Absolutely not.

-uh- dear lurking mods. one posting is quite enuf to git me in more trrubbly than i can handle. it’s perfectly o.k. w/ me if u delete either 170 or 173.

please leave one up, tho. i don’t mind being in a reasonable bit of stress. that’s about normal here.

thanks.

nor remove the stink.

Bull. I will vote for neither piece of shit as it will not make one whit of difference. As they have said to me I will say to them.

So Clinton voted “aye” for cloture, but then “nay” on the bill itself?

That’s kind of like trying to have it both ways, no? This way, she can tell the telecom lobbyists and surveillance fetishists that she did her part to get the bill passed, but give the jackasses at No Quarter another reason to look for some miracle to make her the nominee.

my dot barackobama dot com is back up. The VoteAgainstFISA list-serv was blazing with disappointment and despair all afternoon. At least one long posting demanded a refund of all primary-cycle contributions.

oops forgot the link

http://www.peteseeger.org

Feingold knows something but isn’t saying. Very cryptic comments he made this morning inviting anyone who wants to hear about it to talk with him privately. Basically, “You’ll be sorry if this passes.”

Here is a link to the Obama group

Senator Obama – Please Vote NO on Telecom Immunity – Get FISA Right

http://my.barackobama.com/page…..ainstFISA/

A lot of unhappy people on that blog.

Why don’t we just make “two bit burglaries” and lying under oath about blowjobs retroactively legal now? And while we’re at it, let’s just take Congress’ power to impeach out of the Constitution.

What’s the point? It’ll never be back on the table.

What the hell, just get rid of Congress-it’s simply an extension of the Executive branch, anyway.

Fuck, I’m pissed.

She voted aye for cloture, then changed her vote to nay a few minutes later. Then voted nay on the bill itself. I’m really trying not to be cynical about it …

inviting anyone who wants to hear about it to talk with him privately

privately…. this has to be some kind of joke no?

What do we do NOW?

right now, you can go to this site and make a pledge to give on August 8. you don’t have to promise a particular amount and it doesn’t have to be much when the time comes to give. even $5 helps – and it shows up as one more supporter in the overall numbers.

August 8, 2008—this is the date for our Strangebedfellows MONEYBOMB on behalf of constitutional rights and civil liberties in America. Let’s remove from power the key enablers of the tyrannical and lawless FISA ‘compromise;’ we can end the Patriot Act—and so much more. Join with us by pledging now—right here at AccountabilityNowPAC.com. Become a part of our transpartisan alliance of freedom lovers! Be a Strangebedfellow!

any other suggestions?

Somebody, Gore? –is trying to float some kind of balloon

and where oh where is Mr Fiery Speech on MLK Day 06 ?!?!?!

As Christy pointed out earlier Feingold has made the same statement on several occasions before even on the Senate floor. FDL has also blogged about it before.

gotta go with kitty to vet’s office. wish us luck, if and as appropriate to your mood. i seldom have seen more ideas zipping by my nose in a thread. suggest they be saved.

P. E. A. C. E. to all!

Yes, I DO care, I care very much. The tears came all week & the one before.
Now I keep doing what I can, whatever that may turn out to be.
Seat-of-the-pants politics. All aboard my jet, or not…

“… I wasn’t sure about Obama. I KNOW “hil”. I always knew what we’d get with her and her corporate love.”

Well, now you know Obama, right?

My sense in the primary was that I knew what I was getting with Clinton, but not Obama. So I voted for her.

Still I had hope for Obama.

Color me stupid.

yes. it’s been done before, but other talented, pragmatic politicians – many many times.

MSNBC says they are “awaiting President Bush’s response to Senate approval of FISA bill”

I think all of the Obama supporters who failed to challenge him on this vote should be made to watch the Bush statement over and over and over again.

No joke. He may have said “in a classified setting” or something like that, vs. “privately.” I’ll see if I can find that.

I just managed to get through to Obama on the ‘contact us’ line and told him to listen to the sound of my pocketbook snapping shut after his FISA vote. Keep going at it, group!

ccinnc do you have link to obama’s site for the fisa thingy I deleted mine without removing my name yesterday

There’s a lot to be scared about now with this(and buggerhead has not even signed it yet), but what else can WE do? Or, are we totally cooked at this point?

Toby, no we are not cooked. Here’s what you do, go to EFF dot org (Electronic Frontier Foundation), sign-up for their email alerts, give them a little money; do the same at ACLU; sign up with Senator Feingold’s ProgressivePatriotsFund dot org, get on his email list, give him a little money. This is not going away.

Just sent:

Senator Feinstein:

I am one of your constituents.

I can’t believe your vote on passage of the FISA bill reflects the will of your constituents, and I know that it serves to conceal evidence of acts that Judge Walker has determined to be illegal, and I know that it erodes the Fourth Amendment of our sacred Constitution which you swore — SWORE!!! — to protect and defend.

Previously you stated that you would vote on this bill as you thought best. Now that you have voted against your constituents’ will and against your oath, you are obligated to explain why. Senator Feinstein, you have a rare gift for clear expression. What defense can you now offer, what actual reason, based on what facts, to justify this break with the people, this violation of your oath, this grave, grave disservice to the American Constitution? Why have you helped turn the office of the President into a king’s throne?

The Democratic Party’s failure to protect the will of the people and the integrity of the Constitution is occasioning a deep and broad disillusion with American government per se. Is this really what you had in mind as the end product of the 2006 midterm elections?

— Hmmm, Oakland, California

Obama is getting my vote for his possible SCOTUS appointments and no other reason. I don’t believe a word he says, a thing he does or anything else about him. He’s not a “historic” figure for taking on this contest to be our Commander-in-Chief, he’s a fraud, he’s the man behind the curtain.

I will give him his due with his ability to tap into the organizational enthusiasm of many folks, his running a true 50-state campaign, and his determination to seek office. But when push-came-to-shove he folded like a cheap tent in a wind.

I hope he’s proud of the America he just handed those two cute daughters of his… I don’t want to see them any more either, he can’t even be convinced or bothered to hand them a better America, then don’t let me see those little children of privilege again.

Obama could have led, instead he fled. That about sums up his candidacy.

I just posted that earlier in the thread. Here it is again.

http://my.barackobama.com/page…..ainstFISA/

and where oh where is Mr Fiery Speech on MLK Day 06 ?!?!?!

exactly right. it’s not good enough to complain when it’s bush and be silent when it’s obama.

Senator Obama,

Most unfortunate that you chose to vote in favor of H.R. 6304. By doing so, you knowingly subverted the Constitution. Please don’t insult me with your canned, package comments about how it wasn’t a perfect bill, about how you are afraid of the terrorists and Republicans and how you think I should be, too. We needed leadership out on the Senate floor and we couldn’t get that from the presumed presidential nominee. The public, the people you are supposed to be working for, are disappointed. You did NOTHING, nothing to lead, nothing to stop this terrible act of subversion. In your world, you think your compromising and calculations were correct. In the real world of the real Americans, you aren’t the leader your hollow words spoke about. It is sad that we have to deal with more corporate favoritism, instead of the change that we thought we could believe in.

Oh, Selise – I did that the first day it went up. I’m still wondering how I can “take care of business” on Aug. 8 – I’ll be out of the country. On the other hand, I just got an email from Credo that has the “no excuses for you, buddy” part in it: “If you think progressive values are important, then it’s time to think about CREDO Mobile. Switch now and we’ll buy out your current contract (up to $200).* Click here to learn more…or call 866.513.8670 to talk to someone right now about making the switch. Be sure to mention code 300246 so they’ll know I sent you.”
You can bet what I’ll be taking to the dinner table tonight.

Will make no difference it will all be taped and sent to bushco…. now legally.

Pelosi a moment of silence for all those who serve and died in our armed forces fighting for American freedoms that she just sold out.

nice.

I just committed a heinous crime. How do I go about getting Congress to give me retroactive immunity?

This is the same kind of warning Florida’s Bob Graham issued to Democrats as they got ready to approve the AUMF for Iraq. Seems to me no Senator wants to hear what Feingold knows about the program they have immunized telecoms for today.

Here’s the link.

She really couldn’t care less. She’s a DINO. Not sure why she didn’t change party a long time ago. She’s a republic and has been for several years.

toby – i don’t know… just trying to find something constructive to do with all the anger.

Reminds me of the end of Zorba Da Greek: After he loses his shirt one more time, what does he do? Why, dance! What else is there to do in the face of life’s tragedies?

Pete is losing his voice and his sense of pitch, but he’s paid his dues. And we still ask, Where have all the flowers gone?

We have a new generation to educate. We must not fail them.

Bob in HI

That’s a good question and one that’s been running around in my head since this atrocity first came up.

I’m not a criminal, so I can’t test that out. I fully hope to see it presented, however.

The precedent is there now. On the books, so to speak.

Duh.
1. Get Cash.
2. Hopefully you committed the crime at Cheney’s behest.

“Obama ‘08 is all we got!”

Wow. That’s quite the bumper sticker.

I could spend time trying to spin this as some sort of political strategy, but that’s really the whole problem.

Obama hasn’t even been formally crowned as the Democratic nominee and already his political soul is being shown for a shallow, empty thing.

I’ll second Fractal’s motion.

Bob in HI

Do these Senators realize they just gave the President the power to spy on them, solely on the President’s perogative? Congress has made itself irrelevant.

Yes, I’m afraid the terrorists have won.

my dot barackobama dot com is back up.

I can’t find where to unsubscribe.

Anybody else got it?

I thought she changed her vote, and made it against cloture, once they apprised her of what they were doing

I thought that was her original vote, not a change.
maybe they recorded it wrong?

My understanding.. and I could be wrong… is that she co sponsored this.

Bush is smirking while he’s talking about the FISA bill.

Personally thanking hoyer, blunt, bond,.
rockefeller, Reyes, Smith, Hoekstra

He left out Nancy.

Bayh is up for re-election in 2010.
Tom Carper, Kent Conrad, and Ben Nelson were re-elected in 2006 and won’t be up again until 2012 (We won’t forget this!)
Dan Inouye is also up for re-election in 2010 but he’ll be 86 and may not run again.
Mary Landrieu, Mark Pryor, and Jay Rockefeller are up for re-election this year (If the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee would like to know why they won’t be getting any donations from me, here are three BIG reasons).

I go out of my way to respond to every snail mail & e-mail I get from both DCCC and DSCC to let them know this.

Today I got an e-mail from NANCY PELOSI. I really had to control myself in my response. BTW, they’ve usually configured the mail to you so that if you just hit “reply” it goes to “no-reply.” You have to look in the header to get the right address to send it to.

Here’s Christy’s transcription of Feingold’s remarks:

The President authorized illegal program in blatant violation of a statute. Now a Democratically controlled Congress, we’re about to grant immunity to companies that participated in the President’s lawlessness. Based on what I know, I can promise that if more information is declassified in the future, members of this body WILL regret that we passed this legislation. I invite my colleagues to talk to me about the collection activities. We will realize what a mistake it was, of that I am sure. I’m confident that history will not judge this Senate kindly. I urge my colleagues to stand up for the rule of law.

Excellent letter Hmmm. I earlier sent my faxes to her and Boxer.

I consider her my Republican Senator, that she comes from SF is just tragic. But then again the media love to promote a “maverick” to their own party. It makes them seem “balanced” when they report on them. She should just join Lieberman.

First you get the government to secretly award enormous lucrative contracts to break the law (all in secret).. then you payback two maybe three percent of the contract money in political contributions and a bit of PR, to buy your immunity.

try this http://my.barackobama.com/page…..S8qK/VEsA/

Uh they gave away Habeus, lying into war, protecting criminal treason and on and on ….
They are very well aware of what they are doing. The billion dollar question is why?

I think Hillary is playing Gotcha. Her supporters have not backed up Obama yet, and her changing her vote shows she is up to something at the Convention. Some of her supporters are holding out for her to be nominated at the convention and get the votes she needs to take the Nomination. And the news media is now backing out of going to the Stadium. There is more to this than meets the eye. I will support Obama and give to his campaign. If he doesn’t the money and the DNC doesn’t then even the down tickets won’t survive. I think we all have to think very very hard as to where to go from here.

Heh…so nobody thinks there’s a “conspiracy” to undermine the American rule of law…the neocons haven’t been successful in yet again further eroding what we stand for (using “another Pearl Harbor” to achieve their goals)…that those that represent “us” represent us? That there’s been no “scary coup” by neocons to overtake our government? That anything anyone presents as evidence of their long-planned coup is “in effect”….that the majority of elected officials will not vote for that which is just, if it rocks the boat…for things based on the exact words of Constitution…that which is the rule of law….

Got doubters? Got milk?

One should be “mocked relentlessly” for suggesting such a thing.

Spit.

Now you have it.

Wake the F up.

cc 202–christy had the quote on the FISA thread, two threads ago–here-

” Earlier today, Russ Feingold said the following:

”I sit on the Intelligence and Judiciary Committees, and I am one of the few members of this body who has been fully briefed on the warrantless wiretapping program.  And, based on what I know, I can promise that if more information is declassified about the program in the future, as is likely to happen either due to the Inspector General report, the election of a new President, or simply the passage of time, members of this body will regret that we passed this legislation.  I am also familiar with the collection activities that have been conducted under the Protect America Act and will continue under this bill.  I invite any of my colleagues who wish to know more about those activities to come speak to me in a classified setting.  Publicly, all I can say is that I have serious concerns about how those activities may have impacted the civil liberties of Americans.  If we grant these new powers to the government and the effects become known to the American people, we will realize what a mistake it was, of that I am sure.””

.

I got one too, told her to fuck off. Exact words.

Ok. Since this will probably be EPU’d, I’m going to put on my foil hat again.

Here’s why the Dems give Bush what he wants and it’s not due to culpability.

Back when Daschle and Leahy were sent Anthrax, I called it a “shot across the bow” because it was targeted at Dems who were not in power at the time. Who tries to assassinate the powerless? It smelled bad. I took it as a threat: “Toe the line, or else.”

Darcy Burner refused to reject JStreet’s endorsement and A*PAC had a fit. When she still refused, a few days later, her house burns down.

I don’t think they’re afraid of looking culpable. I think they’re afraid for their lives.

Happy Corporate Sovereignty Day!

and never thought I’d say it, but thank the founders for the Electoral College. McCain’s campaign has precisely one paid staffer in CA — they’ve written off the state. I’d never vote for a Rethug, and I’ll never vote for or contribute to those who foreswore their Oaths to protect and uphold the Constitution today.

I don’t provide aid or comfort for those complicit in treason or the overthrow of the Republic.

Come November, I’m writing in Glenda The Good Witch for Prez.

Barry The Privacy Slayer will win CA if I and 50,000 others do the same, so spare me the Nader stuff.

I wouldn’t piss on Barry if he were on fire.

Oops, that might’ve been Marcy’s transcription. Sorry!

I find myself contemplating a Dodd/Feingold write-in at the moment, actually. (And sending my contributions to Congressional candidates like Regina Thomas, Darcy Burner, Donna Edwards, etc.)

Of course, health care matters deeply for people’s daily lives, as does the economy, and the environment, and security against attack, and all the things Obama points to as demonstrating he’s a progressive.

But if the price of achieving those things is to gut the separation of powers, the system of checks and balances, the Bill of Rights, and the rule of law that are our defense against tyranny, and Presidential tyranny in particular, that price is flat out too high.

It becomes like the Chinese Communist Party, that says, “Hey! We demand a monopoly on power. Were not giving that up. So forget about Tienanmen Square, here’s a shopping mall, now shut up and be happy.”

In addition to everything else, it’s insulting.

If Sen. Obama had any decency, he’d at least have recused himself and abstained from the vote, seeing as how the illegitimate power he just voted for is for the office he’s seeking.

There are several evacuation zones. The firefighters deserve tremendous praise. Last I heard they were able to hold the line during the night so the fire is not in town at the moment. Today the air quality here is the worst we’ve seen.

i sent Obama a letter. a “dear john”, as it were.
i signed it
my name
my city and state
Sovereign Citizen of the Former United States of America

i can’t find where to unsubscribe either.
still looking.

I’m sure Bush/Cheeeney/Rove et al. are rolling in their slobber as they do another round of f*ck the populace. Slimeballs.

my dot barackobama dot com is back up.

Audacity of contrast: Invertebrate Barry remains supine.

That’s what I meant when I said I was trying not to be cynical … that something like this is going on.

Please put a ‘T’ next to the blue dogs who voted yay. I need to know where to invest money in oppo research next election.

Best of all, my Sen voted to uphold the constitution!

I might piss on him, but that’s about it.

Bastard.

Don’t think it’s over today, and certainly not just because of the cloture vote. There’s still a bit of process to be worked through.

I assume that any conference committee will either be waived, or else will accept the Senate language whole, and that the President will then sign the bill, thus making it a law. At that point the new law serves as a direction to Judge Walker to dismiss the suits, so at that point Walker will be compelled by law to start the process of dismissing the cases from his Court — I guess that would be an Order to Dismiss. That’s probably when the plaintiffs (because these are civil suits, not criminal) will bring legal challenges to the law that the Senate passed today. IANAL but I imagine one form those might take might be appeals to Walker’s Order to Dismiss; probably the plaintiffs have other available avenues as well.

If there are any other parties claiming to have standing and to be negatively impacted by the law, I believe they could also file the actions (i.e. sue the USG in new lawsuits separate from the Walker cases) at any time after the President signs the bill into law.

Sorry for the delay responding, like everyone else I have been grieving.

I heard Obama from a few feet away on July 4th. It was a totally progressive message, no waffling, no pulling back. I don’t like this, but I still feel like I’m being jerked around in a shadow play, and I want to know what is really going on. I want to respond, not react. Thanks Jackie for writing this. We need measured response, and still, the one to beat is McCain. I’m convinced in my bones that Obama is the better choice and that no third party candidate, no staying at home, is going to put us on a better (better, not best) path. We are so far down the hole that we forget to look up.

try this http://my.barackobama.com/page…..S8qK/VEsA/

that worked – thank you.

And I’m out.

Access to power and riches doesn’t make sense but, yeah, fearing for their lives does.

Obama is NOT the enemy….Bushco is. Keep it in perspective. Obama has committed no crime. Bushco has. Obama could be a bonehead about this, but Bushco are the CRIMINALS!!! Don’t get distracted!!!

Keep the heat on Bushco for crissakes!!!

bob at 219—yeop.

http://lettenyouknow.files.wor…..g_long.jpg

This from 2004, but could this be one of the ‘private’ companies hoping for immunity? with the FISA thingy?

‘Acxiom Corp. has always been good at managing data. Lots of data. By its own estimate, Acxiom manages more than 20 billion customer and prospect records.’

‘In September of last year, a controversy erupted over JetBlue turning over customer data to the federal government. A year earlier, the airline had provided data on 1.5 million passengers to Torch Concepts Inc., a military contractor developing a system for screening visitors to military bases. JetBlue and Torch Concepts were both Acxiom clients, and Acxiom provided the military contractor with demographic data and Social Security numbers to use with the passenger list provided by the airline.’ http://www.financetech.com/sho…..D=51202242

hey kirk… will you be doing med street support in denver?

BTW, http://my.barackobama.com/page/unsubscribe/ is working again now.

They ask why you’re unsubscribing. I said: “FISA.”

There is no heat to be brought. Obama could have, by virtue of attaining THE preminent leadership position in the democratic party brought the heat to Pelosi and Reid, which would have “brought the heat” to the 1600 Crew.

But he weaked out and chose to be a good corporate toady and “bi-partisan” centrist.

Why doesn’t he just pick LIEberman for his VP and be done with it all…?

i must disagree. obama is now guilty of conspiracy in the cover up of bushco’s crimes.

(to my thinking – i’m not suggesting bypassing the whole innocent until proven guilty thing)

seriously considering it, selise. I still have to arrange the logistics (travel, etc).

I’ve also been considering going to Denver to liveblog the protests….

are you going?

Supporting this “occurrence” and he did support it. Demonstrates intent to govern as president with those new Georgian powers.

I am not swayed, LS.

i must disagree. obama is now guilty of conspiracy in the cover up of bushco’s crimes.

Ding!

Okay, okay…I know….I’ve crossed him off my radar, he can whatever….

but, I think the “anger” needs to be directed at the “perps” of the crime…just sayin’.

Obama is out in my book. Out.

Thanks, Bob. How is it in paradise today? Still morning there?

there are some impediments – but if there is any way i can get myself there, i will be in denver for dnc week.

working on it.

Are you in Paradise?

Is there wiretapping in Paradise? With or without warrants?

O/T, but a bright spot in the Senate today….
Ted Kennedy is back on the Senate floor now for the Medicare Cloture vote. They just gave him a standing ovation when he walked in.

Hey, Bob! We’ve got two Paradise locations. The one that is burning is Paradise, CA.

Give Anita a howdy for me. I’m back from NZ, in KS, but moving to Butte, MT next month. I’ll be teaching at Montana Tech there. Ellen

Yes. Is your father-in-law okay?

Someone needs to post this AP headline over at Obama’s website and all the other DINO’s

Bush wins passage of spy bill to protect telecoms

Or in repsonse to the Motion to Dismiss, plaintiffs could argue that the law is unconstitutional b/c it gut s the 4th ammendment.

Walker, just might buy that argument. Wouldn’t THAT be fun?

Bushco spied and broke the law.

Lay it at “their” feet.

Re: Obama…I’m quite frankly not surprised.

But lay the blame and the anger where it belongs…at the feet of the neocons…Bushco. Don’t get distracted…it dilutes the anger that justifiably should go towards those STILL IN POWER….they are in power until they leave. They MIGHT NOT LEAVE…as long as they are in power they can put crap through that will stop any other administration from taking power…AND….shit can happen. They have still have the power of martial law….they can claim a national emergency, due to cyber terrorism, or Iran terrorism, or any other invented terrorism. These people are frikkin’ serious. Don’t be naive.

Done.

Yes, he’s on the west side of town. Mostly, he thinks it isn’t a big deal and doesn’t concern him. I’m grateful for reverse 911 and his neighbors.

we need to find alternatives to ATT for internet services

((((AdAstra’s father-in-law))))

selise – you sure this isn’t a stalking horse to lure progressive folk into ron paul land? i’m very serious about this…

I would hope that ActBlue and Strangebedfellows contributes to Cindy Sheehan’s campaign efforts. I cannot think of another race that would more effectively send a message to the Dem’s and their ‘leadership’ by having Pelosi defeated.
And the EFF also accepts donations like the ACLU.

Bush/Cheney and Co may be criminals first.

But right now, Obama seems to be awfully eager to get his hands on those same powers, his “promises” to “review” them notwithstanding.

It appears to be only a matter of time before he is committing criminal acts as well under the guise of these “laws.”

Can someone who has read the act please tell me whether or not it contains a non-severability clause?

Just looking a few moves ahead.

Write the Senators and let them know that we watched and we will remember! I’m mad as hell too and sorely disappointed but I’m not giving up just yet.

Here’s what I wrote to my senators as soon as the bill passed:

“I was glad to hear you stand up today in the US Senate and decry the end of the rule of law embedded in HR 6304 by granting blanket immunity to the Telcoms, whom we all know are big donors in congressional races, and I was proud that you voted for the amendment to strip this disgusting piece of Republican law breaking from the final bill. I was deeply disappointed to see you vote for the bill anyway, however, when the amendments were defeated. This is a sad, sad day in America, a day when the US Senate, whose members all took an oath to uphold and defend the Constitution, passed a law that, in effect, gutted the 4th amendment to that very same Constitution. You have now declared that we are no longer under the rule of law in America but rather the rule of a monarchical president who may break the law at will, all in the name of “protecting” us from terrorists. I heard the groans of the founding fathers as they rolled over in their graves when the final vote count was taken. The last 7 1/2 years have taken a great toll on this country and Congress has done little to nothing to stop the ever greater grab for power from a corrupt president. The 1st and 4th amendments to the Constitution are now memories, I guess. What a shameful legacy this generation is leaving to our children and grandchildren, caving in to fear and showing a willingness to undo 200+ years of Constitutional government under the rule of law for political expediency and corporate gain. I weep for my country this day.”

If we fall silent now they will believe that they have gotten by with this. Keep the pressure on and let them hear from you! Otherwise they DO win and we might as well throw in the towel. I have saved a copy of my response and I will use a variation of it every single time I get a letter from a politician or a political organization asking for my time and money. Fight the good fight, Firepups!

Pelosi will never be defeated. She has the “Burton Machine” behind her and all the money she will ever need to run. It’s too bad because she has really turned out to be a nothing – or worse.

And this News Alert from the NYT – Senate Approves Immunity for Telecom Companies in Wiretapping

and this from the Washington Post – Senate Passes Surveillance Bill With Immunity for Telecom Firms

at least their telling it like it is.

How do you propose to do that.

Saving HoJo for SCOTUS….

Try Blue America rather than ActBlue. IIRC, ActBlue is limited to supporting only Dems and consequently winds up supporting a lot of Blue Bush Dogs in the guise of more Dems without getting necessarily better Dems

I’ve thought the same thing. an yo imagine what it would be like to have the Secret SErvice say they can’t protect you anymore or your children? I don’t put anything past these people. But another thought and you really have to give this some thought. There won’t be an election. Marshall Law anyone?

“Let me have a country, a free country.” John Adams

“Liberty will reign in America:” this is great – from HBO “John Adams” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v…..&NR=1

Today’s vote to bury the Fourth Amendment tells me the country is FUBAR. We need a new Declaration of Independence.

I’ll bet that EFF and the ACLU already have that argument drafted and ready to go.

I’ll also bet that Walker has at least the beginnings of a draft opinion ready that would accept their argument. As this bill moved forward, Judge Walker had to see that this debate would move from Congress to his courtroom.

and this from Glenn. Congress votes to immunize lawbreaking telecoms, legalize warrantless eavesdropping

and this from the NYT, US section – Senate Approves Telecom Immunity and New Eavesdropping Rules

all this in my mail box in the last 15 minutes or so.

Thanks for the correction; and ‘never say never’ when it comes to defeating Pelosi; here constituency is mad as hell, both over Iraq, impeachment, and now this ‘cave-in’.

Replying to puravida @ 253
Thanks. It’s the only thing that makes sense, IMO. And thanks for joining me in foil couture, the fashion statement of the new millenia.

Re a new ‘Declaration of Independence’:

http://www.bordc.org/

Unfortunately, I have little faith in these follow on motions, literally and figuratively.

I am going outside now to shred my flag and hang it up on my garage for all to see. Literally. My neighbors will just think I’m crazy.

But essentially, it’s all over. The margin of support for this shows that average citizens better just watch out…elections are meaningless cuz we’re living in a banana republic.

the strange bedfellows alliance includes fdl as well as some of the folk who made “money bombing” part of the Paul campaign. FWIW, I don’t think the sb alliance is designed to bring progressives in to the Paul camp. I do belive the sb campaign is designed so that progressives and Paulistas may come together in defense of the Republic and the Constitution.

couldn’t find anything via the google – maybe if you go over to Glenn’s place and ask in his current open thread.

ps – non-severability comes up a lot surrounding the DNC Rules/FL & MI thingy

I am going outside now to shred my flag

Please. Do. Not. Do. That. Please.

I totally get your disgust and despair.

But let’s think of something else. Why not make up a huge fake parchment constitution (get some butcher paper) and shred that? Something besides the flag. Please.

I don’t think Russ Feingold or Chris Dodd would want their supporters caught doing something like you want to do.

I just called the Obama campaign and requested my donations back. I informed them that I gave during the Primary when Obama stated that he would Fillibuster any legislation that included retroactive immunity and that he went back on his word today and I do not wish to support a candidate that capitulates to the law breaking administration of George Bush. I told them that I would take the money I previously donated and give it to Senator Dodd to help pay his campaign debt and to other progressive candidates. They were not happy but stated they would issue me a check. I will let you know when I recieve it.

Thanks. I wasn’t as nice as you. I put in

It’s the Constitution, stupid.

Shred it, burn and piss on it.

juslin – no, i can’t be absolutely sure, about that or much of any thing if i’m really pressed. but i still have the responsibility to act according to my judgement and my conscience.

After opting out of Boxers email list in 07 and Reid’s in 06, Today, I unsubscribed from Barack Obama’s email/website/whatever.

Reason?

FISA.

If appearing more agreeable and more centrist is his aim, well, he lost me.
No more money, caring, etc. I quit his campaign.

The last in a line of disappointing Democrats that appear to fight, to stand up and then…. fold.

((Russ and Chris Dodd, I still like you. ))

I sent money to some Senate race in Missouri a few years ago, and I can’t quite explain why…

Clinton

Don’t shred your flag liz. It’s not HER fault.
Do what I did. Go out and hang it upside down.
We are a country in great distress.

We are damned close to where our founding fathers were when they drafted the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights.
Waaaay damned closer today than we were yesterday.

Hang it upside down.

Just to wrap up this thread (for me), please know that the Obama campaign is as professional and efficient about issuing refunds of contributions as it is about everything else. Just send a fax to the main office on Michigan Avenue and adress it to “Compliance” and document your contributions. They remembered that I sent a fax and emails, immediately recognized my name (not sure that’s good!), confirmed my mailing address, and promised me I would have my refund within a week. So, get your money back if you are as pissed off as I am, but then give some of it to the money bomb, some to Blue America PAC, some to ActBlue (go Darcy!), some to ACLU, some to Progressive Patriots Fund.

(((And some for a stiff bottle of scotch)))

Very possible. But, I’m really hoping that will be not so easily accomplished. Of course, McCain says that 48 hours before the election there will be a sudden turn around. Very disturbing. I’d love someone to grill him for the information that allows him to make such a statement.

Please. Stop.

It’s not our country’s fault, it’s those asshole dictators and tyrants in the White House and NSA, and their puppets in Congress.

Don’t hurt the flag, the assholes have been doing far worse damage to our national reputation for the past seven years.

Here’s a working link for Glenn Greenwald; says it all:

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/?source=rss

I’d love someone to grill him for the information that allows him to make such a statement.

Enhanced interrogation?

(Hi LHP — difficult day, eh?)

Just by way of explanation: I was assuming, perhaps wrongly, that there wouldn’t necessarily be any defendant’s Motion to Dismiss as usual, since the unique reason in this instance is a new law applying to the hearing of the cases themselves, and so the Court would go directly to an Order to Dismiss. But I agree, if Walker has an opportunity to rule on Fourth Amendment issues here, he could well side with the Constitution. (Heywaitaminute, isn’t that the way all those officeholders are sworn to behave?)

(Ever notice how absolutely opposite to the fundamental paradigm of proper procedure the concept of ‘unique reason in this instance’ is? Counter to law, counter to science.)

I really have to leave the Lake, otherwise I might get fired. Need to do some real work this week.

But as I bug out, I hope someone will be able to persuade people not to destroy their American flags out of grief and outrage. It’s not the flag’s fault.

But the flag does not mean shit. It is a symbol, a piece of cloth used to make bikinis and underwear. Jingoists love it for wrapping themselves. It is not even cotton any more for chrysake it is made of nylon or rayon or some other product of a chemical company and stitched in china. It means diddly

Bushco spied and broke the law.

Lay it at “their” feet.

but bushco couldn’t have done it without the dems to facilitate and coverup. it’s not bushco’s crime alone – i wish it was, but that’s just not the way i see it.

Understood. I just didn’t trust the folks who compile the unsubscribe statistics to understand anything remotely as complicated as the linkage between ‘FISA’ (which is in the name of the bill) and the Constitution.

crap: forgot the linky (it’s up now on EW’s post)

and here’s strangebedfellows…….

here’s the strangebedfellows supporting cast…..

hope this helps: FWIW, I trust the accountabilitynow pac and strange bedfellows

I would not bet on that.

People here are very, very angry.

Rumor has it….

That Obama’s ‘cash cow’ operation, never what the corporatist press made it out to be has….

Dried up.

Would not bother me if the planned, by Miss Nancy at least, ’supermajority’ never appears. Miss Nancy would have one riled up caucus if that came to pass.

I hope you are right. She really is useless.

Ummm…I would never suggest such a thing here at the Lake, or on the telephone, or in an email…ahem. OTOH…He is experienced, perhaps he can tell us how to “not” enhance too much under our current government standards. Should be a real education.

that’s fair enough…. i’ll read up on the group…. and if i like what iread and see who’s a part of them that’ll help me make up my own mind ;o)

thanks for that and as i responded to selise i’ll need to check the gropu out….. the fact that the lake is a part of the SB tells me something ;o)

I was just about to say Al Gore in 08…but would he disappoint us also?
Perhaps the convention won’t be all that conventional.

Another thought: Bush gets to read all our emails, but we can’t read any of his (stonewalls Congressional committees asking for Whitehouse email).

I was reading, acutally re reading, Shakespeare lately and came across this undeniable put down in LEAR,

Thanks for the link!

oops, fingers don’t obey commands…
where Edgar calls Oswald “a base, proud, shallow, beggarly, threesuited, hundred pound, filthy worsted soticking knave”… seems to me a fitting description of our Senators. It means he doesn’t like them.

Even if we don’t like the way they voted on FISA, taking consolation that Teddy showed up to vote the Medicare bill forward, shaming the Rethugs…

at least our guys showed up.

McCain? No guts, no glory. AWOL.

i cannot explain it, but i’m not any more worried than i was before today.

that’s not a particularly positive message, because i’ve felt rotten for quite awhile.

i feel there are ways some major parts of this mess may sort out fairly quickly with a new administration (all except the financial-doldrums/health and samaritan aspects – not much, oh sigh).

for that to happen, we progressives MUST. NOT. GIVE. UP.

NOT stay home, NOT fall for the nasty kabuki, NOT tune out and run to 3rd party; these things are critically important to me. ymmv

Ian’s upstairs on Obama’s Sweet Nothings

If it takes the rest of my life… Never. Give. Up.

for example, lhp’s 179.

or the fact that BO just found out there’s an humungous army of worker ants out here, & they’re NOT pleased.

or… add water and set jar in sun… hey ma, it ain’t tea yet!?!

waaaaamulance! is premature and highly overrated strategerie, imho.

Thank you for that. It speaks volumes. … & the tears finally come. *g*

((((((SouthernDragon))))))

Can we get Nancy off the table so that we can put impeachment back on it?

Bob in HI

sayyyy… just what IS the median shelf-life of a speekr?

But I don’t see any reason Congress, Democrat or Republican, shouldn’t be held to account until January and frankly, I’ve been trying to point out that Obama’s not looking so great on foreign policy and I’m concerned about his NSC, which includes this rancid crap on FISA. All systems go as far as I’m concerned so we don’t have Bush III whether in the body of McCain or Obama.

It seems too many in support of him are doing so on identity politics and far be it from me, way way far, to say those aren’t important. But that’s the opening from both the right and the way the Dems are taking our support for granted that obscures the larger vision, the very same you lay claim to, LS. We know by now how this works and there’s no reason we shouldn’t be able to hold Democrats’ feet to the fire and Obama, too. Afterall, its been his advisors in Hildebrand Tewes that laid the strategy for mainstream “progressive” groups to lay off Dems for a year and a half now all the while advising the Obama campaign. Little conflict? But at the end of the day what that means is that we are at this moment because Obama’s very people sought to silence us against holding Dems feet to the fire in these very rugged and ragged days of injustice – domestically and in our foreign commitments.

You ask me to cut off one of my legs.

Just barely still morning (11:53). Our Sen. Danny Akaka voted right on all the amendments, but bluedog Inouye voted wrong on all three. I got up at 4 AM to call his office in DC, and he ignored each and every one of my recommendations. So today, I’m pronouncing “Inouye” as “annoy-ya”. Or maybe “ennui.”

Bob in HI

Will do. I caught your comment on a quick scan, might have missed it.

Bob in HI

The Naderites are also busy forwarding Ralph’s assessment of the cave-in. He’s mostly right in his analysis, so far as I can see.

Bob in HI

make up my own mind

oh, i would never suggest that you should replace your own judgement with mine.

FISA = the day America died….7/9/2008

It may not mean anything to you but it does for a lot of us on this thread.

Even with the legislation, there would have to be some mechanism under the Civil Procedure law for the judge to issue the dismissal. Thta mechanism is a motion.

Judges can make rulings sui sponte, that is , on the judge’s own motion, but if I were Walker, I would let the parties duke it out and then write an opinion.

An opinion finding the statute unconcstitutional.

nader has been mostly right for a long, long time.

not saying he should ever be president, but it’s long past time we pay attention to his analysis even if we come to different conclusions about what to do.

Looks like we need to go after Biden and Dorgan.

Wouldn’t that be great? Though no matter what happens in Walker’s court, it’ll go upstairs on appeal and be decided there (would you agree?). Is there anything Walker or the plaintiffs could do at their level, establishing-the-record-wise, that could conceivably make any difference for the appeals process?

Just called BO’s office at 312.819.2416 (the number from my credit card statement) and spoke to a nice, if flustered, man named Scott who said that they would process a refund of my donation. Unsubscribed from the e-mails, made a donation to the ACLU, etc. Time to visit with Jack Daniels and have a good cry.

In reading the National Bar Association letter that went out to Congress members and the New York State Bar Association letter that went out to Congress members IRT FISA (a few weeks ago), these legal associations pretty much mapped out the unconstitutional nature of the legislation (as did you,everyone here, Glenn, EW, bmaz…) One can only hope Walker will side with their written perspectives…

It would be amazing to watch an opinion of the statute as unconstitutional, get appealed and end up shot down by SCOTUS; especially with so many lawyers, from both sides of the isle as represented by these organizations, watching and shaking their heads at the fact that this is even a question before the court…

(((((babybrie))))
i’m all into G&T’s here.

hugz and companionship.
and mutual tearz.

Christy,

Forgive me for noting this so late in the day. My lateness does not lessen my sentiment…

You are a true Patriot.

Thank you.

I just called the Obama campaign and requested my donations back … They were not happy

I wish to be as erudite as possible when I say this: “Fuck them”

Not that there wouldn’t be a certain bookending quality to it, i.e. President Bush: Ushered in by SCOTUS, Ushered out by SCOTUS.

thanks siri, G & Ts are sooooo good, too.

I, too, just cancelled my emails from Barrack…what a shame…had “hope” that he would be different..guess I was wrong. Was going to donate next week…not now.

jimmy in nc

That would be very interesting. I didn’t get that from the TMP report, but there’s obviously a lot of confusion on this stuff.