Many supporters of Barack Obama were dismayed last month when he announced that he would support the legislation. Indeed, more than 20,000 have joined a group on his campaign website urging him to reject the bill; the group is now the largest on his website. But thus far, Obama has maintained his support for the bill.
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Civil libertarians' last stand against expanded government surveillance will occur in the Senate, in a vote that is expected to occur this week. So far, the determined opposition of a small group of Senators led by Chris Dodd and Russ Feingold has managed to stall the legislation for a couple of weeks. Dodd has signaled that he will continue using every weapon at his disposal to stop the legislation. But with Democratic leaders lining up in support of the bill, Dodd and Feingold face an uphill battle.
I know the cynics and disheartened don't feel that it makes a difference, but when Senators and Congressmen get blasted by phone calls from citizens all day for several days telling them to vote against something, they do listen. I spoke to a staffer in one senator's office who said she had been receiving calls like mine all day and they were overwhelmingly in opposition to this bill, and this was a Republican senator.
Before people throw their hands in the air and walk away, take the same two seconds it took you to post here and call your senators and tell them to block this bill. Tell them to vote it down and support a filibuster. Then call your congressman and either praise or scold him or her for their vote. It takes just a second, the staffers are usually helpful and pleasant, provided you are polite as well. And yes, it must be a call. Emails and faxes aren't as important as they are easier to send. Calls send the message that you cared enough to pick up the phone and speak out.
Crucially, there appears to be no limit to the breadth of "authorizations" the government might issue. So, for example, a single "authorization" might cover the interception of all international traffic passing through AT&T's San Francisco facility, with complex software algorithms deciding which communications are retained for the examination of human analysts. Without a list of specific targets, and without a background in computer programming, a judge is unlikely to be able to evaluate whether such software is properly "targeted" at foreigners.
I think I might actually call my senator's office about this :o
The survival of this legislation has been driving me crazy. The Democratic Congress has been very disappointing, though I probably shouldn't be surprised that it merely sucks less than the one before.
Civil libertarians' last stand against expanded government surveillance will occur in the Senate, in a vote that is expected to occur this week. So far, the determined opposition of a small group of Senators led by Chris Dodd and Russ Feingold has managed to stall the legislation for a couple of weeks. Dodd has signaled that he will continue using every weapon at his disposal to stop the legislation. But with Democratic leaders lining up in support of the bill, Dodd and Feingold face an uphill battle.
The new boss is the same as the old boss...just with more meaningless rhetoric.
QuoteCivil libertarians' last stand against expanded government surveillance will occur in the Senate, in a vote that is expected to occur this week. So far, the determined opposition of a small group of Senators led by Chris Dodd and Russ Feingold has managed to stall the legislation for a couple of weeks. Dodd has signaled that he will continue using every weapon at his disposal to stop the legislation. But with Democratic leaders lining up in support of the bill, Dodd and Feingold face an uphill battle.
There was a candidate that has a rediculously strong history of small government. There was a candidate that promised to bring the troops home immediately. There was a candidate that supported ending the drug war.
You guys really think the democrats are that different than the republicans? That's laughable.
There was a candidate that wanted to go back to the gold currency and let children without health insurance die because their families were poor, too.
There was a candidate who had a magazine that peddled racist propaganda.
I'm just saying guys, Obama isnt going end the IRaq war and he isnt going to stop the expansion of government like the patriot act and this FISA bill bullshit.
God damn democrats are so fucking stupid.
Oh shit racist people like hamburgers too that means hamburgers are racist also!!! ::)
Triumph your just proving my point that democrats are fucking stupid and couldnt debate their way out of a paper bag let alone an internet forum. 90% of your responses to me have been "Racist" or some crappy Photoshop.
Lazy unemployed fatases like yourself can already get socialized healthcare.
I hate Jews and Negroes and those of the impure breeds.
20 June 2008
Rep. Ron Paul, M.D.
Madam Speaker, I regret that due to the unexpected last-minute appearance of this measure on the legislative calendar this week, a prior commitment has prevented me from voting on the FISA amendments. I have strongly opposed every previous FISA overhaul attempt and I certainly would have voted against this one as well.
The main reason I oppose this latest version is that it still clearly violates the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution by allowing the federal government to engage in the bulk collection of American citizens’ communications without a search warrant. That US citizens can have their private communication intercepted by the government without a search warrant is anti-American, deeply disturbing, and completely unacceptable.
In addition to gutting the fourth amendment, this measure will deprive Americans who have had their rights violated by telecommunication companies involved in the Administration’s illegal wiretapping program the right to seek redress in the courts for the wrongs committed against them. Worse, this measure provides for retroactive immunity, whereby individuals or organizations that broke the law as it existed are granted immunity for prior illegal actions once the law has been changed. Ex post facto laws have long been considered anathema in free societies under rule of law. Our Founding Fathers recognized this, including in Article I section 9 of the Constitution that “No bill of attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.” How is this FISA bill not a variation of ex post facto? That alone should give pause to supporters of this measure.
Mr. Speaker, we should understand that decimating the protections that our Constitution provides us against the government is far more dangerous to the future of this country than whatever external threats may exist. We can protect this country without violating the Constitution and I urge my colleagues to reconsider their support for this measure.
Rep. Ron Paul, M.D.
20 June 2008