JULY 8, 2008, Senate to VOTE

puremagic
puremagic Posts: 1,907
edited July 2008 in A Moving Train
Should telecommunication companies receive immunity for their illegal wiretapping? On July 8, 2008, the Senate will decide whether or not these activities are illegal or whether these telecommunication companies will have their pass crimes forgiven and be protected in the future under Amendment to the FISA Act.

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Reid Says Senate Will Vote On FISA Measure After Recess

Fri. Jun 27, 2008

Unable to clear procedural hurdles, the Senate will hold off voting on legislation revising the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act until after the Independence Day recess, Senate Majority Leader Reid said late Thursday.

Reid said the Senate would vote on amendments to the FISA bill July 8, including one to strip a provision in the bill giving telecommunications companies legal protection for participating in the National Security Agency’s warrantless electronic surveillance program.

The Bush administration threatened Thursday to veto the bill if the Senate amends it.

In a letter to Reid, Attorney General Mukasey and Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell said the bill is “a carefully crafted, bipartisan compromise negotiated in good faith by both sides over the course of several months. “Accordingly, if any amendment that would jeopardize the authorities and protections contained in this bipartisan compromise were to succeed, we, as well as the president’s other senior advisors, will recommend that he veto the bill.”

Although the bill is expected to pass, the Senate was unable to finish work on it before the recess due to objections by Democratic senators who oppose shielding the telecoms from lawsuits.

Sens. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., and Russell Feingold, D-Wis., two of the most ardent opponents of the bill, have offered an amendment that would strike a provision requiring a federal district court to dismiss lawsuits against the companies if they show that they received written directives from the administration that the warrantless surveillance program was legal and authorized by the president.

Critics point out that such directives were given to the telecoms, which means dozens of lawsuits against them are sure to be dismissed.

Reid said an amendment from Senate Judiciary ranking member Arlen Specter will be considered. It would require district courts to determine the constitutionality of the administration’s warrantless surveillance program before granting immunity to companies.

The Senate will vote on a third amendment, offered by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., Reid said. It would stay pending cases against the telecoms and delay the effective date of any immunity provisions until 90 days after Congress received a report from the inspectors general of the intelligence agencies on the warrantless surveillance program.
SIN EATERS--We take the moral excrement we find in this equation and we bury it down deep inside of us so that the rest of our case can stay pure. That is the job. We are morally indefensible and absolutely necessary.
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Comments

  • Sludge Factory
    Sludge Factory Posts: 976
    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080709/ap_on_bi_ge/terrorist_surveillance

    Well, it passed....Way to go for vanishing personal liberties and rights!
  • Urban Hiker
    Urban Hiker Posts: 1,312
    Fuckers :mad:
    Walking can be a real trip
    ***********************
    "We've laid the groundwork. It's like planting the seeds. And next year, it's spring." - Nader
    ***********************
    Prepare for tending to your garden, America.
  • puremagic
    puremagic Posts: 1,907
    Thanks for the update. What a sad, sad, day to see so many of our elected representatives both democrats and republicans fail America.
    SIN EATERS--We take the moral excrement we find in this equation and we bury it down deep inside of us so that the rest of our case can stay pure. That is the job. We are morally indefensible and absolutely necessary.
  • Urban Hiker
    Urban Hiker Posts: 1,312
    Mine didn't

    http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00168
    Walking can be a real trip
    ***********************
    "We've laid the groundwork. It's like planting the seeds. And next year, it's spring." - Nader
    ***********************
    Prepare for tending to your garden, America.
  • blackredyellow
    blackredyellow Posts: 5,889
    Urban Hiker wrote:
    Mine didn't

    http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00168


    Both of mine voted no...
    My whole life
    was like a picture
    of a sunny day
    “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
    ― Abraham Lincoln
  • Abookamongstthemany
    Abookamongstthemany Posts: 8,209
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOY8p40QfqA


    *for those who might not be able to youtube*

    Good morning.

    This is Ralph Nader.

    Today is Wednesday July 9, 2008.

    And I'm listening now to the debate on the Senate floor over legislation that will give President Bush new warrantless eavesdropping powers.

    The bill will also grant immunity to telecom companies for cooperating with

    Mr. Bush in his illegal warrantless wiretapping on Americans - on any one of you.

    We were taught as young children that in our democracy, under our system of justice, nobody is above the law - nobody.

    But this bill puts the President and the telecom companies above the law.

    It also conveniently assures a coverup of Mr. Bush's past crimes in this area - of wiretapping and surveillance.

    On the Senate floor, Senator Feingold has just warned his colleagues that the Senate "will regret that we passed this legislation.

    As my home state Senator, Christopher Dodd, said:
    "If we pass this legislation, the Senate will ratify a domestic spying regime that has already concentrated far too much unaccountable power in the President's hands and will place the telecommunications companies above the law.

    What does it say that Senators Dodd, Feingold, Harry Reid, and Patrick Leahy have led the valiant fight against this bill, but Senator Obama has said he will vote for it?

    Again, this bill gives the President vast new warrantless eavesdropping powers and allows the government - for the first time ever - to tap into

    America's telecommunications networks with no judicial warrant requirement.

    President Bush and the Democrats who support him argue that the telecommunications companies were only doing what they were told by the

    President and were acting as "patriotic corporate citizens.

    This is pure hogwash.

    First of all, corporations aren't citizens.

    Second, the President can't order anyone - citizens or corporations - to break the law.

    This legislation, which the Senate is debating right now, sets up a double standard of justice.

    Break the law as a citizen, go to jail.

    Break the law as a corporation, go to Washington and get immunity.

    Remember, there were telecom companies, such as Qwest, that refused to follow President Bush's illegal wiretap orders and chose instead to obey the laws of the land.

    The Senate is now posed to bury the rule of law.

    What to do?

    Join Nader/Gonzalez - the candidacy that will shift the power from the corporations back into the hands of the people.

    We strongly oppose the wiretap surveillance legislation that Obama and McCain support.

    We stand strongly with the American people and for the Constitution.

    The Nader/Gonzalez campaign is now at six percent in the most recent CNN poll.

    We're in the middle of a fundraising drive right now to put Nader/Gonzalez on the ballot in 45 states by September 20.

    Help us get there now.

    Go to votenader. org.

    Donate to your heart's content.

    For the Constitution.

    For liberty.

    For freedom.

    For justice.

    For shifting the power from the corporations, back into the hands of the American people.

    "We the people" are the first words of the Constitution - we should always remember.

    Thank you.
    PS: We invite your comments to the blog
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun
    LikeAnOpeningBandForTheSun Posts: 6,097
    whatever chances Obama had of getting my vote are quickly slipping away.
  • norm
    norm Posts: 31,146
    um...

    The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

    anyone remember this?
  • jeffbr
    jeffbr Seattle Posts: 7,177
    Urban Hiker wrote:
    Mine didn't

    http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=2&vote=00168

    Since we share the same senators, I'm part of the no vote. I'm happy to see a few senators are concerned with liberty (at least in this case). It is interesting that no Republicans sided with liberty, that McCain didn't vote, and that Obama sided with those who would take our liberty from us.
    "I'll use the magic word - let's just shut the fuck up, please." EV, 04/13/08
  • Urban Hiker
    Urban Hiker Posts: 1,312
    jeffbr wrote:
    Since we share the same senators, I'm part of the no vote. I'm happy to see a few senators are concerned with liberty (at least in this case). It is interesting that no Republicans sided with liberty, that McCain didn't vote, and that Obama sided with those who would take our liberty from us.


    Obama is making my pitch for Nader easier and easier.
    Walking can be a real trip
    ***********************
    "We've laid the groundwork. It's like planting the seeds. And next year, it's spring." - Nader
    ***********************
    Prepare for tending to your garden, America.
  • Its Evolution Baby
    Its Evolution Baby Posts: 849
    To play devil's advocate, you have to remember the fear mongering that Bush caused shortly after 9/11. It doesn't surprise me that the telecom companies went along with Bush's orders under the your either with us or against us pledge he was stating shortly after 9/11.

    So I DISAGREE with Obama that the wiretapping should continue. (look I disagree with him Abooks!)

    But I do side with Ammunity for the telecom companies.

    Only because everyone was confused and frightened after 9/11 and I don't think anyone should go to jail because of this.
    10/31/2000 (****)
    6/7/2003 (***1/2)
    7/9/2006 (****1/2)
    7/13/2006 (**** )
    4/10/2008 EV Solo (****1/2)
    6/25/2008 MSG II (*****)
    10/1/2009 LA II (****)
    10/6/2009 LA III (***** Cornell!!!)
  • unsung
    unsung I stopped by on March 7 2024. First time in many years, had to update payment info. Hope all is well. Politicians suck. Bye. Posts: 9,487
    Obama (D-IL), Yea
    Face it. Obama is no different than anyone else in Washington.


    People should have backed Paul for real freedom.
  • Sludge Factory
    Sludge Factory Posts: 976
    One of my senators voted no and one voted yes...
  • Urban Hiker
    Urban Hiker Posts: 1,312
    jeffbr wrote:
    Since we share the same senators, I'm part of the no vote. I'm happy to see a few senators are concerned with liberty (at least in this case). It is interesting that no Republicans sided with liberty, that McCain didn't vote, and that Obama sided with those who would take our liberty from us.


    I'm super surprised that Murray didn't vote 'yea'. But, I think our Senators often follow the lead of Clinton. So...
    Walking can be a real trip
    ***********************
    "We've laid the groundwork. It's like planting the seeds. And next year, it's spring." - Nader
    ***********************
    Prepare for tending to your garden, America.
  • Eliot Rosewater
    Eliot Rosewater Posts: 2,659
    What say you, Obama supporters?? What a fucking joke. Why couldn't he just not show up again or just vote "present"?...whatever he usually does??

    Unfortunately I live in the reddest of red states and it would take a miracle for either of my senators to EVER disagree with Bush. I'm writing them both letters right now to express my disgust.
  • Eliot Rosewater
    Eliot Rosewater Posts: 2,659
    unsung wrote:
    Obama (D-IL), Yea
    Face it. Obama is no different than anyone else in Washington.
    This certainly isn't the kind of change I want.
  • Eliot Rosewater
    Eliot Rosewater Posts: 2,659
    Eliot Rosewater wrote:
    What say you, Obama supporters?? What a fucking joke. Why couldn't he just not show up again or just vote "present"?...whatever he usually does??
    Anyone?

    Anyone??
  • fuck
    fuck Posts: 4,069
    Eliot Rosewater wrote:
    Anyone?

    Anyone??
    don't bother...
  • Abookamongstthemany
    Abookamongstthemany Posts: 8,209
    Eliot Rosewater wrote:
    What say you, Obama supporters?? What a fucking joke. Why couldn't he just not show up again or just vote "present"?...whatever he usually does??


    But he can take on Nader in a debate!

    *giggles*
    If you want to tell people the truth, make them laugh, otherwise they'll kill you.

    Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
    -Oscar Wilde
  • Rhinocerous Surprise
    Rhinocerous Surprise Posts: 4,423
    Abookamongstthemany wrote:
    But he can take on Nader in a debate!

    *giggles*
    :p He'd just agree with everything Nader said, or decline to comment, based on his voting record. :D
    Smokey Robinson constantly looks like he's trying to act natural after being accused of farting.

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