Bush Says Companies Need the Protection of the Wiretapping Law

[ashling]

Source: Bloomberg



By Holly Rosenkrantz

Feb. 23 (Bloomberg) -- President George W. Bush called on Congress to quickly pass wiretapping legislation when it returns from a recess on Feb. 25, saying that telecommunications companies need the law to help the government monitor foreign terrorists.

``The House's refusal to act is undermining our ability to get cooperation from private companies, and that undermines our effort to protect us from terrorist attacks,'' Bush said in his weekly radio address, the second week in a row he has discussed the issue.

***


Bush, in his radio address, said lawmakers who oppose the legislation are favoring trial lawyers over national security. ``Terrorists are planning the next attack on America,''. . . . we must protect our telecommunications companies from abusive lawsuits.''


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Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=aBjr65bpoMUk&refer=us

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I found the advertisement at the bottom of the article very telling.
:shrug:

[bluerum]

1. But kids once covered under SCHIP don't deserve/need to be protected.

The chimpen-fuhrer is a socially dysfunctional corpo-whore-pimp.

[Vincardog]

2. Translation: If lawsuits are allowed to go forward and they reveal the extent and timeing of the

illegal unconstitutional wiretapping I GWBusHitler ordered there is the possibility that I might have to face RESPONSIBILITY for the first time in my miserable existence.
PLEASE do not make me confront reality or I will hold my breath until the world turns blue.
And I will throw such a hissy fit that you will be sorry.

[Maat]

19. Yes, it would be tragic if he ever had to face up to his actions like a normal person would.

He and Darth would be serving life sentences for their crimes.

I had a client once (when I was a social worker) who got a seventeen-year sentence for doing what Uncle Darth did (shooting someone accidently after drinking at lunch), but when Uncle Darth does it, it's 'peppering.'

Sickening.

[dave123williams]

3. Well, if the TELCOS were invited to break the law, guess who was also breaking it?

Our little naked emperor, that's who.

Somebody should tell that dumbfuck that he doesn't have any credibility left with anyone, and that another terrorist attack will be HIS fault.

[eringer]

4. What About Qwest?

Weren't they the ones that had the sense to say no to the Bush White House? And what do they get? Well, I guess that they get a law that makes them play in this unholy game of spying on innocent American folks that may not agree with this adminstration's policies.

[PassingFair]

13. They got almost their entire leadership put in JAIL for insider trading.

Coincidence?

I think not.

http://www.sec.gov/news/press/2005-36.htm

Including their CEO and 8 other officers.

[samplegirl]

5. I wrote a few senators on this

Don't complain about it here, if your senator voted against this, GO TELL THEM WHAT YOU THINK. I just told Feinstein online and I'm sending a letter tonight.

These Democrats crossed party lines to support immunity for the telco's (they voted 'nay'). If you don't bother to say anything about it, then they will keep winning and we will be living in a police state shortly...

Bayh (D-IN)
Carper (D-DE)
Conrad (D-ND)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Webb (D-VA)
Clinton (D-NY) {not voting helps the majority}

[Preston120]

11. These are "Democrats"

Don't forget EVERY Republican senator rubber stamped G.W.
Bush's lawbreaking.  It's to bad you can't tell the
Republicans from Democrats without looking at there voting
record.

[atreides1]

21. I sent an e-mail to Webb

And in no uncertain terms I compared him and John Warner to the members of the Reichstag who voted in favor of the Enabling Act, and reminded him of the USMC motto of "Always Faithful", and suggested that he may have been confused when he swore to defend the Constitution.

As I expected I still have not received a reply from "my" senator.

[pdefalla]

6. There are already laws against "abusive lawsuits"

What Bush is looking for is protection against LEGITIMATE lawsuits. This is the tip of the iceberg. He wants to be able to coerce any company to do his dirty work for him, and be able to promise them immunity using the Telecoms as a precedent. But more importantly, he wants to make sure that NO LAWSUITS are filed at all, so that the depth of his evildoing will not be exposed. You can BET he's been wiretapping Democrats.

[Maat]

20. Exactly, pdefalla!

[OnyxCollie]

22. Apply that precedent to Blackwater. Oh, wait. They already have. nt

[mac2]

7. No Bush needs to spy on this political enemies and put fear in our

hearts. It has little to do with "terrorist" unless we spy on him and his gang.

[Bilbo Heugan]

8. Bushco is all about covering their ass with retroactive laws

nt

[BadgerKid]

9. Omniscience for $ and immunity

is what we're figuring, I figure. Especially domestic political opposition intelligence.

[dmosh42]

10. We always did, and will do wiretapping if...

the government provides a court order. I worked for 30 yrs with Nynex(Verizon), and there was never a problem, or delay for a judges order. BUT, we all knew it was ILLEGAL to tap phones without an order. A Fed law that went to the 40s made it illegal to do wiretaps. They knew better, but figured the corporations are above all our petty laws. Well, FUCK them!

[Baby Snooks]

12. Hmmmm...

So are the telecommunications companies worried about terrorists or terroristic attorneys?

[UpInArms]

14. I am sick and tired of *Co foisting his corporate agenda

off on the citizens of this country.

[Joanne98]

15. The spoiled brat never stops!

[Demeter]

16. Maybew ATT Has Made A Threat--Immunity, or It's No Phone For You!

Now, really, would the world suffer that much if George were disconnected? I mean, in a telephonic way? We already know he's disconnected in every other way.

[ixion]

17. * again shows his disconnection from real people

Most people hate the phone company, after suffering through years of their abuse and "special" fees. Now they've shown that they are nothing more than criminal institutions. I don't think this will go over well at all, and neither will the chimp's 'message'.

[Phred42]

18. Don't ya wonder what BEANS Telecom Sr Management would spill

to save THEIR butts if they DON'T get immunity?

I'll bet that shit-for-brains is just as afraid of what they might say in court as he is of anything else!

:rofl:

[grahamhgreen]

23. So, he's saying "CRIMINALS NEED PROTECTION" !

[ashling]

24. No, he's simply saying that

his portfolio needs protection :sarcas: :puke:

[defendandprotect]

25. Amazing how these nuts turn truth on its head . . .!!!

It's the public who needs protection from all corporations --- including the telecoms---