Senate moves to give Bush more power to wiretap (Russ F. objects)

[rodeodance]

http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/New_Specter_0829.html


Senate moves to give Bush more power to wiretap

Brian Beutler
Published: Tuesday August 29, 2006

A bill that expands President Bush's ability to wiretap American phones and conduct other forms of domestic surveillance will likely appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee next Thursday, RAW STORY has learned.

The bill, which was written by judiciary chairman Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), and which has been widely and publicly excoriated by Democratic members of the committee, contains provisions—such as the institution of program-wide warrants, and warrants that do not expire for a year—that would weaken the strict limits that currently govern the FISA courts.

The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) was written nearly 20 years ago and offers guidelines about the legal use of wiretaps on phones inside the United States. It includes provisions for the use of courts to issue warrants if the government’s case against a suspect meets legal scrutiny.

The judiciary committee originally sought to bring the NSA wiretapping program into compliance with FISA, but in practice, critics claim, Specter’s FISA amendments actually give the president freedom to expand his wiretapping activities............

A statement released by the office of Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) states that Specter’s bill “gives him even more power than he has asserted under his illegal NSA wiretapping program.”

[gully]

1. I imagine we'll see more than Feingold protesting about this.

eom

[Oreo]

2. November 7th can't come soon enough!

[savemefromdumbya]

3. so what happens now?

[Stargazer99]

4. Ah! The Sheeple are sleeping!

Here comes Nazi Germany.

[mike_c]

6. but what about John Karr...?

:shrug:

[geardaddy]

11. Karr is so five minutes ago!

Warren Jeffs is the new distraction.

[AndyA]

5. The Dems need to stand united against this one. For a change.

I can't remember the last time when the Democratic members of Congress stood together about anything - unless you include the SOTU Address when they gave Bush a less than warm reception.

[Phredicles]

7. First, there better be a filibuster if

this abomination looks to have the votes to pass.

Second, if it does pass, would there still be the possibility that it could be challenged on constitutional/fourth amendment grounds?

[EST]

10. From what I understand, this bill is 100% DOA.

It is guaranteed to be challenged on constitutional grounds and will not stand.

[rodeodance]

13. what does that matter to them (those to who will support this bill)?

[EST]

14. This should get it nailed down as to what can be done and

who can do it. The tendency (my own, at least) is to stop this flouting of laws and constitution right now and then sort out the details. Unfortunately that will never get the lines drawn properly, because, when the pressure is off, if it ever is, nothing will happen-too many other problems to handle.

Arlen Specter is intensely concerned with getting his name in the history books and this is probably the last time he'll have to handle such an important issue and to make his mark.

[CrispyQ]

8. "I'm not doing anything wrong. I don't have anything to hide."

:grr:

[bdamomma]

9. people are willing to give up their civil liberties for security

this is so sick, just giving democracy away. WTF

[rodeodance]

12. this bill forgives Bush's transgressions of the law (create a new law afte

r the person BROKE the law). No talk of accountability.

[tbyg52]

20. No bill of attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

United States Constitution, Section I, Article 9.
(And they emphasized it in Article 10 by saying states couldn't do it either.)

"An ex post facto law is a law passed after the occurrence of an event or action which retrospectively changes the legal consequences of the event or action."
http://www.lectlaw.com/def/e086.htm

[bobthedrummer]

25. It is another "magic bullet" in this criminal conspiracy by the

creator of that cover-up component from JFK's assassination.

[MasonJar]

15. The people of the US are too busy either trying to make ends

meet or trying to spend themselves into bankruptcy or if rich, to get even more. They have no time for mundane things like fascist governmental policies. Look at how many think Bush is a Christian. That is a monumental laugh if there ever was one. They believe that Sadaam had a hand in 9/11 and even Georgie Porgy has disavowed that...probably on a Friday.

[tbyg52]

21. Yeah, and

the ranks of those just trying to make ends meet are growing all the time, thanks to the people who want to pass this law. Nice side effect of their policies--after (barely) making a living, we the people have no time left to pay attention to their shredding of the Constitution.

[texpatriot2004]

16. So, when the law is broken just change the law....GOP Corruption

and the Cover-up Congress. The evil bastard doesn't need more power he has failed to use the power he already has properly.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

18. Great moniker - The Cover Up Congress

....My opponent Congressman Neanderman participated in the Cover-Up Congress along with his other corrupt, republican buddies and allowed * to trample the constitution, tap your phone, read your email, etc .... You don't need a Cover-Up congress to be W's partner in crime, you need somebody to stand up for you. I'll stand up for your rights. Vote for me .....

It could also be a play The Cover-Up Congress with music by the Conservative Media Chorus. A tragi-comedy of epic proportions.

[texpatriot2004]

19. Thanks, I didn't make it up, got it here at DU but I use it all the

time because it is so true.

Love your ideas for its usage. A "tragi-comedy of epic proportions" - :rofl:

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

22. If they weren't fucking up the world, BushCo would be funny

Remember the pathological liar character on Saturday Night Live? I think it was played by John Levitz.

Whatever the skit, this character tells a whopper and then ratonalizes the lie. Over and over again.

BushCo: "What WMD's? It's about freedom and democracy for the Iraqi people.
Wiretapping? What wiretapping? Oh yeah, that wiretapping. Well it's legal for secret reasons that I can't tell you because they're secret, see?"

Media Chorus: "Look, over here, it's Jon Benet's killer, discovered after all these years!"

[texpatriot2004]

23. I know and if it weren't so sickening and serious it would be

funny.

[badgerpup]

17. So do we start making phone calls and sending emails?

I know they're not back from vacation yet...but would it help?

This one had fucking well better NOT pass!!
:nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: :nuke:

[sarcasmo]

24. Kick to the top. How can you get more power when he thinks he has

absolute power.