UPDATE on FISA Filibuster!

[scrappydo]

"Anyone watching C-SPAN? Senator Reid just informed his colleagues that, because of all the other bills in the queue (like the housing bill, and the Iraq supplemental), FISA may not get a vote until after the July 4 holiday recess.

This is honestly the best we can hope for with this bill. Sens. Dodd, Wyden and Feingold are ready to filibuster and gamely trying to get colleagues to do the same (Sen. Dodd's speech tonight was a bravura performance), but realistically there aren't the numbers to stop cloture. However, that could change if the delay continues. And getting this to the recess means being able to get in a lot of Senator's faces on their trips back home. In addition, there's going to be a very short window in August where a ton of must-pass bills have to get through Congress, and throwing FISA in with that mess means that anything can happen."

Now, after that bleak bit of hopefulness: I'm sad to report that it's only because the Senate REALLY REALLY wants to pump billions into endless war in Iraq that we have a shot to delay the deletion of the Fourth Amendment. Quite a Hobson's choice. This is more an acknowledgment from Sen. Reid that he finds the housing bill and the Iraq supplemental (which includes unemployment benefits extension and the GI Bill) to be more important than FISA, and so he's going to prioritize. I don't think it means anything more than that. Overall, the fix is still in. All we can do is keep trying to delay. Money is flowing to those who flipped on telecom immunity in the House. For the phone companies, it's a small price to pay - while liability wouldn't bankrupt them, it'd be a bigger hit than the pennies they're spending to bribe legislators."


MORE AT: http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/6/24/223033/176/554/541517

[gateley]

1. Yes, but with the delay, more money could be flowing to the Senate, too.

I was enraged when I saw the info about who changed their votes from last time in the House and how much they'd received from the telecoms in the interim.

[scrappydo]

2. ON THE OTHER HAND....

I believe Reid and Pelosi miscalculated the ire of the American voters in regards to the immunity provision. They may have to face that ire when they are on their break....perhaps marshmallow Reid has come to the conclusion that the Democrats have to take a stand against the immunity provision....one can only hope.

[cui bono]

3. Do you have a link to that info? I'd love to check it out.

Although my Rep is pretty great, he did not vote for it.

[janet118]

9. Here's the link to article on telecom contributions

Maplight

[cui bono]

14. Thank you! n/t

[thoughtcrime1984]

4. Where do you get that info? I want it...nt

[cui bono]

15. See comment #9 above.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=6408497&mesg_id=6408630

[cui bono]

16. I would LOVE to see my Rep's name on the list.

Because he voted against it. That's what they should do, take the money then not vote the way they were "expected" to.

[gateley]

17. Unfortunately, my Rep's name is on it.

Usually when I write him his office responds quickly. I contacted him the day of the vote and asked him to explain to me HOW he could support such a bill. Didn't hear back from him yet.

Now I know why he voted that way.

I'm going to include this info in my e-mail to him tomorrow -- AND I'm going to call his office. I will also threaten to take this to the local news outlets.

I am so fucking disgusted.

[thoughtcrime1984]

19. Mine is as well, disappointing to say the least.

I was under the impression that the Representative of Wisconsin's Third Congressional District was a great legislator, now I have reason for pause.

[gateley]

20. I sent mine an e-mine an e-mail:

I believe I now understand why you changed your vote on FISA. You must be proud of yourself. And you didn't even get top dollar.

And included the link. I'm so made because I'm HURT - and I shouldn't be so naive.

[dailykoff]

5. Sure hope so..

Hoyer and crew depend on the element of surprise just like Bush and Cheney, oh wait, same crew.. :mad:

[Cha]

6. We'll see what happens tomorrow then..

Thanks for the update, scrappydo.

[scrappydo]

10. You are welcome!

[Canuckistanian]

7. Thanks for the post

Maybe there's time to expose those in the House who took the bribes.

But I ain't holding my breath.

[scrappydo]

11. Not a problem!

My whole understanding is that one of the reasons some want the immunity clause pulled is because if there is no immunity then the powers that be in those companies would run to Congress and start blabbing about who EXACTLY in the White House put them up to violating our Constitutional rights. I may be all wet, but it certainly makes sense to me.

[Vadem]

8. Dang! I was watching Dodd and he adjourned the Senate until...

9:20 am tomorrow morning! Are you saying that they are still on the Senate floor?

My comcast has the National's station on my C-Span2 in Alexandria! Bastards!

[scrappydo]

12. No, the hearings have switched to another topic. Do not expect any further action

until after the Fourth of July break or even later.

[Inuca]

24. Not true

What Reid said is that if they cannot get more action on the housing bill that is being stalled for unknown (to me) reasons by the repubs, he will not be able to get to the FISA and defense authorization bills before the break. I read that as a way to force McConnell's hand to let go of whatever reason he claims for keeping the housing bill from moving on. Reaid also kept repeating that if indeed they will not be able to move to FISA, etc., it will be the republican's fault. It may also be another maneuver, similar to last winter, to delay doing anything on FISA, I don't know....

[dixiegrrrrl]

13. Deja vu anyone?

This what Reid did last time. He saw the immunity bill was getting bumpy, and announced a delay.
I think I remember he did it before that, on another controversial bill.
Then he hopes it slithers thru un-noticed.

Anyone got a better memory?

[Inuca]

25. Actually

delaying the FISA bill last winter was seen as a victory, albeit a temporary one. Reid is against immunity, and he said yet again tha he will cosponsor the ammendement that Dodd and Feingold want to introduce to strip immunity from the bill. That's at least my understanding of what is going on.

[Youphemism]

18. The FISA battle was lost when the House passed it...

Democrats have a better majority in the house, and over a hundred(!) of them defected.

In the Senate, their status is "even plus Goober." And Goober (Lieberman) won't be with them on FISA.

If the Bush machine could get over 100 Dems to defect in the house, what chance do you think there is in the relatively evenly divided Senate? They won't be able to delete Telecom immunity. They won't be able to filibuster for long. It's all lip service at this point, and Reid all but admitted that with the defeatist "we'll try" comment.

I'm as annoyed by FISA as anyone. But to be realistic, I think the battle is already over.

I'm not suggesting that anyone stop lobbying against it. I submitted an angry protest, myself. But, though I'm annoyed with Obama for giving in, I think he was basically responding to the amazing and overwhelming cave-in by House Democrats. There has to be some reason that over 100 of them gave in to a lame duck loser.

They're the folks I'll blame most. But given that FISA is a reality, that's all the more reason to make sure Obama is elected. You don't want a Bush clone to have that power again.

[jonnyra]

21. Given that FISA is a reality

Given that FISA is a reality and given that Obama and the dems pushed this lawless piece of trash through and given that the elections in this nation are completely corrupted...IM OUT. IM DONE. Y'all can keep pretending these people give fuck about We The People. I for one am through thinking these people are honest enough and smart enough to do the right thing. I will not cast a vote for any person or party who supported this BS.

[high density]

23. FISA has been a reality for 30 years, buddy.

Adios.

[Youphemism]

26. Go ahead and let the door hit you in the butt on your way out...

Today is another one of those days when I'm fed up with childish behavior by one-note-wonders who let their emotional reactions blind them to the fact that politics is not the process of getting what you want, but the fight to give away as little as possible.

Laws have the overwhelming tendency to take away more rights than they provide. Both sides of the fence are writing laws, not erasing them. Do the math.

All you can do is try to pick the lesser of two evils. Elections are not a candy store you get to run around in until you find what you want. They're a minefield you try to navigate using logic and intuition. The goal is not to find a pot of gold, it's to get out with your limbs and genitals intact.

So, go home. You're obviously a quitter. If you didn't give up over this, it would be something else.

(End of rant.)

[a kennedy]

22. Thanks scrappydo and welcome to DU

:patriot: