Bush Is Demanding Wiretapping Amnesty

[Buttercup McToots]

Bush Is Demanding Wiretapping Amnesty
Scott Horton wrote a wonderful piece for Harpers.

It is called 'The Boot is Descending' and here is a quote from the article regarding Bush's signing statement:

"When Congress returns in September the Intelligence committees and leaders in both parties will need to complete work on the comprehensive reforms requested by Director McConnell, including the important issue of providing meaningful liability protection to those who are alleged to have assisted our Nation following the attacks of September 11, 2001."

Here is a link to the story, just read it.

http://harpers.org /...

Bush Is Demanding Wiretapping Amnesty

Glenn Greenwald said on CSPAN that W is demanding amnesty for the government and telcos for wiretapping Americans. Jane Hamsher picks up the story.

http://www.firedoglake.com /...

This is the kind of thing that should have the Democrats screaming bloody murder. It's almost an admission of pervasive lawbreaking.

It also points out that the thing really bogging down the federal government has been its obsession with breaking law like FISA, destroying the DOJ, torture, and kiting all sorts of made up "executive privileges," then trying to hide its action and avoid investigation. As if the war weren't bad enough, it is this constant criminal activity that has really brought the government to a stop.

The question now is how many members of the Senate will rush to vote for this. Clearly Orrin Hatch, and Spectre, but how many Dems? This will be a combination of cowards, conspirators, and people who just want to see all these problems go away.

But as soon as amnesty is granted, we'll start getting hints of how bad things were. The Dems who are comlicit in all this will then shrug.



Here's what Bush wrote;

"When Congress returns in September the Intelligence committees and leaders in both parties will need to complete work on the comprehensive reforms requested by Director McConnell, including the important issue of providing meaningful liability protection to those who are alleged to have assisted our Nation following the attacks of September 11, 2001."


Something happened last weekend with that vote...don't know what but something...

[rurallib]

1. It is as if they know that warrantless wiretapping is --- illegal.

[Buttercup McToots]

4. That's what it's all about...

covering their asses...
:puke:

[Richard Steele]

6. Bingo. Just like so many other activities that occupy their time, it's ILLEGAL.

And now they want a Congressional "Get Out of Jail Free" card.

[The Backlash Cometh]

12. But, but, they're white men. Only hispanics and blacks have criminal genes.

And we have to rewrite the laws to continue that myth.

[NashVegas]

20. What Is This "If"?

None about it.

[never_get_over_it]

33. I have maintained

that whatever they are doing must be really bad if they balk so much at getting warrants. Original FISA gave them 72 hours after they started to get a warrant - but they claimed that was too difficult - then I heard one of the Dem proposed changes was to 15 days FIFTEEN EFFING DAYS and they still balked - and all that tells me is that whatever they are doing is so effing heinous that they know they would never get a warrant even from FISA court which is practically a rubber stamp

They'd better not give this freak amnesty....but they probably will and I'll be pissed all over again...shame on the Dems who voted for this and shame on the leadership for even bringing it forward for the vote....

[Debau2005]

2. Someone sounds guilty of something....nt

[TechBear_Seattle]

3. Any bets on how fast the Dems in Congress will cave?

I'm not even bothering to put up money on whether they will cave; I dare say it is a foregone conclusion. The only questions are how fast will it happen and how many crocodile tears will Pelosi et al. shed about how naughty the Junta is being.

[Exiled in America]

16. Well it won't be before they first talk real big and tough - then probably about a week later.

[peace frog]

21. They will fold like a cheap suit

at the first opportunity. Cowards.

[TahitiNut]

32. Well, they're not wearing Monica's Presidential Kneepads for nuthin'!!

:rofl:

(They looked a helluva lot better on Monica.)

[tecelote]

5. K&R

[zabet]

7. "Something happened last weekend with that vote...don't know what but something..."

Bush threatened to take the blue dogs to the pound. He just
neutered them instead.

[formercia]

8. Treason, Civil Liability and Contempt of Court cannot be pardoned.

http://www.usconstitution.net/consttop_pard.html

There are, however, things that a pardon cannot cover. The first and most obvious is impeachment, since it is specifically excepted in the Constitution. Civil liability cannot be excused - a harm against another can still be considered a harm even if there is no longer any criminal liability. Contempts of court cannot be pardoned, as they are offenses against the dignity of the court, and not necessarily offenses against the law. In the Constitutional Convention, a proposal to except treason was popular, but was defeated when the talk turned to granting the Senate only the power to pardon treason.

[rodeodance]

9. They want another foot after Congress just handed them a yard!---

[Oak2004]

10. I know what needs to happen

Every person who lives in a district whose rep/ state whose senator voted to gut FISA should get on their elected representative's case RIGHT NOW. If there are any people who could be primary challengers to the traitors, they need to announce to the press their intentions to challenge the traitors if they continue to vote to support Bush's trampling of the constitution. The rest of us need to send the traitors a letter, RIGHT NOW, pledging our financial support for any primary opponents they may have if they do not stop enabling Bush (bonus points if we can name potential primary opponents by name).

I'm writing my letters TODAY. Anyone else want to join me?

[Buttercup McToots]

11. I have been writing, calling, emailing

and faxing...over and over...
I don't think they are listening...
Any other ideas?
I like that old idea of sending tea bags...but...sigh...
I just don't know what else to do...
Is there anyone who will talk truth
in government today?
Anyone?

[robinlynne]

13. agreed.

[Fovea]

14. So how long before we give it to him?

a year, a month, a week, a day?

Any takers?

[formercia]

15. PerpeTRAITORS should never get a pass from Congress.

It sets a bad precedent that future administrations will use to justify illegal acts, that is if there is ever another legally elected Administration.

Just say NO!!!!!

[madfloridian]

17. Do you have the permalinks to FDL and Harpers?

I can't find the blogs as other posts have been made. Thanks.

:hi:

[Buttercup McToots]

18. Getting

http://harpers.org/archive/2007/08/hbc-90000790


I think this is it...
http://www.firedoglake.com/index.php?author=1

[NashVegas]

19. Right Here

http://www.harpers.org/archive/2007/08/hbc-90000742

But what happened was very important–another massive sledgehammer blow was taken to the foundations of our democratic institutions. And it was a thoroughly bi-partisan effort.

Here’s what occurred. The Bush Administration sought an amendment of FISA to overcome roadblocks that the FISA court threw in its way. It put its case to Congress in secret and sent its national intelligence czar to negotiate a deal. When he concluded an agreement, Bush rejected it. The White House replied with threats, essentially stating that as soon as another terrorist attack occurs, we will pin the blame on Democrats in Congress because of their failure to amend FISA to give us what we want.

[radfringe]

22. and who will stop him?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1548426

[Buttercup McToots]

25. Waxman doesn't even want to hear about

Sibel Edmonds...

[elmerdem]

23. wtf?

"who are alleged to have assisted our Nation following the attacks of September 11, 2001."

missing the end of the sentence: ", but actually committed illegal acts under me & my bff Gonzo & Dick."

[EVDebs]

24. So tell me, what is the FISA court good for nowadays ?

It's a useless vestige of the past and needs to be done away with now that Congress has made it extaneous to the Executive Office's perogatives.

Cancel the salaries of these judges IMMEDIATELY. It's a waste of taxpayer dollars.

[in_cog_ni_to]

26. I'm sure that's the first thing on the Dems' agenda when they return from their recess.

They will grant amnesty. I know they will. They passed the FISA Bill. If they can pass that, amnesty is the natural next step for them.

I heard one of the repuke congress-assholes on the floor, during the FISA debate, say...flat-out...."If a terrorist attack happens in this country because you didn't pass this FISA Bill, YOU will be blamed for it!" (paraphrased).

That's what happened. Fear! Fear! Fear! Terrorists are coming! Terrorists are coming! and the Dems fell for it hook, line, and sinker!

Then, we have the problem of another MIHOP.....JUST FOR THE DEMOCRATS ON RECESS.....SO THE THUGS COULD BLAME IT ON THEM FOR NOT PASSING THE FISA BILL. I don't, for one second, doubt this administration would do that.

Now that the FISA Bill has passed, what has happened to all that INCREASED CHATTER? Where are the "I have a gut feeling something will happen" this summer warnings???.....It's SO amazing that things could happen THIS SUMMER, isn't it? Just wait for NEXT SUMMER, months before the election..... We'll be told to buy bomb shelters it will be so dangerous! Where are all those Al Qaeda that supposedly gathered strength and are coming to the states? ANY such warnings THIS WEEK???? I haven't heard any.

On one hand, the dems are blamed if something happens and on the other hand the Dems are blamed if something happens, but COULD tell the TRUTH to the people that this administration hasn't implemented the 911 recommendations or secured our borders and it's THEIR FAULT we were attacked again. They could explain how well FISA has worked all these years UNTIL the psycho came to power. Who the hell has been in power for the last 6+ years??? REPUKES. Lay the damn blame where it belongs. The REPUKES are responsible for any and all security failings...NOT the Democrats. What's so hard about that? Then they could ask the people if they....

REMEMBER THIS?:


Tom Ridge's Mea Culpa:
The Code Orange Terror Alerts were based on Fake Intelligence
by Michel Chossudovsky

www.globalresearch.ca 12 May 2005

The URL of this article is: http://globalresearch.ca/articles/505A.html

"If we simply go to red ... it basically shuts down the country," (Tom Ridge)

"What a lot of Americans suspected all along turns out to be true. The color-coded alert system for terrorist attacks was a fraud." (www.North.Jersey.com )



Mea Culpa

After leaving his position at Homeland Security, Tom Ridge acknowledged that the post 9/11 terror alerts were often based on "flimsy evidence" and that he had been pressured by the CIA to raise the threat level:

The Bush administration periodically put the USA on high alert for terrorist attacks even though then-Homeland Security chief Tom Ridge argued there was only flimsy evidence to justify raising the threat level… Ridge .he often disagreed with administration officials who wanted to elevate the threat level to orange, or "high" risk of terrorist attack, but was overruled.

"More often than not we were the least inclined to raise it…Sometimes we disagreed with the intelligence assessment. Sometimes we thought even if the intelligence was good, you don't necessarily put the country on (alert). ... There were times when some people were really aggressive about raising it, and we said, 'For that?' " (USA Today , 10 May 2005)

A review of the three high profile code orange terror alerts confirms in all three cases that the intelligence had <snip>

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO505D.html

The Democrats need to find a spine and start standing up to these people! It might help if they cleanse the party of BLUE Dog doo too.

[Amonester]

36. They have that "silencing" Anthrax scare, or other sh*t we have no

idea about.

Or they don't know anything about that confession...

I'll go for both.

[KoKo]

27. Chilling......

[superkia]

28. I emailed my Representitive Steny Hoyer

and he nor anyone from his office even replied back. Next thing is the phone call and I'm guessing I wont be talking to anyone that can answer my questions or even gives a shit!

And my money says they will back the Bush Administration quickly, they cant have any probes going too far because my money says there are way too many that would end up going down with them. I think none of them want that can of corruption worms opened!!!!!

We need to come up with a good way to hurt the pockets of the companies that back all these crooks, thats the only way I think it can be done. We need to have something in place by September when they return to take care of Bush and his people when it happens.

Wouldn't they be in some way guilty of a crime if they go backwards on a law to cover up something illegal? Not that any of them would investigate but wouldn't they be accomplices?

[Buttercup McToots]

29. I dunno

what to do anymore...

[inna]

30. another link, please?....

your link simply goes to harpers home page.

i did a google search but i was still unable to find that article.

i'd like to read it, let me know if anyone found a correct link.

[leveymg]

31. Here's the deal: surrender peacefully, and you'll get a fair trial.

Otherwise, we're coming in after you.

[chill_wind]

34. Appeals court battles coming up NEXT WEEK. Heads up, people!

See my thread from this afternoon

Appeals Court Battle Over NSA Surveillance on August 15

Government Aims to Block Accountability for Illegal Spying on Americans

San Francisco - In the wake of Congress approving a dramatic expansion of U.S. warrantless wiretapping powers, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear arguments on the future of two critical lawsuits over illegal surveillance of Americans. The hearing is set for August 15, at 2 p.m. in San Francisco.

Hepting v. AT&T

Al-Haramain Islamic Foundation v. Bush

Much more:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1552075

The Unitary arsehole will just have to bite his nails on this one along with the rest of us. Congress doesn't come back until September.

[Buttercup McToots]

35. Bump...up

k