FISA for Dummies

[Jeffersons Ghost]

FOREIGN Intelligence Surveillance Act

US Senate passes wiretap bill, bowing to White House pressure

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Tuesday gave in to pressure from the Bush administration and passed a controversial measure authorizing security agencies to tap foreign telephone calls and emails while fighting terrorism.

By a vote of 68 to 29, the Senate passed the bill,offering blanket immunity to telecommunications companies, moving it to the House of Representatives where it faces stiff opposition from some Democrats.

After heated debate, the Senate authorized the security measure, which offers blanket amnesty to the telecoms for potential violations of US laws requiring warrants to spy on US citizens -- a notion some lawmakers in the House deplore.

The House version, which Bush is threatening to veto, offers no protection for the telecommunications industry and has more restrictions on the government's power. http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jF4GNiY9TNBjECFrD-XCJY-LM6MQ

In House hearings, Micheal Chertoff says that FISA is like RADAR and the most important tool in the US arsenal for detecting terrorism.

FISA has been around for nearly three decades and its earlier form does not essentially threaten the 4th Amendment.

In passing its version of the intelligence surveillance legislation on Tuesday by a vote of 68 to 29, the U.S. Senate, included a provision President Bush and Republicans seek. That provision provides immunity from prosecution to telecommunications companies that gave the U.S. government information on American Citizens without FISA or any other court warrants.

After a series of procedural delaying tactics by Republicans, the House finally began debating a Democrat bill to extend the existing law past the February 16 expiration date, which would be the second extension approved.

Earlier, President Bush challenged House Democrats to debate and approve the Senate-passed bill, saying the security of Americans is at stake. After a meeting with the president, House and Senate Republican leaders urged House Democrats to bring the Senate legislation to a vote. There is sufficient bipartisan majority in the House to pass the Senate bill.

Democratic House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer renewed allegations that Senate Republicans "slow walked" progress of the legislation through chamber, to put the House in a position of having no alternative but to pass the unacceptable provisions, which protect telecommunications companies that violated the privacy of millions of US citizens.

There has also been a great deal of discussion on the lack of funding for port and border security during the House debates.

When did Bush build a fence along the Mexican border that he promised to erect years ago?

When do lawmakers begin the more serious debate to repeal USA Patriot Acts I and II? Right after 9/11 USA Patriot Act I was touted as a "temporary measure" in combating terrorism. These two acts seriously curtail freedoms guaranteed by the 4th Amendment.

[Gore1FL]

1. I sent a couple letters

One I sent to Claire McCaskill expressing my disappointment. I told her I expected Kit Bond to be an idiot, but not her.

The other I sent to William LAcy Clay, asking him to hold the line in the South since the Senate chose not to.

The telcom immunity is a disaster. It Ok's previous Constitutional crimes, and allows future ones.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

2. FISA has been overworked and portrayed as negative here at DU...

I wrote this article to clarify both the negative aspect and the Democratic position on FISA. I hope this OP gets some real exposure, since I suspect many here at DU have been mislead by preceding posts.

[Gore1FL]

4. I don't think FISA itself is entirely bad

But the every increasing number of blank checks given to the Executive Branch is awful.

[Jeffersons Ghost]

5. but alot of people here at DU are growing to believe FISA is bad,

which is why i posted this article

[Jeffersons Ghost]

10. more...

"Information is the currency of democracy."

-- Thomas Jefferson

[lligrd]

3. When Republicans Join Us In Demanding Our Rights Back

probably after a Democrat is elected and they realize that the Obama or Hillary are able to wiretap them!

[SpiralHawk]

6. Republicons are loyal to the 'homeland,' not to the U.S.A.

As they prove over and over and over with what they do and say...

[Jeffersons Ghost]

7. do you mean "join us" like they did in opposing the Iraq occupation?

I'm not sure joining us would do it either.

To clarify "Dummies in the OP, that means me! I was ignorant and the time of night those interviews with Chertoff took place makes me think media wants to keep me that way.

[L. Coyote]

8. Wasn't there an immunity provision for BUSH in the first telecom immunity proposal?

[Jeffersons Ghost]

9. I'm not sure... I wasn't up to speed on this until I caught an interview with Chertoff...

late last night and then did some research. Was it a re-run or did media try to bury it?

[L. Coyote]

11. kick