Huffington Post: The 15 Dems Who Tried To Block Telecom Immunity

[Amerigo Vespucci]

The debate over how the Bush administration has conducted its warrantless wiretapping program seems to be nearing a legislative end.

On Thursday, the United State Senate voted overwhelmingly to advance a legislative compromise on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, marking the beginning of the end of a fierce battle over civil liberties and national security that has been waged in the halls of Congress for more than three years.

And yet, for all of the political passions the issue engendered, the fight over FISA ended with something of a whimper. The final product -- much to the consternation of the progressive community -- gave the president wide authority to monitor terrorist suspects and collect communications from U.S. citizens without review. It also offered telecommunications companies that helped with the previously illegal program immunity from lawsuits, a hard provision to swallow for the program's opponents.

In the end, only 15 U.S. Senators were willing to resort to procedural tactics as a last ditch effort to hold up the legislation. The list of those who voted against cloture included:

Joseph Biden, DE
Barbara Boxer, CA
Sherrod Brown, OH
Maria Cantwell, WA
Chris Dodd, CT
Dick Durbin, IL
Russ Feingold, WI
Tom Harkin, IA
John Kerry, MA
Frank Lautenberg, NJ
Patrick Leahy, VT
Robert Menendez, NJ
Bernie Sanders, VT
Chuck Schumer, NY
Ron Wyden, OR

For the White House and the majority of the Senate, the FISA compromise has been hailed as a political breakthrough. "I think the White House got a better deal than even they had hoped to get," Republican Sen. Kit Bond told the New York Times.

Sen. Barack Obama, a reluctant supporter of the bill, said he would work to strip telecom immunity from its language. However, he added, "My view on FISA has always been that the issue of the phone companies per se is not one that overrides the security interests of the American people."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/26/the-15-dems-who-tried-to_n_109304.html

[Madam Mossfern]

1. That was written at 1:13 AM

What time did they vote?

I'm glad to see my two senators tried to block it.

[Blue Gardener]

2. I'll have to thank Senator Harkin

I wish there were more like him.

[Echo In Light]

9. Indeed

:hi:

[fasttense]

3. They voted in the dark of night hoping no one would notice

they sold out the American people.

Expect many more of these CYA bills. This is exactly the kind of legislation Pinochet rammed through just prior to leaving office, to protect the corporations who helped him murder union leaders and political opponents.

I expect someone to unearth the truth about the crimes committed by the telecoms and the bushes in about 50 years. Here's to cover ups.

I guess we can thank Obama and Hillary for helping move along this CYA legislation. Neither of them voted to protect our 4th Amendment rights.

I wish I had never given money to Obama.

[AndyA]

4. In the future, when it's too late to do anything about it, we're going to learn more about this.

We're going to find out why the opposing party intentionally FAILED TO DO THEIR JOBS.

We'll learn why Bush was allowed to break the law, then pass legislation after the fact to cover up their crimes.

I can't think of a more PATHETIC Congress. Ever.

Every one of them who voted for this should be REMOVED FROM OFFICE. They are complicit in the crimes of the Bush Administration.

[and-justice-for-all]

5. Cheers to them!! The rest can fuck off!! nt

[ColonelTom]

6. We can tell it's not chicken salad.

Honestly, I wouldn't be as upset with Sen. Obama if he had just stayed out of the fray entirely, rather than making vague promises to "work to strip telecom immunity" and then going AWOL when it came time to act. Yes, he's probably better served in the general election by not putting his neck on the chopping block here. And getting the left to scream bloody murder at him will probably pick him up some votes from the center, perhaps more than enough to offset those whom he loses. I get the expediency argument - really, I do.

But why state that you'll "work to strip telecom immunity" and then not even support procedural moves to delay the vote? Sen. Obama could have done exactly what he did without making that statement, which appears not to have been true. (I qualify my statement because none of us know what, if anything, he did behind the scenes. I'd certainly like to know.) He may gain votes overall from his position on FISA, but from the looks of it, he's now going to have to work that much harder to attract more money from the progressive donors (myself included) who supported him strongly in the primaries.

[MiniMe]

7. How can a single republican manage to prevent legislation from getting to a floor vote

But 15 democratic Senators can't? That is what bothers me.

[ReverendDeuce]

8. Go 'Bama! Go Biden! n/t

That Joe, he's my guy!

Obama-Biden all the way!

[Trekologer]

10. Well at least...

Both my senators from New Jersey are on there.

[ananda]

11. This sure sucks.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/06/25/congress.surveillance/index.html?iref=newssearch

[lame54]

12. How many does it take to fillibuster?

[jtrockville]

13. One. But I think it's too late to filibuster.

They voted on cloture last night.

[lame54]

14. That doesn't answer the question

[mdmc]

20. one Senator can filibuster

then Reid calls for an end to the filibuster. 60 votes end it. You need 41 votes to continue the filibuster

[HooptieWagon]

15. Let history call them patriots...

... and defenders of the Constitution.

<Patriot List>

Joseph Biden, DE
Barbara Boxer, CA
Sherrod Brown, OH
Maria Cantwell, WA
Chris Dodd, CT
Dick Durbin, IL
Russ Feingold, WI
Tom Harkin, IA
John Kerry, MA
Frank Lautenberg, NJ
Patrick Leahy, VT
Robert Menendez, NJ
Bernie Sanders, VT
Chuck Schumer, NY
Ron Wyden, OR


Those who voted in favor will be regarded as traitors.

[wtmusic]

16. A "reluctant supporter of the bill"...such bullshit.

You support it or you don't. Obama caved.

[rusty fender]

17. Again, what's the difference between the Dems and Repugs?

Are the Dems really all that better than the Repugs?

[wtmusic]

18. One starts with "D". nt

[L0oniX]

19. I would vote to keep them all in office but I am going to vote anti-incumbent Dem in my state.

Nelson and Bill Young can both kiss my ass.