Wiretap Law Expires As Dems Stand Up To Bush

TPMmuckraker:

What happened? The administration did everything right. The invocation of "countless American lives" hanging in the balance, the specter of terrorists delightedly chatting away undetected, the urgency emphasized by a threat to delay a long-scheduled presidential trip to Africa in order to secure the nation against attack.

That's right, the Protect America Act, the surveillance bill the administration pushed through Congress last August in a brilliantly executed squeeze play, will expire at midnight. The House should have already folded by now and simply passed the Senate's surveillance bill, complete with retroactive immunity for the telecoms. But the Dems haven't; they're sticking to the bill they passed months ago. What gives?

Read the whole story: TPMmuckraker

Comments

[SaintN]

10:42 PM on 02/16/2008

Just Yuk It Up!

...and just last week the same Democrats voted to give Bushs's $Billionaire Telecom buddies "Immunity" for all their illegal spying on Americans!
So this expiry of the surveillance law means nothing because Bush or Cheney can secretly signal for more illegal wiretaps and then grant everybody involved "immunity"!

[Liam]

09:21 PM on 02/17/2008

No, actually, they didn't.

The Senate did, but the house version of the same bill did not.

That's what this whole article is about. Once the Senate had passed their bill, there are several things that can happen. First, the House could just ratify the Senate version. Second, members of the House and Senate can come together in a conference committee to resolve the differences between the bills, after which both houses must ratify the new version.

In this case, at least so far, the House said "the heck with that, we don't want to give immunity, and you won't sign the bill without it, so we're just going on our 12 day vacation and leaving the original bill to expire."

As of this moment there IS NO Telecom immunity law. Of course, given that the Democrats have shown about the same strength as a toothpick, I don't know whether to expect that to last long after they get home.

But for right now, the Telcoms are NOT immune from prosecution or suit.

Liam.

[Seattlelite]

02:13 AM on 02/16/2008

It's about time the democrats show they have a back bone. Perhaps they're standing up a bit straighter because they see a dem President in their future. Whatever the case maybe I appreciate them standing up for our right to privacy and bring the violators to task.

[BrickSykes]

01:00 AM on 02/16/2008

Well, I don't think we'll have another "Pearl Harbor" event just because we let this bill die. I could be wrong, of course, but I don't think any interested party has enough time to plan and execute any kind of significant attack solely based on expiration. At least not one that could blamed with certainty on the "Democrats failure."

There is NO question that GB43 is blowing some brand of Smoke, or other. We've all watched him these 7+ years and we know when he's doing it. We know too, of course, that whoever writes his speeches is blowing smoke, don't we? Now we all get to watch while our country, according to him, is more vulnerable than ever, and about which HE can do nothing. This event will stand out in History as a period of time The President FAILED to protect the Security of American Citizens, won't it?

We all know that Congressional Democrats will be catching Hell from the MSM, Talk Radio, the RNC, and, the White House, but, SO WHAT? What else is New? The White House and Congressional Republicans have NO ONE TO BLAME BUT THEMSELVES!

So, let's see. The TELECOMS have NO Immunity under the ludicrous 'Protect America Act' and Josh Bolten and Harriet Miers are going to be picked up for Contempt of Congress, is that about right?

Not a Bad Week's Work, Democrats! Providence is indeed smiling down upon you! And, THANK YOU!!

Brick

[loki]

10:27 PM on 02/15/2008

I bet they will figure a way to either extend it, or just pass it. Pelosi and Reid would never allow Bush to be disappointed.
And I would bet that Dumborats will be afraid that Rethugs will try to say they are unpatriotic and soft on terrorist.
I think by standing up against Bush, is one of the strongest stands you can take against terrorist.

One worry I have is even though Bush said he would postpone his world junket tour, I read he has left already. Now this could be to be out of the country while one of his close associates launch a deadly , and pre approved attack somewhere in America to reignite the fear factor and allow Bush to say, ' I told you so'. People are dumb enough to elect Bush king of the world if this happened. And it seems many Americans are just dumb. Look at the way they vote.

Whats that old saying..

There is an endless supply of people.

But a shortage of thinking human beings.

Look at the people we elect, and I think you will have to agree that statement is more truth than theory.

[MissingAmerica]

05:26 PM on 02/15/2008

Please, for once, don't cave in to Dubya's demands! He is a moron who is clearly despised by roughly 75% of Americans. A Congress with ballz would have removed him long ago. We must stop caving in to this tyrant! Hold firm for America!

[LeftLeaner]

04:55 PM on 02/15/2008

For the moment - Don't hold your breath

I waiting any moment now that the DEMS have caved in again - as usual.

[JerryJef]

04:55 PM on 02/15/2008

Well, I'll be damned. Praise Jesus and all the Saints and Heretics of Ireland. The Democrats have found a backbone. I wonder if they will know what to do with it?

Good work, fellas!

Let's try something just for the hell of it. Carve out the telecomm immunity and put it in a separate bill and see how bad George wants the PPA then.

[Bushwillresign]

06:57 PM on 02/15/2008

We also need to ask the republicans why the dems call it "illegal" and why the telecomm's need immunity if what they are doing is legal?

[Liam]

03:30 PM on 02/15/2008

What I don't think most people are recognizing is that by his words, Bush is telling people that he'd rather America was hit again and that American citizens died, than that the Telecom giants went unprotected from lawsuits for actions he won't even admit that they took.

My proof of this is this:

1) Bush says "If we don't have this law by Friday, terrorists will hurt Americans."
2) Bush and the Republicans in Congress reject the idea of a temporary extension of the current bill. So apparently we'd rather have nothing than have the same powers we have now while a longer term solution is worked out.
3) Bush says he'll veto the bill if it doesn't include Telecom retroactive immunity.

So essentially, if the Congress doesn't give him the bill, it's a threat to Americans, but if it doesn't include protection for the Telecoms, then it's worth the added threat to Americans to insist on it.

And this is the guy the extreme right-wing thinks is so wonderful on terror?

C'mon....

Liam.

[syllepsis]

04:31 PM on 02/15/2008

I wonder what he was telling the telecoms to monitor before 9/11.
It certainly wasn't terrorists.

[Bushgirlsgonewild]

03:24 PM on 02/15/2008

.

And the retardicans called this bill the 'Protect America Act'.

Next, they'll rename the Constitution the
'Anti-Corporation & Free Enterprise Act" because it exists to 'form a more perfect union.

.

[vippy]

03:06 PM on 02/15/2008

Oh yes, we are all about fancy titles like PROTECT AMERICA ACT LOL. Don't you think they have figured the uneducated masses who fall for such phrases, which mean absolutely nothing.
Another one is the word "PATRIOTIC" then let the Veterans end up on the street or send the injured ones back into battle. When will the people wake up and demand more than empty words, we need ACTION!

[hazmaq]

02:43 PM on 02/15/2008

"BREAKING'

TELECOM INDUSTRY WON'T STOP TERRORISTS -FOR FEAR OF BEING SUED" ....says the Prez.

"DEMOCRATS WANT TERRORISTS IN COURT RATHER THAN DEAD" ...says Mitch McConnell.

Sounds to me like the President and the Republicans are more afraid of attorneys than terrorists...??

VIVA ATTORNEYS!!

[JustifiablyParanoid]

02:19 PM on 02/15/2008

I won't believe it till I see it.

[dax49]

02:03 PM on 02/15/2008

boehner's speech about protecting americans was a hoot in light of how well he protected the senate pages. wasn't it funny how the microphones were already set up for a photo-op when they walked out? diaz-balart showed once again just how callous t6he republicans are, i hope the people of florida took note, but what do you expect of people who put jeb bush in office.

[GenXer]

03:01 PM on 02/15/2008

In addition, the spying started before 9/11 and did not prevent it.

Bushco
Wrong on freedom
Wrong on security
Wrong on economics
Wrong for America

I am not running for president and I approve this message.

[KarenZipdrive]

01:47 PM on 02/15/2008

The Democrats will likely fold.
I will never understand how Bush has demonstrated nothing but incompetence, yet all his insane wishes have thus far been granted by Congress.
I thought we voters issued a mandate a few years ago when we gave the Senate and Congress a Democratic majority.
I may be a Yellow Dog, cradle to grave Democrat, but this current batch is just plain weak.
Nancy Pelosi has become the lead lemming in this batch of clowns.

[Bushgirlsgonewild]

03:08 PM on 02/15/2008

.

Correction: 'thus far granted by A REPUBLICAN CONTROLLED Congress."

And Chimpy in return acted like Larry Craig and bent over for them on everything they wanted as well.

[tililek]

01:40 PM on 02/15/2008

when I think about saving American lives, it does remind me of Katrina and the lives of people in the Gulf area, they are real, Bush's are, as usual, imaginary.

[rjean]

02:36 PM on 02/15/2008

it was louiaiana job to save those lives...NOT BUSH...............they did a p*ss poor job under dirty dems down there...

harp on...wha wha wha

[Joeblue]

10:05 AM on 02/16/2008

Idiot!