Dems Set To Cave On FISA, Immunity For Telecoms

Salon :

The signs are unmistakably clear that what was always inevitable -- full compliance by the House Democratic leadership with Bush's demands on warrantless eavesdropping and telecom amnesty -- is now imminent. House leaders spent the week floating their specific proposals for how they intend to comply in full, and yesterday, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes went on CNN with Wolf Blitzer, refused to criticize the President or the Senate FISA bill, and repeatedly and meekly expressed his willingness "this week" to give what he called full "blanket immunity" to telecoms (C&L has the video of Reyes' astoundingly weak and incoherent answers in response to Blitzer's Bush-mimicking questions).

This is, of course, everything except surprising. No rational person who has watched Congressional Democrats since they took over Congress could possibly have expected them to do anything but what they always do: namely, whatever they're told to do by the White House. The last thing they were ever going to do was stand their ground over Americans' basic liberties and the rule of law, concepts about which they couldn't possibly care less.

Read the whole story: Salon

Comments

[KaySieverding]

I was put in jail for 5 months without a warrant specifying an offense, being told my rights, having a government prosecutor, or having an evidentiary hearing. The FBI says I was in jail for general civil contempt, which is not a known offense. Judge Edward Nottingham said:" upon finding that Kay Sieverding is in contempt of court, the Court will remand her to the custody of the U.S. Marshal for the District of Colorado until she purges herself of the contempt of court by agreeing to voluntarily dismiss the lawsuits". Now, 9 News in Denver http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=87702
"The driver told 9NEWS he took prostitutes to meet Judge Nottingham at two locations in the Denver area about 10 times during the summer of 2007.

One of those locations is a condo in Denver listed as the residence of Edward Nottingham III, the judge's adult son. The son's name is listed on the condo directory at 1489 Steele Street, apartment #307, Denver.

The driver says the prostitutes would mention Judge Nottingham by name before and after their appointments with him and frequently referred to the judge by his nickname: "Naughty."

The driver described one conversation with a prostitute about Nottingham. "She was like, well, 'It's Naughty.' I said, 'Who's that?' She said, 'A federal judge.' She said, 'He's on some big trials and stuff like that.'"

The driver also told 9NEWS he met the judge in person, then later looked him up on the Internet and saw his picture.

The driver says he saw Judge Nottingham outside the condo complex on Steele Street interacting with the prostitutes several times.

"They always seemed pretty affectionate, you would almost think they were a couple by the way that they acted together," the driver told 9NEWS. "They would hug each other and almost kiss on the cheek and then they would go inside."

The driver says the women returned from their meeting with the judge with $300 or $400 in cash per visit. "

[ElkoJohn]

`
nancy p
& georgie agree
"the sky is falling, the sky is falling"
.

[oregonrain]

Are any of us surprised by this bunch of stellar patrotic ELECTED officials ? Cave into the pres ? Of course they will .

[mrdontplay]

SUPPORT CINDY SHEHAN FOR PELOSI'S SEAT!


Voting is the only POWER provided to the PEOPLE.



All we can do is VOTE.


GET HER ARSE OUT OF HERE!

[youzaho]

This is a worthwhile endeavor. What the Democratic party needs is not more Democrats like Pelosi and Reid, but BETTER Democrats, people who will stand up for truth, justice and the American way. Pelosi talks a lot, and Bush gets all the money he wants for his war. Getting Cindy elected would send a strong message that talk is cheap and we're watching.

[soonerdru]

I'm beginning to think about voting for Nader just to finally screw things up for the career politicians. Don't know much about Nader's policies but don't know too much about Obama's either. Can't stand the shrill Hilliary. McInsane would just be more of the same. You know, there will never be a 'tar and feather' event in D.C., we're all to busy trying to tread financial waters. Maybe totally collasping the system with Nader would shake things up. Can it get any worse than what the chimp has done???

[mrdontplay]

hey its your vote. do with it what you want.

[Stretchumall]

You should view this clip. Everyone should.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIO-tCPSfHA

Got Rope?

[Sumocat]

The telecoms are guilty of one thing: complying with the NSA. The NSA, not the telecoms, did the spying. The NSA, not the telecoms, should be under investigation. If you cooperate with a federal agency and that agency uses that cooperation to do something illegal, the agency is at fault, not you. We're wasting time and energy on the telecoms when we should be investigating the NSA and the White House. If the telecoms want immunity, let them have it in exchange for full disclosure on what they did and for whom. Forget the pawns, go after the grandmasters.

[scooperss]

The problem is that bushco immunity goes along with telecom immunity!

[youzaho]

Third party anybody?

[blackjack]

We no longer have a DEMOCRATIC PARTY it is just a branch of the REPUBLICAN PARTY. It is time to start a completly new party for WE the PEOPLE for we will never get back the CONSTITUTION or BILL of RIGHTS , those two,is what made this country great and at one time we were proud of this country of laws and what we stood for. Now all we are left with is a shreaded CONSTUTION and the BILL of RICHTS has ben throwen out. IT is time to go back to bacics and through the BUMS out and BRAKE UP THE CORPORATE CONTROLED MEDIA.

[mrdontplay]

CORPORATE CONTROLLED EVERYTHING.

[Stretchumall]

It's called Fascism.


Got Rope?

[underdog]

I wish I could be a democratic senator. Is there a special school one can attend with classes like Equivocating 4203, Closed door Capitiulation 5101, Hypocrisy 101 and Rolling Over, both a reflex and Modus Operundi for the Sucksessful Political Hack. Is castration required?

[KCFreedom]

Surprise, the whole game is fixed. The Democrats in office are nothing but spineless cowardly weasels (Dennis Kucinich & Russ Feingold and a few others excepted).
The Republicans in office (Ron Paul excepted) are so fat with consumption overdose they are the epitome of Roman-like national self-destruction. How can they stick together with such pitiful excuse for leadership? They just run off the cliff like lemmings and force the rest of us to writhe in their filth.
Perhaps Nader is more attractive, now.

[iburl]

NADER! NOOOOOOO!!!!! OH! IT'S ALL HIS FAULT WE HAVE PRESIDENT BUSH!!! THAT BAD MAN WHO KEEPS MAKING US DO EVERYTHING BAD WE REALLY DON"T WANT TO DO! AND FOR SOME F***ING REASON, WE CANNOT IMPEACH, IMPEDE, OR EVEN SLOW HIM DOWN OR TEMPER HIS CRIMINALITY IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER!! IT'S ALL NADER'S FAULT THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE THE P***Y PARTY!!

[dax49]

what do americans have to do to have congree do its bidding. they do work for us, don't they. every one who votes for immunity should be voted out of office at the first opportunity

[imsosure]

Watch this and see issue after issue that Bush et al, and others have and continue to promote and instigate. For a quick rundown on a susinct list fast forward to 1:13:14, it's unbelievable.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1656880303867390173

[BlackbirdHighway]

And yet they complain that Nader is running!

Actually, the Dems like having Nader run, it gives them someone to blame when they lose.

Get used to saying President McCain folks!

[JiminNC]

Can't do it!

[breakfast]

When Bush went to Russia to commune with Putin, he met a kindred soul, that of an authoritarian intent on one party rule.

Democrats in Congress don't stand up to the Bush cabal because they basically support his policies.

So go ahead and vote for the Democratic nominee against the Republican, if it will make you feel any better. But if you are expecting a changed Congress, well you know the definition of insanity.

Remember who funds the campaigns of both parties...­..the same corporations.

And remember as well, these corporations run all the departments of "our government" and they write the laws that "regulate" them.

This is not Germany, even if we are modeling the techniques that brought about fascism in that country. No, this is Amerika and we are soon to have our own unique brand of fascism.

[TerryFL]

.

Theis is where the Clintonistas and Obamites should join forces. Reid and Pelosi need to go. No matter who wins the presidency. their agenda will be DOA with those two in charge. Pressure needs to come from the grassroots to replace those two.

.