Democrats Lose on FISA

July 11 - Fifteen months of heated debate in Congress came to an end on Thursday when the Foreign Intelligence Security Act (FISA) was signed into law by President Bush. The law that passed the senate on Wednesday by a vote of 69 to 28 included the controversial amendment that provided immunity for telecommunication companies that cooperated with the NSA's warrant-less wire-tapping program.

The FISA debate was especially bitter for Democrats, who were split on the issue. "In a Democrat-controlled Congress... We're about to grant immunity to companies that are alleged to have participated in the administration's lawlessness?" Democratic Senator Feingold, who leads a coalition with Senator Leahy against the bill, asked congress. The FISA bill has been heralded a triumph for the Bush administration and a serious loss for the Democratic Party, especially Senator Obama who during the full swing of the primary in January, vowed to filibuster any bill that included retroactive immunity for telecommunication companies.

Obama reneged on this promise, and instead voted in favor of FISA.

For Obama and others in the Democratic congressional leadership, this "does give them some protection if there is some kind of terrorist incident between now and the election," says Robert Parry, investigative journalist and editor of Consortium News. "While the senate leadership did vote in some cases against the bill, there was a general acceptance that the bill should pass."

This move by Obama has inspired outrage among his supporters, who had once strongly rallied against the bill. On July 3, Obama addressed their frustration in an open letter on his site and political blog The Huffington Post's Michael Ratner of the Center for Constitutional Rights takes issue with Obama's defense of his vote. "Some of the Democrats... have wrapped themselves in the so-called oversight provisions of the bill," he tells The Real News Network, "The problem is that this bill has huge holes, gaping holes, that allow warrant-less wiretapping with very little or no supervision, and that takes away the efficacy or usefulness of any of the so-called oversight provisions."

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Comments

[nomobull]

and when will the blame cross over to include all

[jackie4444]

Chris Hodges, LA Times, has today written the most succinct assessment I've yet seen of the evil
of the FISA amendments. And in a supposedly free society, EVIL is the only word for it:

"This law will cripple the work of those of us who as reporters communicate regularly with people overseas, especially those in the Middle East. It will intimidate dissidents, human rights activists and courageous officials who seek to expose the lies of our government or governments allied with ours. It will hang like the sword of Damocles over all who dare to defy the official versions of events. It leave open the possibility of retribution and invites the potential for abuse by those whose concern is not with national security but with the consolidate of their own power."

Deliberate eavesdropping by the government on American citizens went on well prior to the passage
of FISA 30 years or so ago. With MLK, Jr., contemporaneous accounts make it clear it went on
pretty much 24/7. What's he saying? What's he planning? Was King a 'terrorist'? A 'danger' to 'national security'? In the view of the THEN-POWER-STRUCTURE the answer would have been 'yes' .

There's a good reason that the object of the 4th amendment is not one citizen snooping on another
but the government snooping on either of them.

[jfor]

So now Obama and other Democrats and Republicans up for re election have some cover IF another terrorist attack happens? I doubt it, in reality what Obama and his fellow Bush appeasers accomplished is what terrorists could NEVER do, which of course is strip away the fourth amendment and make our Constitution weaker.

All of them are such fools. Without our Constitution intact and a true belief in the authority vested in that document we have lost the war on terror. We cannot be America without the document our elected leaders swore an oath to. So congratulation Mr. President and all you spineless Senators you have done what no terrorist or enemy of America has been able to accomplish in over 230 years.

Spare me the old "the Constitution isn't a suicide pact" bit, its stale, not accurate and something said only to comfort those who are not brave enough to defend it . Without the Constitution? What are we fighting for?

[markie1111]

we will see what the supreme court says....in the interim....what i find amusing, sad, frightful and ironic is: daily your isp identity is being recorded and you activities cookied. really does make FISA look like childsplay.

[deadbolt]

Barack Obush 08!

[HappinessHacker]

We're heading into a major election, our candidates's telephones, cell phone and internet connections must work reliably. It's not the time to vote against amnesty for the telecommunications companies.

Wait until we have a Democrat as President and a solid majority in the house and senate. Then take the issue up again.

It's a question of timing and tactics. When the American public realizes that FISA = copying, recording and archiving forever by private government contractors, they will voice their outrage. The U.S. government will have copies of all your communications, you will not.

Get ready for a FISA fight AFTER the election.

[jfor]

Spoken like a true kool aid drinker. This affront is occuring now by Democrats and Republicans yet for some reason you still have faith that a Democrat will save the day. Look around buddy, all the good things given to us by Bush over the last seven years could not of occurred without the capitulation of the Democrats.

Sorry to pop the bubble you live in, I hope you have immunities.

[Titonwan]

You're a little late. You can't reverse retroactive immunity. Bush and AT&T are free. And will remain free, thanks to the DEMOCRATS forever and ever, Amen. Put the blame squarely where it belongs. Sheesh! OUR leadership sucked from the criminal teat and are just as guilty as BushCo. Too much truth? Thought so. And when has president ever worked to reduce their executive privileges? Ain't gonna happen, sparky.

[Speakchic]

I'm so sick of the countless stories about this. I love how the world has decided to not hold Bush accountable but instead Obama and the Dems.

[nippersdad]

Perhaps that would be because the Democratic Party and its' new leader, has refused to hold the Bush Administration responsible for anything. Credit where credit is due. One expects this type of behavior from Republicans, we have now learned to expect it from Dems as well.

[BassMonk]

Is there any chance the new law will stand up in court? Doesn't the Constitution say that Congress can't write retroactive laws?

[michigangirl]

This issue has been misconstrued by so many in the public. A private company cannot deprive anyone of their constitutional rights only government can. The Bill of Rights is only applicable to government action. So this outrage at the FISA bill is misplaced. You should be angry with the administration that demanded the telecom companies spy on US citizens. The telecom companies shouldn't be the ones held responsible for this - the Bush administration should. Why sue the telecom companies when they were ordered by Bush and his cronies. Hold the Bush administration responsible for violating our constitutional rights.

[jmpurser]

Not only a loss for Democrats but a pointless loss for all of America. There was literally nothing to gain for the anyone in this.

[scooperss]

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