Thursday, June 19, 2008

It would be as if no illegal activity occurred at all...

Because we'll never know exactly what happened. House comes to compromise on telecom immunity.

Via TPM Muckraker, the Wall Street Journal:
Removing the final barrier to action on the measure, which has been hashed out in recent weeks by senior lawmakers in both parties, House Democratic leaders decided to allow a vote on the bill, despite the opposition of many in their party.

The new agreement broadens the authority to spy on people in the U.S. and provides conditional legal immunity to companies that helped the government eavesdrop after the 2001 terrorist attacks, according to congressional aides in both parties.
Right. You guys pass this law and you've just announced corporations are more important than individual citizens and your oath to protect the Constitution is a lie.

And just an aside, a question I've not yet found the answer to. Because the Bush administration was listening in on Americans long before 9/11, why did 9/11 occur? Isn't this whole invasion of privacy issue about protecting America? So why weren't they listening to all the cell phone calls to Saudi Arabia and Yemen and realizing something was up?

Or could it be they were too busy listening for juicy items to blackmail Congress into following their commands? Maybe we could ask the telecoms this question when we get them up on the stand under oath .... OooHHHhhhhh....

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I expect Barack Obama to stand against this and prevent its passage.

ellroon said...

I hope it will be AFTER he's visited Iraq and Afghanistan....

Sorghum Crow said...

For sale: One Constitution, no longer used.

ellroon said...

What Constitution? It's just a piece of paper in a vault...

mapaghimagsik said...

Left my phone calls. Best I can do for now :)

ellroon said...

Thank you, map! Your call may well be the straw that collapsed the house of canards.. if I may mix my metaphors...

Steve Bates said...

It's like real-life Monopoly, with a "get out of jail free" card for the telecoms.

("House of canards" - well done!)

Lightning storm... better post this while I can.

ellroon said...

*BZZZZZAPPP*!

We can't have the telecoms mad at our elected officials, now, can we? They might just let leak a few of the juicy details of those cell phone calls....

Anonymous said...

keith olberman #4 graphic

OFF THE HOOK?

ellroon said...

Wrong number!!

Steve Bates said...

"I expect Barack Obama to stand against this and prevent its passage." - michael

Heh. It's been several hours now. Obama has said nothing, and his spokesman has said he doesn't know Obama's stance. Forgive me if I am less than optimistic.

mapaghimagsik said...

This was a missed opportunity by Team Obama to me. But now we have to concentrate on the Senate, and hope there are things going on behind the scenes to kill the bill.

Steve Bates said...

Greenwald has the goods now: Obama is on board with the telecoms. Here is his statement.

Accordingly, I have removed my banner endorsement of Obama from my blog. Whether or not I end up voting for him, I cannot condone a candidate's explicit abnegation of the Fourth Amendment.

ellroon said...

I'm still thinking map might be right, that there are machinations going on behind the scenes.

Some bloggers are saying this is the end, others are trying to explain how this isn't as bad as it appears. I am terribly disappointed but I know I need more perspective. Thanks for the links, Steve.

Off to do more reading...