While the Senate was ready to vote on the FISA Amendments Act today, Senators Russell Feingold and Christopher Dodd fought to keep them from casting a final vote and jamming the bill through Congress.
In a statement released by Feingold, he says:
"I am pleased we were able to delay the vote on FISA until after the July 4th holiday instead of having it jammed through. I hope that over the July 4th Holiday, Senators will take a closer look at the deeply flawed legislation and understand how it threatens the civil liberties of the American People. It is possibly to protect this country against the terrorists while also protecting the rights and freedoms that define our nation."
For those who haven't read up on the new FISA bill, it would basically give the government the right to peek into the private overseas phone conversations, emails, and even text messages of all Americans. Part of the bill would give retroactive immunity to telephone companies that gave the government private information of Americans.
Feingold says the FISA bill would also allow the government to take all international communications and put it in a giant database. The most outrageous part of the bill states that there does not have to be any court review or evidence that anyone is doing anything wrong before the government intrudes on the person's privacy. The government will simply have complete access to the personal overseas communications of every single American.
Feingold continues to say, "It's a vast power that has no limits. There's no regulation of it."
Obviously, the new FISA bill was created to help the government "track down terrorists"....just like the Iraq War was orchestrated to find weapons of mass destruction. It all makes perfect sense.
It's angering that the government has instilled so much fear in the minds of Americans, that many are ready to hand over precious civil liberties in the name of "protection." In fact, it's sickening. All the Republicans who are avid gun owners and want to protect their constitutional right to bear arms have NO RIGHT to say an American's right to privacy is not as important. This proposed FISA bill simply violates the right to privacy. Fear tactics should not trick Americans into giving up their freedoms. The Senate needs to wake up.
The more the Bush Administration remains in power, the more the United States mirrors the image George Orwell illustrated in his book 1984. Big brother really is watching, and members of our own Senate are allowing it to happen.
Feingold admits that many of the Senators have not completely read the bill and do not know the logistics of it. By holding off on the bill until after July 4th, hopefully the Senate will have the opportunity to think things over and not just hand the Bush Administration exactly what they want.
If you want to watch TYT's interview with Senator Feingold, please check out the video below:
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FISA Bill On Hold!
Posted Jun 26th 2008 8:23PM by Ana Kasparian
Filed under: Iraq, Politics, George Bush, Media, Young Turks
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Reader Comments ( Page 22 of 23)
316. This coming November is going to be a bitter disappointment for you, Pual.
Captain Negative at 4:01AM on Jul 1st 2008
317. Capt.,
Jimmy Carter Dark does not bother me one bit. It is the likes of you and Clif that need to worry. Your adherence to the "Philosophy of the Stupid" is what has America over $10 Trillion Dollars in debt.
I know that my money will always be working hard for me. But it may not be working in America if Obama is elected. Prior court rulings make that possible. My use of the same tax rules that Ted Kennedy uses gets me called a tax cheat by worms such as Clif and yourself. The Kennedy clan uses their political clout to have their properties undervalued on assessments to actually "cheat" the school systems out of tax dollars. What have you said concerning that: Nothing!!!
You have no vision for success so you wish for Government to redistribute someone else's wealth into your pocket by using Big Government programs to raid the Treasury and buy the votes of the parasites.
"Anyone may arrange his affairs so that his taxes shall be as low as possible. He is not bound to choose that pattern which best pays the Treasury. There is not even a patriotic duty to increase one's taxes. Over and over again the courts have said that there is nothing sinister in so arraigning affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible, everyone does it, rich and poor alike and all do RIGHT, for nobody owes the public duty to pay more than the law demands." Weeks v Sibley; Edwards v. Commissioner; Helvering v. Gregory, and 60 Federal 2nd 809, Judge Learned Hand.
Paul Sparcello at 10:09AM on Jul 1st 2008
318. You lost me at, "Jimmy Carter dark." I find it very difficult to take blatant racists seriously.
Captain Negative at 1:02PM on Jul 1st 2008
319. Capt.,
Barack Obama's Marxist agenda certainly will not be Jimmy Carter Light:
High Unemployment Numbers!!!
Huge Tax Increases!!!
Astronomical Interest Rates!!!
Reduced Availability of Fuel, Food and Energy!!!
20 Million Illegal Aliens dumped into the Health Care System at the American Taxpayers Expense!!!
Massive Cuts in American Military Forces!!!
Dark Days are ahead if this Marxist sympathizer is elected. Hence the Jimmy Carter Dark reference. Would you have considered a loose reference such as "Chocolate Nation", based on Democrat Mayor Ray Naquin's "Chocolate City" remark, blatant racism as well? I seriously doubt it. Funny how the same message form a different messenger sets the Liberal Hypocrites blood to boiling.
I am a Realist. Save your racism crap for former Klan Recruiter Democrat Senator Robert Byrd and Barack Obama's pastor of 20+ years Reverend Wright!!!!!!!
Paul Sparcello at 8:44PM on Jul 1st 2008
320. RE: Clif Kuplen at 1:44AM on Jul 1st 2008
My rights are granted by the United States Constitution. I have no need to thank any Political Prostitute, much less a Liberal Democrat, for anything.
Clif, When you go to the bank and cash your Un-Constitutional, Big Government Vote Buying Program, Wealth Transfer/Ponzi Scheme Check(s): Social(ist) Security, Welfare, SSI, Section 8 etc....... Thank A Capitalist!!!!!!!
Paul Sparcello at 9:35PM on Jul 1st 2008
321. I have an issue with the priorities that some libertarians are making.
1) Here they are saying that civil liberties should trump the fear of terrorists turning us to grease on the pavement.
2) Here they are saying that it is a civil liberty not to be passively listened to.
3) However nobody is complaining about the IMBRA that law that takes away men's civil liberties in order to "protect foreign women" from even saying hello to a man who might beat her after he marries her. Apparently feminist concerns for the welfare of women can trump civil liberties of males...and the libertarians and lefties say NOTHING.
4) IMBRA directly hampers communication. It does not involve the government just "listening in" on a conversation between a man and a foreign woman. It involves forcing her NOT to broadcast her contact information or say hello until after she fulfills a requirement of the US government to sign an affidavit saying she saw the American's background check.
Dodd and Feingold are HYPOCRITS to say that listening in is BAD but direct interference in Americans contacting foreign women is GOOD.
Veterans at 5:48AM on Jul 2nd 2008
322. Paul, I'm not worried about your imaginary Marxists. I'm concerned about real, live, American fascists.
You should be worried about them too.
Captain Negative at 6:02AM on Jul 2nd 2008
323. Capt.: Read Barack Obama's Own Words. I have done the hard work (as typical of a Capitalist) so you don't have to (Liberalism 101).......
MARXISM YOU CAN BELIEVE IN
Barack Obama's own words from "Dreams from My Father" [pg. 100-101] proves that he has long had a propensity for Marxism: {To avoid being mistaken for a sellout, I chose my friends carefully. The more politically active black students. The foreign students. The Chicanos. The Marxist Professors and structural feminists and punk-rock performance poets.}
Keyword: The Marxist Professors!!!!!!!
Barack Obama also chose to associate for 20+ years and develop personal friendships with Domestic Terrorist William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn, Chicago Political Fixer/Slum Lord/Convicted Felon Tony Rezko, Nation of Islam Leader Louis Farrakhan and the Radical Reverend Jeremiah Wright.
Notice the pattern in which Barack Obama seems quite comfortable befriending people who really have a disdain for the United States of America.
Are Barack Obama's aforementioned personal friendships based on beliefs he carries deep down in his soul {"Dreams from My Father" [pg. 100-101]} or was it only extremely poor judgment that explains his past associations? Either answer makes Barack Obama unfit and unqualified to be President of the United States of America.
Paul Sparcello at 11:32AM on Jul 2nd 2008
324. My rights are granted by the United States Constitution. I have no need to thank any Political Prostitute, much less a Liberal Democrat, for anything.
xxx
If you got to print that, thank a liberal. They are the ones who BROUGHT YOU the United States Constitution, her amendments and every freedom you mooch from this country by not paying taxes.
We ALL know how to minimize what we owe, but you take it a little farther than that.
Now tell me why the government's bailout of Bear Stearns wasn't 'distribution of wealth according to need', Comrade.
Clif Kuplen at 3:05PM on Jul 2nd 2008
325. Clif, Here are the economic facts: Dumrade
Q) When does a loan become a bailout? A) When a political party or ideolog thinks there are gains to be made from the pains of others.
The Fed has agreed to provide financing of up to $30 billion of less-liquid assets held by Bear Stearns. Roughly $20 billion of that funding will back mortgage securities. The money is backed by Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDO) with the main collateral being the homes of sub-prime borrowers.
Trial Lawyers filing class action suits forced J.P. Morgan Chase to have to pay $10.00 a share for a $2.00 asset. The Lawyers saw J.P. Morgan Chase getting a good deal and jumped in to get a piece of the action. That necessitated the Federal Reserve Loan of $30 Billion to Chase. The only other alternative would have been to throw approximately 100,000 people out of there homes due to foreclosure and seizure of assets.
Want to blame someone for the bailout, blame the Trial Lawyers!!!
Now, that all said: The Treasury Department or Federal Reserve should not have $30 Billion, much less $30.00, laying around to fund anything but Constitutionally listed obligations.
Paul Sparcello at 5:18PM on Jul 2nd 2008
326. Clif, When you go to the bank and cash your Un-Constitutional, Big Government Vote Buying Program, Wealth Transfer/Ponzi Scheme Check(s): Social(ist) Security, Welfare, SSI, Section 8 etc....... Thank A Capitalist!!!!!!!
Paul Sparcello at 9:35PM on Jul 1st 2008
xxxx
no, I thank me. I paid the premiums, I earned the pay.
I'm a liberal and what I do is constitutional and has been for seventy years. You're the cheat, and so far, I haven't collected a penny from the government. My social security payments haven't started coming yet but when they do, I will have earned them.
You on the other hand game the united states government and try to shift the blame to your betters who participate in the system.
You know better and from what I see you let happen to yourself, you're your own judge and jury and maybe someday executioner.
Also I thank Roosevelt, the Democratic party and the New Deal. They're liberals, like your founding fathers.
Your camp were tories and wanted to remain loyal to the king. Without liberals there would have been no United States.
If you survive long enough to collect on your investment, thank a liberal.
Now explain to me why the government's bailout of Bear Stearns wasn't 'distribution of wealth according to need', Comrade.
How much do your comrades owe their communist brethren in China, comrade poo boy? How many american patriots' jobs are being done by your trading comrades and bankers?
got a stormer fan club goin yet?
Clif Kuplen at 6:42PM on Jul 2nd 2008
327. so, paul, Marxism's ok as long as the beneficiary is a corporation or it's ok as long as you think you can blame 'trial lawyers'?
But either way, Marxism's OK, right? distribution of my money according to their need.
Clif Kuplen at 9:11PM on Jul 2nd 2008
328. Clif,
Your money was swindeled away by the Political Prostitutes. News Flash: There is no money in the Social Security fund.
Answer this: What is the difference between a Social Security check and a Ponzi scheme check?
Paul Sparcello at 9:25PM on Jul 2nd 2008
329. Your money was swindeled away by the Political Prostitutes. News Flash: There is no money in the Social Security fund.
xxx
looted by reagan and neocons. It can come back very easily by abolishing multimillionaire's tax breaks and moving the cap to 96K as Obama has said he'll do.
xxxxxxxxxx
Answer this: What is the difference between a Social Security check and a Ponzi scheme check?
xxxxxxxxxxx
Social Security pays for itself unless corporate interests intervene with Public policy and security as you bear stearns communists have no problem with.
If I don't live any longer than average, I'll get back much less than I paid in, since my earlier dollars were worth much more than the republican devalued dollar I get back.
In a ponzi scheme, many people lose so a few can gain. In social security, keep the republicans out of the fund, move the cap to where it belongs and it pays for itself and everyone who contributes gains.
Now, Ponzi Scheme. Answer me this - how is lowering taxes for billionaires and borrowing 68% of the gross domestic different from a ponzi scheme?
What is the difference between a ponzi scheme and keeping the Enron loophole open?
How does supply side economics differ from a ponzi scheme?
In a ponzi scheme many people lose so a few can gain. In neocon economics an unregulated market means many people lose so a few can gain. That's historical and statistical so there's no argument. There has been massive redistribution of wealth under fascism here in America.
So how is an unregulated market with no safeguards against trusts, collusion and price fixing different from a ponzi scheme?
You lose another game of one card monte, comrade. Fortunately for you you believe in common ownership and distribution of wealth according to need now along with your bear stearns comrades, right?
Clif Kuplen at 1:24AM on Jul 3rd 2008
330. Clif,
Social Security and Ponzi both are systems where money on the front end pays 'investors on the back end. Neither system invest the "Capital" and eventually both systems fail when there is more people on the back end than there are on the front end. The difference is that a Ponzi scheme courts investors with the promise of huge returns. Social Security uses Governments power of confiscatory taxation to strong arm people into putting money in a failing system.
I see you "Hope" to suck the nipple of the Obama utter for a little bit of spare "Change". What is so intriguing about serfdom and becoming dependent on Government handouts?
Because you gave up your financial freedom to a Democratic Politicians promise of a Social(ist) Security Check you deserve to live a life of misery. Voting for a person solely because they propose to raise taxes on someone else and transfer their money into your pocket is loathsome.
Question: What is the difference between Social Security and Ponzi?
Answer: You have the freedom to opt out of Ponzi!!!
Paul Sparcello at 10:40AM on Jul 3rd 2008