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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Reader Comments ( Page 23 of 23)
331. Hey Clif,
(:(:(:(:(:(:(: Though you would like to see where your check comes from. Hint: It's not Obama!!! :):):):):):):)
http://wwwwakeupamericans-spree.blogspot.com/2008/07/rush-limbaugh-renews-long-term-contract.html
Paul Sparcello at 11:24AM on Jul 3rd 2008
332. 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
xxx
if you were unclear on my answer, read it again, and I asked you some questions you can't answer.
If you weren't mentally ill you'd have no excuse but since you are, you'll have no chance.
Speaking of tit sucking, every idea in your head came from some homer simpbaugh, dittohead. Like all republicanists, the only thing needed to tell what you're up to is read what you accuse the legitimate party of.
One card monte. I wouldn't get into any games of tic tac toe with the chicken in the arcade if I were you. Also big tip and why we're all voting democratic this time: If you lost the first time, DON'T BET ON THE INSTANT REPLAY!
The ultimate Ponzi scheme is trickle down economics and you are its ultimate and willing victim.
But the bottom line remains the same. Homer simpbaugh idiocy is all you have.
Your man mcsame is nothing more than a lackey, stooge and whore for corporate interests just like you and the rest of the republicanists, he has no plan for governing, just campaigning since that's all your party can do besides loot the treasury, run up the Chinese credit card and profiteer on wars they can't win, and after november none of your chicken little act will matter.
Clif Kuplen at 11:34AM on Jul 3rd 2008
333.
paul, quoting homer simpbaugh drivel got your party where it is now. Vote your conscience in one hand and take a dump in the other and see which one gets full first.
By the way, liberals are capitalists. The difference is we put patriotism BEFORE profit.
Also we don't loot the treasury, run up the communist and muslim credit card, allow things like the enron loophole that's giving us $5 per gallon gas or deliberately wreck the government and constitution we swore to uphold.
In truth, your party sucks at capitalism - you let a communist nation take your pants down and do nothing about it. You're communist sympathizers and your party is no longer fit to govern. Come november, it won't.
Clif Kuplen at 11:48AM on Jul 3rd 2008
334. Clif,
The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) has racked up a 68 percent return playing the commodities market in the past 12 months. Bet you will not criticize their investments since most of the members vote Democratic!!!
http://www.sacbee.com/103/v-print/story/1027383.html
Democratic Politicians opposition to any Domestic Energy Policy not consisting of Magic Pixie Dust, CFL bulbs, Windmills, Stills and Candles is what has caused $5.00+/gal gasoline. Try to spin it all you want but the Congressional voting record proves my point.
Paul Sparcello at 1:55PM on Jul 3rd 2008