Re: NBC: Hope You People

On Jun 21, 5:16 pm, SETI2...@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
Comment: We're now only a Senate vote away from becoming an offical
police state.

Make sure to drop us a line from your prison cell after the
BushClintonMcCainObamaPelosi fascists have scooped you up.

When we become an "official" police state do we all get bowling
shirts? That would be cool.

I don't think Obama is going to be successful with that weakling Harry
Reid in charge in the Senate. Why do the Dems always put useless
people in charge in the Senate?


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June 21, 2008, 12:20 PM
Obama: I'll Fight To Strip Telecom Immunity From FISA
Posted by David S Morgan| 139




(CBS/AP) - Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., issued a statement in support of
the House's update of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, but
said he would try to strip a provision granting immunity to
telecommunication companies when the bill comes to a vote in the
Senate next week.

The House approved a compromise bill Friday that would set new
electronic surveillance rules that would also shield telecoms from
lawsuits arising from their participation in the government's
warrantless eavesdropping on telephone and computer lines in the
United States.

The government eavesdropped on American phone and computer lines for
almost six years after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks without permission
from the FISA Court, the special panel established for that purpose
under the original 1978 law.

Some 40 lawsuits have been filed against the telecommunications
companies by groups and individuals who say the Bush administration
illegally monitored their phone calls or e-mails.

Obama said there is "little doubt" that the Bush Administration, with
the cooperation of major telecommunications companies, "has abused
[its] authority and undermined the Constitution by intercepting the
communications of innocent Americans without their knowledge or the
required court orders."

"Given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective
intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too
important to delay. So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm
pledge that as president, I will carefully monitor the program.

"[The bill] does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I will work
in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full
accountability for past offenses."

The House approved the legislation 293-129.

The White House had threatened to veto any surveillance bill that did
not also shield the companies.

Critics say granting immunity to telecoms would scrap the pending
lawsuits and prevent any public airing of details about the
government's surveillance activities.

Last February, when an earlier version of the FISA bill came to a
vote, Obama voted for an amendment to strip the telecom immunity
provision from the bill. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) voted in favor of
keeping immunity for the telecoms.

Speaking in an interview to be aired on Bloomberg television this
weekend, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said that he may
schedule a separate vote on stripping immunity from the bill, although
he expressed pessimism about its success.

"Probably we can't take that out of the bill, but I'm going to try,"
Reid told "Political Capital with Al Hunt."

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Your Senate protect phone companies
    ... TOPPOSTIING to inform peepz that Obama voted against the immunity and McCain ... customers without court permission after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. ... After nearly two months of stops and starts, the Senate rejected by a vote ... President Bush has promised to veto any new surveillance bill that does ...
    (rec.sport.pro-wrestling)
  • Bushs Phone Company Immunity Bill Wins Senate Vote
    ... Bush's Phone Immunity Bill Wins Senate Vote ... On a vote of 76-10, far more than the 60 needed, the Democratic-led Senate cleared a procedural hurdle and began considering a bill to increase congressional and judicial oversight of electronic surveillance of suspected terrorists. ...
    (alt.politics)
  • Re: Dodds turn
    ... the Senate Intelligence Committee worked out a proposed FISA ... Once the immunity provision became known, ... place a senatorial "hold" on the bill. ... Obama and the others should have shown their support for him, ...
    (rec.music.gdead)
  • Bush to Dry Hump Dems: Bend Over, New Veto Dildo Coming on Eavesdropping Bill
    ... House to Vote on Eavesdropping Bill Without Telecom Immunity, ... WASHINGTON - Against the backdrop of a presidential veto threat, the House readied a vote on an eavesdropping bill that would expand court oversight of government electronic surveillance in the United States. ...
    (alt.politics)
  • Re: Obama and the 4th Amendment
    ... immunity for the telecoms, which is the subject of the link you posted ... His administration would hardly do an about-face. ... backed Bush positions. ... the telecoms were given. ...
    (rec.music.gdead)