This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that follows the errant ways of our current administration..but just the same..
This is total bs:
The administration says it wants to make the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act — or FISA — more "technology-neutral" — that is, it wants to make sure spy agencies can use new forms of surveillance that aren't specifically foreseen in the law.
Oh, another thing..the bill will also provide immunity to participating telecom companies. Isn't that fabulous my dear reader?
Even Arlen Specter thinks this bill is hogwash..or more precisely: "That provision is a pig in the poke. There has never been a statement from the Administration as to what these companies have done. That's been an intolerable situation."
As The Nation article on this bill notes: "And Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office, and Legislative Counsel Timothy Sparapani, wrote in a letter to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence: "… the Administration has not publicly provided Congress with a single example of how current standards in FISA have either prevented the intelligence community from using new technologies or proven unworkable for the personnel tasked with following them." Frederickson concluded in a statement, "FISA has been constantly violated since President Bush authorized warrantless wiretapping and data mining of Americans by the National Security Agency in 2001. Congress shouldn't reward a president who continuously disregards the rule of law. FISA has already been amended numerous times. It doesn't need to be 'modernized,' it needs to be followed." Mike German, Policy Counsel, adds, "This proposal doesn't 'modernize' FISA. It guts it."
For the love of God, these criminals need to be impeached. NOW, before its too damn late. The tipping point is close at hand..and the Democrats better get their well-paid asses in gear and end this madness. BushCo, who we all know is very fond of spin and buzz words, is trying to paint this bat guano with a 'modernization of the law' brush. Total and absolute spying is what they really have in mind AND making it easy for the Telecom's to give up our information..all in the same package!
Check out The Nation article..then blog about it..bitch about it..just say something about it. Otherwise, the Dem's will pass another bill that they didn't read and will give us all a big fat OOPSIE later.
Tags: Politics, FISA, Telecoms, Wiretapping, Politics, Federal Fuckwits at the Helm
