If portaying governmant agents as lazy and self serving can help people realize that the requirements built into the FISA law and the 4th amendment are not unfair hurdles but are rather important safeguards, then perhaps we can make progress in other areas as well.

-- Paul Dirks

While I agree with your sentiment, I think you are missing a major point. The majority of Americans don't care about the constitution or rights. All they care about is being kept safe. They think as long as they aren't doing anything wrong, they have nothing to fear. They've been brainwashed for years by the RWA's that things like the constitution and rights, are impediments to public safety. Criminals getting let off the hook because of a "technicality". The only way to make people care about this is to make it personal for them. Their rights have to be violated, before they will take action. That's why the Bush admin has fought tooth and nail to keep it all secret.

What we have is a new law being applied here. If you are an agent of the gov't, you can do whatever you want. Laws no longer apply to you. Nixon said "if the president does it, then it is not illegal". Now it's just "if you work for the gov't, it is not illegal". See how easy that is.

So Pelosi is caving on telco immunity, what a shock. It's so unlike her to cave. LOL Well we all knew the game was rigged the minute she took impeachment off the table. No matter what Bush does, they won't do a damn thing about it. El Cid in a previous thread nailed it on the head, they have different priorities then ours. Protecting their corporate campaign contributors being foremost, preserving their power at all costs close behind.

* It contains a provision stating that the bill is the "exclusive means" by which the President can conduct electronic surveillance

Exclusivity don't mean shit. All Bush has to do is attach a signing statement, saying that provision don't apply to him. I'll say it again, exclusivity don't mean shit. Way to go dems on capitulating once again. We expected nothing less from you, and you didn't disappoint.

I'm done calling, it does no good. Time to face reality folks, they don't listen to us. They have different priorities, ours is not one of them. So waste your time if you will, don't think it's going to accomplish anything. For those that will accuse me of giving up, yeah you got me. I give up. So save your typing.

"I hope against all evidence that the Democrats will find a way to take back the White House and rescind the dictatorship of the Rethuglicant Party" Cry Havoc

I guess the question is which democrat, Hillary or Obama? If it's Hillary, forget about it. She's just more of the same corporatist/fascist garbage. It's was Bill that started extraordinary rendition. It was Bill that gave us NAFTA. Along with media deregulation that has allowed 5 companies to own everything. If it's Hillary, nothing will change. If it's Obama, can't say one way or the other. He talks a different game but who knows what he will really do.

Talking about the lavish praise the news media showers upon republicans, check out this story from Anderson Cooper's show. http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2008/03/07/can-cindy-mccain-really-be-that-perfect/ It asks the tough question "Can Cindy McCain really be that perfect?". The report is a total white wash. It mentions that Cindy was addicted to painkillers, but not that she was accused of stealing them from the charity she worked at. Now if she had been a poor person that did that, she'd most likely be prosecuted. But when you are married to a powerful senator, you tend to get away with such things. This report just shows the uphill battle we are going to face this election. The media is in the bag for McCain. So whether Obama or Hillary is the nom, they are going to face the tough questions while McCain skates.

The author of a book that documents the assault on our democracy by Bush, just gets filed under BDS (Bush Derangement Syndrome). Anyone that objects to what Bush has done, is suffering from BDS. There can be no other reason. So no amount of documentation and facts can overcome the author's case of BDS. So therefor the book is to be dismissed.

The media begrudingly gave Moore a few interviews when F/911 came out -- but every interview was a string of hostile questions challenging him. And much of the time the interview was followed by a negative, fact-free "review" of his movie.

-- anonny

You got that right bud. I remember the "interview" that Moore had on the CBS Early show when F/911 came out. Can't remember the woman's last name but her first was Hannah. She's not one the show anymore, but does anyone know her last name?I've never seen such an overtly hostile demeanor on the part of the interviewer. She was just dripping with hostility towards Mike. As you can imagine, the interview didn't go well. When it was over, the sarcasm was thick when she thanked him for coming on.