Raising Kaine has some good content on the FISA vote today, including a statement from Sen. Jim Webb attempting to justify his vote in favor of expanded, illegal, surveillance. There is some interesting information there on the nature of the revolving door between high-level intelligence posts in government and private data-mining firms such as BRIGHTPLANET.

Webb's statement below. Link to Raising Kaine at my name.

Yesterday I supported two measures to amend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. These measures were considered against the backdrop of heightened concerns from our nation's intelligence community abut the threat of international terrorism. The ramifications of the two amendments before us last night were not political. Instead they related to the urgent demands of national security. I chose to heed those warnings. We now have six months to work in earnest to bring full accountability to the process.

This distinction and the threats to national security were stated clearly by Admiral McConnell as well as four of the eight Democratic members of the Senate Intelligence Committee. These members, Senators Feinstein, Mikulski, Bayh, and Bill Nelson, have extensive experience on intelligence matters and are respected champions of civil rights and liberties. They chose to give significant weight and deference to the intelligence community on FISA reform, and so did I.

There is near uniform, bipartisan agreement on the need to reform FISA to reflect modern telecommunications and information technology. We must do so in a way that safeguards basic civil and constitutional rights. But we must also remember that the terrorist threat to the nation is extremely serious. I remain fully committed to bringing accountability to this process, and to protecting the privacy rights of all Americans.

Webb's vote was obviously disappointing. His excuses for his vote are not only weak, they are irrelevant. To say that he and many others in the democratic majority are a disappointment is the undertatement of the decade.

It is difficult to acknowlege how very limited the usefulness of this majority is. Many thousands of progressive americans worked very hard, spent a lot of money, to get this far. It is hard to admit that such an expensive tool is made from such cheap metal.

This vote makes it clear that the '08 election needs to be viewed with new eyes. There are clearly two targets: Republicans, and those Democrats who vote like Republicans. Some call them DINOs. The lists of those "democrats" who voted YES on the FISA bill are widely available. These officeholders should be attacked from the left.

For a case in point, look at Jane Harmon. She was opposed from her left, and her voting record --this term--has shown a difference.

Monday, August 06, 2007

Bush to Democratic Congress: Your Complete Capitulation is Not Good Enough

JB

From the President's Message on signing the FISA fix:

When Congress returns in September the Intelligence committees and leaders in both parties will need to complete work on the comprehensive reforms requested by Director McConnell, including the important issue of providing meaningful liability protection to those who are alleged to have assisted our Nation following the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Note the key item on this wish list: legal immunity for having participated in the illegal NSA program.

I particularly love the phrase "alleged to have assisted our Nation." In his letter to Congress the other day Intelligence Director Michael McConnell spoke of "liability protection for those who are alleged to have helped the country stay safe after September 11, 2001." Apparently "allegedly helped us stay safe" is Bush Administration code for telecom companies and government officials who participated in a conspiracy to perform illegal surveillance. Because what they did is illegal, we do not admit that they actually did it, we only say that they are alleged to have done it. Or perhaps the Administration is suggesting that although such parties are alleged to have helped the country stay safe, there's no evidence that their repeated violations of federal law actually did much to promote our security. No, they couldn't mean that.

My guess is that President Bush plans to award those who allegedly helped save the country with alleged medals.

http://balkin.blogspot.com/2007/08/bush-to-democratic-congress-your.html

I'm waiting until February before I write off Democrats for good. I got rid of my cell phone years ago. I enjoy the peace and quiet.

No ideological agenda. No strategy. No carefully crafted rhetoric. No party discipline. No committment to the interests of the constituency that got them elected.

Democrats are plagued by too many politicians who view power as an end in itself, rather than as a means to an end.

The only solution will be a Constitutional Amendment mandating public financing of political campaigns with free TV time for qualified candidates.

The only reason I have read that makes sense for the votes in the affirmative by both Mr. Webb and Mrs. Mikulski is that the NSA employs way too many residents of each of their states and receives boatloads of federal funding. I hope the Senator from Maryland will consider the damage she has done to her reputation and future political career. Though I'm sure she find a nice cozy job with Booz Allen Hamilton waiting for her after she finishes in the Senate.

I think you are right on target, especially regarding election finance and free use of the public airwaves for electoral debate and electoral publicity.

My limited divergence from you would be on the issue of party discipline--I'm not sure that is it as important. As an example, look at the left-0-sphere. There is no such thing as "discipline" among left-bloggers, and yet the voice from this very diverse and completely "undisciplined" group is remarkably unified and completely clear. It is all signal, and no noise. It says, very simply:

a)respect the constitution;

b)do not be corrupt.

I believe that is where the liberal wing of the democratic party is, and I believe that is also where the vast majority of the american people are.

And that is why I think the '08 election is going to be another bloodbath for the republican party. But again, the critical issue will be to bring in democrats who have "a)" and "b)" above firmly fixed in their heads and hearts, and also roaring in their ears.