http://feingold.senate.gov

Statement of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold
On Republican Obstructionism on Fixing FISA

January 25, 2007

"The conduct of Senate Republicans yesterday was shameless. After weeks of insisting that it is absolutely critical to finish the FISA legislation by February 1, even going so far as to object to a one-month extension of the Protect America Act, they obstructed all efforts to actually work on the bill." [...]

- - Russ Feingold

'...and if I never have a dime,

I'll be rich as rockafeller,

gold dust at my feet,

on the sunny side of the street.' *willie, waylon and petey- be ___ o's fine free range chickens.

Well, I saved, scrimped and finally bought C-Span 2 (free speech ain't cheap, neither.). I watched some s-2248 debate yesterday and a fair bit today. It's good to see this in person (tv can be a two-edged sword, i think).

I shain't mince words: For immediate release. Sen.s Reid, rockyfeller and the like are lying through their teeth.

UU*U *lie

If I were a Revolutionary like Glenn, I'd take a F_____g flame thrower to that place. who ah.

stay tuned,

bah.

Here's a joke on US eavesdropping going around in France (for us foreigners the FISA bill will change nothing, the US is free to eavesdrop on us and if we say something wrong kidnap us) :

An Arab farmer emails his emigrant son. "Ahmed I'm so sorry you're not here. I'm getting too old to till the fields and now I don't know how to plant the potatoes."

Ahmed emails straight back, "DON'T TILL THE FIELDS ! I hid you-know-what in the ground."

Three hours later the CIA and US Marines show up and proceed to turn the old man's land upside down. But they find nothing.

That evening Ahmed emails his father: "I assume your problem is solved now. I'm sorry it was the only way I could help you from over here."

That's too frickin' funny. I'm stealing it and repeating it!

A quick Google of the name Rockefeller will lead you to websites and books where you can find a wealth of reasons to question the Senator's motives. Why does this family seem so determined to destroy the Bill of Rights and end freedoms and personal liberty in this nation? Check out two documentaries on DVD: "Endgame" by Alex Jones; and "America: Freedom to Fascism" by Aaron Russo, and you will see this article in a totally different light.

You all might enjoy reading this section of Senator Dodd's words from the floor of the Senate today:

We saw how President Bush responded when he was exposed. Not by apologizing. Not even by making his best case before our courts. But by asking for a Congressional cover-up: retroactive immunity.

He asked us to do it on trust. There are classified documents, he says, that prove his case beyond a shadow of a doubt. But we’re not allowed to see them! I’ve served in this body for 27 years, and I’m not allowed to see them! Neither are a majority of my colleagues.

And when we resist his urge to be a law unto himself, how does he respond? With fear. When we question him, he says, we are failing “to keep the American people safe.”

Shame on him. Shame on his scare tactics.

I’ve promised to fight those scare tactics with all the power any one senator can muster. And I’m here today to keep that promise.

For several months now, I’ve listened to the building frustration over this immunity and this administration’s campaign of lawlessness. I’ve seen it in person, in mail, online—the passion and eloquence of citizens who are just fed up. They’ve inspired me more than they know.--Senator Dodd

http://dodd.senate.gov/index.php?q=node/4226

Thanks for giving me a bunch of laughs, y'all, and on my favorite subjects.. Tweezers, icky smells, stupidity of TV, and I wantism. It's Friday cocktail hour at UT.

RMP, Aych, Paul, etc.. In my work I often see people spend absurd amounts of money on their homes, as though that will be the set in which the play of their life turns happy. Ain't the case. A sweet yuppie housewife picked out tile that was so expensive that the shower material cost $20,000. "Have you thought of giving money to the poor?" It slipped out. And went over like a fart in church. After that she shopped without me.

Another guy kept buying places, remodeling them, and then hating them. And kept calling. I think he needed the company. Sad.

I'm learning to play a new Bach piece, Invention #13. Doesn't sound very good yet, but it is cheap. And quite fun.

I've learned, within reason, four tunes on banjo in the past couple of weeks or so. Whiskey Before Breakfast, Breakin' up Christmas, Colored Aristocracy and Old Town Band. I play the banjo in the clawhammer style.

Dear (RMP),

Republicans seem to have forgotten that national security is one of the most important issues we address in the Senate. Yesterday, they proved the only thing they care about is politics.

They spent the day filibustering on the Senate floor, preventing Democrats from introducing any amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) bill. This means they are blocking an important amendment, which I support, that would make sure phone companies don't receive retroactive immunity.

At the end of the day, Senator McConnell decided he would try and stop debate entirely by filing for cloture. That means if Republicans get 60 votes on Monday, debate on this vital issue will be shut down.

Normally I wouldn't go this deep into Senate procedure, but if you care about your civil liberties and our national security, it is vital you tell your Senators to vote no on cloture Monday by visiting:

http://giveemhellharry.com/fisa

Looking at this situation makes me think the President and Republicans want to fail so they can run and cry to the media that Democrats are weak on national security. That line didn't work in 2006 and it won't work in 2008.

Closing the debate on this bill now is wrong.

Thank you,

Harry Reid