Letters to the Editor
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With respect to Update II
It's still a stronger result to get it passed in both houses and then get vetoed. It puts the president out all by himself on it. Of course he'd be even more lonely if any one of the telecoms would speak up and say they could live with this version.
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My last thought for the day... honest.
I was with Dr. Robert H. Deluty not long ago. I'll speak with him later at the end of March at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County Campus.... At a meal...
My fortune cookie tag read: "You can be happy and feel prosperous."
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Thanks. I was gonna spell b.u.r.p.-o,
but that's too silly and may be vetoed.
It's a compliment tho....
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omooex
In anti-negatory mode. I suppose its not a complete given that Bush will veto; if he is forced into a prolonged conversation about why telecoms need amnesty he could be hurting his successor McPain.
I don't think Bush gives a fig for anyone but Bush..
Sociopaths are like that.
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Interesting
So maybe we can toast our fight leaders without reservation today...
Certainly Rep. Peter Hoekstra of Michigan, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, did not hold back when discussing the threat.
Hoekstra repeatedly referenced the bombing of a Jerusalem seminary last week as an example of the ongoing threats from terrorists around the globe, which he said came from a new terrorist organization.
“This is a real and evolving threat,” he said.
Democrats, in turn, said they are well-aware of the potential dangers but insist they cannot grant retroactive immunity until they know the full details of the wiretapping program, which the Bush administration has been hesitant to do.
“The world is very dangerous, and we need to prevent against threats,” said Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.). “[But] actions we take can and must comply with the rule of law. We cannot pass retroactive immunity when we don’t know what we are [granting immunity] for.”
After a two-week recess, the Senate plans to take up the House bill, though it stands virtually no chance of making it out of the upper chamber. More than likely, the measure will “ping-pong” back and forth between the two chambers, as one Democrat described the strategy.
“We are going to ping this bill [over to the Senate], but I don’t think they will ever pong,” said House Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.).
“This bill will not be back.”
http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/0308/House_passes_FISA_bill.html
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213 sensible Democrats (h/t Donna Edwards and Bill Foster)
Who'd have thunk it.
It's about damn time.
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Speaking of coverage - check this out:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/03/14/AR2008031400803.html?hpid=topnews
Since the Sept. 11 attacks, such showdowns have followed a predictable path: After some protest, Democrats have given in to White House demands, fearing the political fallout as Bush hammered them for allegedly jeopardizing American lives. Last month, the Senate appeared to follow the script when it passed a surveillance bill to Bush's liking with bipartisan support, after turning back the efforts of some Democrats to strip out legal immunity and strengthen privacy protections
[...]
Then the House went off script. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) responded to Bush's appeal, all but calling the president a liar.
Glenn, I think you should check. They might be plagiarizing one of your entries!
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Couple senate statements of note
Leahy (today):
“I commend the House of Representatives for passing its amendment to the Senate’s FISA Amendments Act of 2007. It is a step forward, and a good bill. The Senate-passed legislation has a number of serious failings and does not adequately protect the privacy and civil liberties of Americans. The House bill adds several crucial protections without interfering in any way with this important new surveillance authority.
“For the last month, the House has worked with Democratic Senators, and House leaders have repeatedly sought to work with congressional Republicans and the administration to fashion reasonable compromise legislation. Unfortunately, congressional Republicans and the administration have refused to engage in meaningful discussions or negotiations about the legislation. The White House has tried, again, to treat Congress like a rubber stamp.
“I am glad that The House leadership understood that under our constitutional system of government, Congress writes legislation, and I applaud the House for its significant efforts to pass a good bill.”
Rockefeller (on the 11th):
“I have worked hard in recent weeks to reconcile the differences between the Senate and House FISA bills and produce legislation that strengthens intelligence collection against foreign terrorist targets and addresses liability protection for telecommunications companies. Regrettably, the Administration and Republicans chose to boycott these discussions and refused to play a constructive role in producing such a bill that could have strong bipartisan support in both the Senate and the House.
“Today’s House proposal reflects progress in bringing the two bills together, and it is a step in the right direction. But, considerable work remains.
“I continue to believe that the Senate FISA bill can be made even better through a limited number of changes, such as a shorter sunset, strengthened exclusivity, and improved accountability – modifications that in no way inhibit the collection authorities needed by the Intelligence Community.
"As soon as the House sends us this new bill, we will once again roll up our sleeves and get back to work on a final compromise that the House, Senate and White House can support."
Rockefeller might be softening on immunity. Or not. He calls the House bill "progress" which is interesting anyway.
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@ 1:09 omooex
forgive me 70 X's 7?
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"Eppursi muove" {!}
Galileo was arrested.
He was tried by the Inquisition.
He was forced to renounce belief in the Copernicus system.
He murmured under his breath: According to legend this:
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Eppur si muove! ~ And yet it does move! ~ He stayed in his house.
Galileo was house arrested. He was visited, near Florence, by English gentleman and poet,
John Milton I had to 'say' that to end the day. Never give up. Never. The gears do move tho...
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Like breaking out the Scotch tape
and starting to reattach the tattered rule of law one itty bitty piece at a time. I'm pleased to have been wrong. This is an act of Kabuki Kongressional Theatre I've rarely seen: Act VII The Principaled Stand That Didn't Lead To Spontaneous Combustion. I'd like to believe an America is possible where us nattering nabobs of negativity don't have to go ballistic on the phones to get our legislators to do what they've sworn to do--to preserve and defend the Constitution. Hell, people have fought and died in the millions for that simple little principle. Seems the least we should expect of them and the least they could do.
If they can do it again and start toughening the old political carapace maybe they'll take a look at all the other damage done starting with war-profiteering which should be easy pickings. Instead of the reflexive "sternly worded letter" to "colleagues" before drinks at the after session cocktail weenie soiree, maybe they can use this to pick up a little speed and get the old subpeona steamroller moving on Rove and Meiers. I'm seeing the tiniest spark that someday, somebody, somewhere, just might be held accountable for the damage that has been done to America in the last 7 1/2 years (not to mention Iraq). That's Act XXII Not Even The Powerful Are Above The Law (I've never seen it because of the pesky old pardon and commutation power, but I can still dream).