At my sig is what AP is reporting on the compromise.

... held in power by the apathy of the American people

This episode reminds me of what happens in NY, again and again, when a white police man shoots and kills a black youth. Sharpton and others stage Days of Rage, there is a lot of anger and protests for weeks, and then the DA presents to the grand jury, and steers them to not indict, or at the bench trial, the Judge finds in favor of the defendant/policemen. Sharpton makes some more threats, and in a few weeks we're onto the next thing.

Same thing here; I don't believe that Hoyer and his cronies are afraid of the polls or of Bush. Its telecom lobbyists and their money, and in retrospect, there was probably never any doubt that they were going to win. And now its time for us to turn to the next outrage. You know, its also reminiscent of the AIPAC spying indictments - don't hold your breath waiting for that trial to start. As someone once said, "Them that has, gits."

"When they saw that we were unified in sending that bill rather than falling for their scare tactics, I think it sent them a message," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). "So our leverage was increased because of our Democratic unity in both cases." - Nancy Pelosi

“I think the White House got a better deal than even they had hoped to get,” said Senator Christopher S. Bond, Republican of Missouri, who led the negotiations. - Roy Blount

I think this about says it all.

If the Constitution is the ultimate law of the land then how can they shield anyone or any entity from it without amending it? Just because Congress says so does not make it legal. I believe that this shield law will be challanged on its Constitutionality and whether Congress can shield people and corporate entities from its protections as well and penalties.

"When they saw that we were unified in sending that bill rather than falling for their scare tactics, I think it sent them a message," said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). "So our leverage was increased because of our Democratic unity in both cases."

“I think the White House got a better deal than even they had hoped to get,” said Senator Christopher S. Bond, Republican of Missouri, who led the negotiations.

Sen. Russ Feingold, a member of the Select Committee on Intelligence, said the deal announced Thursday on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act "is not a compromise. It is a capitulation."

“The lawsuits will be dismissed,” Representative Roy Blunt of Missouri, the No. 2 Republican in the House, predicted with confidence

You see and listen to all the birds? Listen here, you shake that knee while we sit on that sexy and alluring laptop you got. You can sure offend. You know some history. I thank you for slaving here like a red ant. You skinny? You snoop behind buses and trees? Them gov`ment are cowardly snipe birds.

'Um nap and shed tears.

Pelicans, wrens, plovers,

and clucking chicken hens.

'Um hearts are thick as led.

'Um shoot people in the head.

'Um bomb the soothsayer hawk.

'um duck birds sit in a sea, crows in a tree.

The birds that soar and hover are not cawing.

Maybe they are chirping `Ignore the messengers? I goofing.

I bet foul of the air are talking about the snoop's binoculars?

re: FISA capitulation

Congressman,

This from the Wall Street Journal:

Before 9/11, the NSA had to acquire a specific warrant if it wanted to listen to any conversation involving a U.S. citizen

This from the U.S. Constitution:

Amendment 4 - Search and Seizure. Ratified 12/15/1791.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

This from the People:

Get your hands off my 4th Amendment! Why do you think it has been repealed? 9/11 did not change the Constitution, and neither may you without my consent.

Sincerely,

BurningFeet

p.s. Yes, I read the bill.

I thought I knew some history but apparently I was misininformed.

Today I found out that America was a "totalitarian country" up until 1914,(or 1960) depending on whether you were in a federal or state court. As prof. Turley and all the other lawyers here, and elsewhere, are well aware. Before the SCOTUS ruled in Weeks v US in 1914, federal courts routinely admitted illegally seized material as evidence to avoid allowing guilty parties to go free. The rights of the individual were considered less important than the administration of justice. It was the birth of the Exclusionary Rule. Before that, the fourth amendment was just so many fine sounding words. State courts pretty much did the same until Mapp v. Ohio in 1960. Fight promoter Don King was involved in that case in a tangential way. I did not know that. You learn something new every day.

It's the same old song and dance, GC. One step up. Two steps back. Just keep dancing, bro.

...I will stop contributing to his campaign and give all I can to the ACLU instead. I probably should have done that to begin with.

In addition, it is important to support REAL progressive candidates like Regina Thomas - http://reginathomas4congress.com - who is running against "blue dog" DINO Rep. John Barrow in GA. She needs it now more than ever, since that back-stabbing Obama just recorded a campaign ad for Barrow!

If the corrupt Democratic "leadership" can't stand up to these "blue dogs", then they ought to just put an "R" after their names, where it belongs. Next time I get a mail solicitation from the DNC, the DSCC or the DCCC I'll just spit into the postage-paid return envelope: "Remember FISA?"

May these traitors roast in hell for pissing on our Constitution and selling us down the river to their corporate masters.

*sigh* Even SWEDEN isn't free anymore. We're fckd.