This solution would appear to be a win-win for everyone. Democrats could vote against the immunity for telecoms and protect themselves against the wrath of the netroots and their trial lawyer contributers. Republicans would have scored yet another victory over the Democrat-led Congress and the American people will be much safer knowing that the USA is monitoring terrorists’ communications.
To break an impasse over legislation overhauling the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, House Democratic leaders are considering the option of taking up a Senate-passed FISA bill in stages, congressional sources said today. Under the plan, the House would vote separately on the first title of the bill, which authorizes surveillance activities, and then on the bill’s second title, which grants retroactive legal immunity to telecommunications companies that aided the Bush administration’s warrantless electronic surveillance activities. The two would be recombined, assuming passage of both titles. In this way, Democratic leaders believe they can give an out to lawmakers opposed to the retroactive immunity provision. Republican leadership sources said their caucus would back such a plan because not only would it give Democratic leaders the out they need, it would provide a political win for the GOP. It remains to be seen if such a move will placate liberal Democrats who adamantly oppose giving in to the Bush administration on the immunity issue.
Pelosi really has not choice but to allow this bill to be voted on, even Senate Democrats are calling for her to get going:
Democrats in the Senate backed this bill, which has cut out the ground from underneath Pelosi and the House in arguing that the White House and Republicans should compromise. Why should they, when the bill on the table in the House garnered a 68-29 passage in the upper chamber? President Bush has hammered Pelosi on this point, and even Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) has gone public in pressuring the House to get the bill passed.
posted March 2, 2008 at 7:04 pm
I for one – would be less than pleased seeing the big telco’s getting a free pass on this one! Being a lowly disabled independent I am less concerned about the Unity of either electoral body – but the destruction to the U.S. Constitution is enough to make even the late William F. Buckley cry in shame!
I won’t miss this president much if at all.
posted March 2, 2008 at 8:11 pm
I for one am opposed to an amnesty for telecom’s verizon, att, nextel, comcast….as a disbled American who has watched as the American Constitution has been stretched an distorted for a myriad of purposes the least of which is the protection of American Values, and as a new independent voter with no allegiance to any political party who wood give sovernity to anyone but the people of this nation and who has more than enough time to expose and express outrage on behalf of those less able to.
posted March 3, 2008 at 3:58 am
couldn’t agree with you more. keep saying it. nobody else gets it.
posted July 7, 2008 at 3:01 am
Ya know what ..all of this has been in the works well before Bush time by both republicans and democrats where presidency is already decided who it will be btc(by those chosen) who control all of our government.No third partys though, they are not members of these groups . But they will never get there the way our 2 party vote system in place. Time for a Change there!!! They will swing with lobbyists too. And there is so much corruption in government that it’s hard for one to keep an honest hat on with all of those tools (bad laws being passed, lobbyists costing and buying their way at hand , it’s too tempting. I think we need to take back our government!!Try the Trilateral commission kinda the same as The Bilderbergs and Federal Reserve(which is not even a federal program) make money out of thin air to loan with interest to government where we the people pay taxes on it. If the people would have known about this small group of elite bankers(about) sneakingly planned all of it on an Island and own it(private bankers) jp morgan, The Rockefellers, etc..If we could get rid of federal reserve we could go back and never have to pay taxes like it was before and all people would prosper not just the few who want One world government and sink the rest in to poverty and slavery in their attempt to form New World Order and if you read about Hitler ….see a comparison alike??? Lets get rid of the most unfair voting system which is used by U.S. the 2 party system and it all takes us the people. Just remember this:
Be Free
Freedom. Talk about freedom.
Talk about freedom of speech, of expression, of religion and of choice. Talk about what it means to live and be free.
And then exercise that freedom in every facet you choose.
With freedom comes the privilege to use and, some would say, misuse the tools a band of revolutionaries carved out for all citizens — not just themselves. That is the fundamental difference that sets this nation apart from others. Everyone who bears the title of U.S. citizen has the same rights here as outlined in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
With freedom also comes responsibility. We will lose those rights if we don’t use and protect them. So as you celebrate Independence Day, remember the word freedom.