Bush wants phone firms immune to spying suits.
By on May 4th, 2007 at 11:35 am
Bush wants phone firms immune to spying suits.
“The Bush administration is urging Congress to pass a law that would halt dozens of lawsuits charging phone companies with invading ordinary citizens’ privacy through a post-Sept. 11 warrantless surveillance program.”
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I’m sure Congress will get right on that one!
May 4th, 2007 at 11:38 amNo way!!! It’s the only way to get to the bottom of the Constitutional abuses of the NSA program!!
May 4th, 2007 at 11:39 amI’m sending an email to my senator, brown asking him to resist any such measure
May 4th, 2007 at 11:39 amNo. The answer is NO.
May 4th, 2007 at 11:41 amI’m confused by this. I want security, too. Hell I don’t even mind giving up electronic privacy for a temporary period.
May 4th, 2007 at 11:41 amThe problem is over and over again the Bush folks have used war and terrorism as a tool to increase their power rather than actually reducing terror. All the lies. Time after time after time. Bush needs to lose this battle and people need to go to jail for lying and spying on Americans without their consent.
OT – Michael Ware, CNNs reporter in Iraq speaking to Anderson Coooper, comments on how ridiculous it is to expect the Iraqi government to EVER achieve ANY “Benchmarkâ€â€¦
COOPER: Well, Michael Ware, let’s talk about those benchmarks… The benchmarks, I guess, are to pressure Maliki. Has pressure worked on him in the past?
WARE: No, never. This is such an old scenario, Anderson. I mean, this word benchmark has been used over and over and over. And no matter what conditions have been set for Maliki to meet, he’s never once lived up to them. So, now Washington is trying to up the ante, increase the pressure upon him in what most likely will be the vain hope that he will deliver.

…The truth is, we keep putting forth key benchmarks for the Iraqis — on Iraqi troops, on oil revenue sharing, on reversing De-Baathification, on amending Iraq’s new constitution — and they keep failing to meet them. Time after time after time.
from huffingtonpost dot com
May 4th, 2007 at 11:41 amIf you watched PBS you know the Supreme Court has already taken AWAY the right
OF THE STATES
to enforce their own privacy laws, and has lumped all the cases against Big Brother Phone Company into one, which they will surely lose.
May 4th, 2007 at 11:43 amCorporate rights always trump our rights. It’s the American way!
May 4th, 2007 at 11:45 amSomeone (us?) has to stop this Corporate/antidemocratic takeover of America.
May 4th, 2007 at 11:47 amOf course he does. No fascist state is comlete until the citizenry have no redress for invasions of their privacy. Geeeeeeez~!
May 4th, 2007 at 11:47 ambush appears to want everybody in big business and government to be immune from everything.
waging illegal wars, lying, spying and the like. it never seems to end.
but a good reminder is this – the constitution and bill of rights are not just “good ideas”….they’re the law.
read on if you’d like:
“Contract with America: Bill of Rights”
May 4th, 2007 at 11:47 amhttp://www.populistamerica.com/contract_with_america
I say that the lawyers need to keep pounding on the fact that only 3 weeks after entering office Bush was negotiating with the phone companies to put special equipment in for this type of monitoring.
This is a CLEAR sign of PREMEDITATED act of criminal activity.
There is NO getting around this FACT!
I would just bring it up in EVERY comment and questioning…..
This is the same as a person buying a saw before they kill someone and cut up their body for disposal.
Even though the body is never recovered, they can prove that it was premeditated by the fact this person purchased the saw for this purpose.
I say do nothing and let this ONE fact be the focus of the case….. This alone will ensure that the phone companies are held responsible.
May 4th, 2007 at 11:49 amahh Bush, always protecting the bad guy…
May 4th, 2007 at 11:49 ammy posts often come out formatted incorrectly, so I’ll try once again…
Michael Ware, CNNs reporter in Iraq speaking to Anderson Coooper, comments on how ridiculous it is to expect the Iraqi government to EVER achieve ANY “Benchmarkâ€â€¦
COOPER: Well, Michael Ware, let’s talk about those benchmarks… The benchmarks, I guess, are to pressure Maliki. Has pressure worked on him in the past?
WARE: No, never. This is such an old scenario, Anderson. I mean, this word benchmark has been used over and over and over. And no matter what conditions have been set for Maliki to meet, he’s never once lived up to them. So, now Washington is trying to up the ante, increase the pressure upon him in what most likely will be the vain hope that he will deliver.
…The truth is, we keep putting forth key benchmarks for the Iraqis — on Iraqi troops, on oil revenue sharing, on reversing De-Baathification, on amending Iraq’s new constitution — and they keep failing to meet them. Time after time after time. from huffingtonpost dot com
May 4th, 2007 at 11:51 amklyde…Sherrod?
May 4th, 2007 at 11:51 am“ahh Bush, always protecting the bad guy…
Comment by Pete Bogs — May 4, 2007 @ 11:49 am”
I think you mean to say…. “RICH bad guy”?????
After all…. If they don’t have any money, he enjoys having them tried, jailed, and executed.
May 4th, 2007 at 11:54 amTrade ya. You get phone company immunity for past offenses conducted by following your abusive orders, and we get out of Iraq.
Deal?
May 4th, 2007 at 11:54 amI pledge allegiance, to the United Corporations of America…
May 4th, 2007 at 11:56 amLet me guess: the law would be retroactive.
May 4th, 2007 at 11:58 amWhy not have everyone involved with any neo-con inspired crime plead guilty on Monday. Then Bush can pardon all of them on Tuesday.
May 4th, 2007 at 12:02 pmNO!
May 4th, 2007 at 12:15 pmNO! Sue the crap out of them for breaking the law, this might help to see just WHO the Bushians were spying on, could it be dems, reporters, and critics? Just might be, (of course it is) that this is the reason the Bush Mafia wants it stopped.
Hating the Repukian Mafia daily
May 4th, 2007 at 12:17 pm“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety” -Benjamin Franklin. How true this simple statment is, it’s too bad the American popolutions’ collective education is seriously lacking the knowledge of American founding principles.
May 4th, 2007 at 12:26 pmNo, the law applies to everyone. And the Constitution and our unalienable rights are non-negotiable.
May 4th, 2007 at 12:28 pmI hope Congress tells the Chimp to shove this request where the sun doesn’t shine.
May 4th, 2007 at 12:33 pmWhat this over-grown spoiled brat wants should be of no concern to ANYONE !
May 4th, 2007 at 12:35 pmHe sure as h*ll is not in anyway concerned with what the american people want . . . . he’s a POS from the first water and a felony offender . . . impeach and jail the ba*tard.
We need a 3rd party initiative with some teeth. I’m sure the moderates on both the left and right are equally tired of being shat on. Everybody has their own gripe…personally, this is one (the loss of fundamental freedoms) is at the forefront for me. The 3rd party needs to focus on government reform and constitution protection. Get enough pressure to introduce term-limits for lawmakers and get campaigns publicly funded. Until then, we’re going to see the same crap, from the same people, on both sides of the aisle. D.C. isn’t going to fix itself, especially when they’re making money hand over fist and don’t have to worry about ever leaving. Time to derail that gravy train.
Seriously, how many of you would support that? I’m truly thinking about putting together a mission statement for a 3rd party to see what kind of support it would get.
May 4th, 2007 at 12:46 pmbush wants,bush wants,bush wants,bush wants,waaah,waaah,waaah,waaah,
like #4 states:
#
No. The answer is NO.
Comment by Zooey — May 4, 2007 @ 11:41 am
May 4th, 2007 at 12:46 pmWhy so little outrage, folks?
Eaven the Congressman from Oregon is speaking mealy-mouthed about supporting immunity if the conduct isn’t “intentional”. You got to be f’n kidding. The answer is NO, HELL NO, and NEVER.
May 4th, 2007 at 1:07 pmAbsolutely NOT! I want to see some sleazy legal equivalent to a televangelical hypocrite amke a huge name for himself, coniving his way through the courts to victory, cutting into that platinum parachute ATT is about to give Whitaker upon his retirement for pushing wrecklessly forward the death of domestic competition in his complete indifference of antitrust regulations! My freedom to tell my buds and family over the phones and internets just what a pinheaded box of tools I think the NeoConned GOP happens to be is worth that much to me.
May 4th, 2007 at 1:09 pmComment by Lupeyg2 — May 4, 2007 @ 12:46 pm
Actually, there are already third parties out there. Greens, Reform, Independent, etc. The problem is getting candidates that are strong enough to run and win. Personally, I’ve voted for non-traditional candidates in the primaries many times over the years, and voted for Nader in 2000 (living in PA, which Gore won). In addition, there are candidates campaigning now for the primaries who are NOT considered viable exactly because they are NOT traditional Republicans or Democrats. On the Republican side, there’s Ron Paul. And on the Democratic side, Dennis Kuchinch and Mike Gravel.
May 4th, 2007 at 1:15 pmOne more piece of the “Enabling Act.” The answer is NO. And in fact, revoke most..perhaps all…of the Patriot Act. Or if not, rename it: “Act Revoking the Bill of Rights and Allowing Dictatorship and Totalitarianism in the Once Free United States of America.” Wouldn’t make such a “catchy” acroynm, but at least it would be honest.
May 4th, 2007 at 1:24 pmComment by impeachcheneythenbush — May 4, 2007 @ 1:15 pm
Obviously they’re doing something wrong. You cannot tell me that people aren’t fed up with the crap that is being shoveled down their throats by both the Dems and the Rethugs. Our government is broken…and the time is right for the emergence of a serious 3rd party. I could see that being the reform party if they got their act in gear. I guess I just don’t understand how our current candidates on both sides are the best that we have…you cannot tell me they have the “good idea” market cornered. They’re all disingenuous shills. I guess I’m just fed up w/ the B.S. Unless D.C. is fixed within the next 10 years, I can see it not lasting 20. Whoever wants to step up needs to do it now so that they can make a real push by 2010 to reform this government.
May 4th, 2007 at 1:29 pmAbsolutely, NOT. This is a Get Out of Jail Free card for telecomms companies and Bush administration officials who knowingly broke the law.
Criminal or civil investigations of private telecomms firms’ actions would inevitably involve detailed investigations of the govt’s role. Bush could not guarantee that his perverted use of the State Secrets doctrine would fly, especially if the investigations were delayed until a successor administration. He’s trying desperately to legislate a pardon he doesn’t want to extend himself.
These private telecomms firms almost certainly broke the law and should answer for it. The same for Mr. Bush and others in his administration. Time to tell Junior that he can’t keep breaking things and not have to pay for them.
May 4th, 2007 at 1:37 pmCongress should respond with a bill defining and narrowing the use of the “state secrets” defense in civil law suits, and allowing for in camera review when such secrets are at issue.
May 4th, 2007 at 1:42 pmBushCo can “urge” all they want, but my money says it ain’t happenin’ w/out a rubberstamp GOP Congress doing whatever their Evil Master bids(sorry, Dick, but you’re running on empty at this point).
May 4th, 2007 at 2:10 pmThe proposed FISA amendment legislation, which I believe this immunity clause is part, is creepy stuff. During a recent congressional hearing on the matter, it came out notwithstanding Albertoliar’s pronouncement that wiretapping would henceforth be conducted exclusively under FISA, it HASN’T BEEN and there’s no NEED to when the Chimperor feels like exercising a little Article II authority.
WTF???? This is the same middle finger the whole admin has been giving us for years, they get caught, grudgingly half fess-up, promise not to do it again, and do it anyway.
If I were a congressman at the hearing on this, I’d bring a baseball bat to the party.
May 4th, 2007 at 2:28 pm#
Comment by impeachcheneythenbush — May 4, 2007 @ 1:15 pm
Obviously they’re doing something wrong. You cannot tell me that people aren’t fed up with the crap that is being shoveled down their throats by both the Dems and the Rethugs. Our government is broken…and the time is right for the emergence of a serious 3rd party. I could see that being the reform party if they got their act in gear. I guess I just don’t understand how our current candidates on both sides are the best that we have…you cannot tell me they have the “good idea†market cornered. They’re all disingenuous shills. I guess I’m just fed up w/ the B.S. Unless D.C. is fixed within the next 10 years, I can see it not lasting 20. Whoever wants to step up needs to do it now so that they can make a real push by 2010 to reform this government.
Comment by Lupeyg2 — May 4, 2007 @ 1:29 pm
I am not, in any way, disagreeing with you. Note my vote for Nader in 2000, who stated the same thing you are: Dems and Repubs being two sides of the same coin, basically. If you can figure out a way to find and help us support a viable candidate in a third-party, I’m all for it. But it takes money to run campaigns, including advertisements. It’s almost always the stumbling block for a third-party candidate, or even non-Kool Aid drinkers within their own party. I, personally, support the idea of public funding for federal elections (via the check off box on tax returns) period. Including Congressional races. No personal funds and no other fundraising. It would bring things down to a vastly more level playing field for all candidates. I’d like to see the same mechanism used for candidates in state legislatures as well. Oh yes…and equal and free time given to each and every candidate by both network and cable channels. Well…I can dream, right?
May 4th, 2007 at 2:34 pmMaybe if these corporations are hit with multi-billion dollar penalties, they might think twice about assisting any administration from either party with a conspiracy to break the law. This can’t be some silly slap on the wrist, this penalty MUST HURT. I am also sure that these corporations’ charters contain more than one clause about upholding the law. Maybe a challenge to their continuing to hold their charters might be appropriate? Hell, we have “three strike” laws for persons, and the Supreme Court (in a fit of madness) has held that corporations are “persons” under the law. Maybe a corporate “death penalty” might be in order, too.
May 4th, 2007 at 2:35 pmI’ll say it once and I’ll say it again. The Patriot Act was used by the Bush administration to spy on political enemies. It’s that simple. Think Watergate, only on a grander scale.
May 4th, 2007 at 2:45 pmComment by impeachcheneythenbush — May 4, 2007 @ 2:34 pm
I’m working on it right now.
May 4th, 2007 at 3:15 pmIf people don’t experience consequences for criminal behavior, then don’t expect criminal behavior to stop. Without consequences, bad behavior is rewarded.
I was in a family for more than 26 years who joined Organized Crime often bragging about it being “The World’s Largest Crime System”. They also said that anyone caught will only experience if any, small consequences hence their involvement was worth it. What this means is they can steel all the money they want because when they get caught, they only pay, if any, a very small percentage of what they took.
May 4th, 2007 at 3:19 pm#
Comment by impeachcheneythenbush — May 4, 2007 @ 2:34 pm
I’m working on it right now.
Comment by Lupeyg2 — May 4, 2007 @ 3:15 pm
Best of luck…and keep posting!
May 4th, 2007 at 3:36 pmNot only no, but hell no.!
May 4th, 2007 at 5:00 pmWell, Bush has been so gracious and cooperative with this congress. I’m sure they’re just aching to accomodate him.
May 4th, 2007 at 8:01 pmeach company that collaborated should be shut down and put out of business and each CEO should go to prison for life.
treasonous back stabbing bastards !!!
May 4th, 2007 at 8:40 pmSo…
May 5th, 2007 at 9:39 amParty ChairmanPresident Dubya wants private citizens to spy on theircomradesfellow citizens anddenouncereport on them tothe secret policehomeland security? Why does this remind me of another place and time in history, I wonder?