Newsday reports that Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will oppose the FISA bill because it grants retroactive immunity to telecoms and expands the president’s power to wiretap without court order. “If Schumer backs an effort to remove the immunity provisions, that could be a big deal,” writes John Riley. “No signal yet from Sen. Clinton on her position, and it’s not clear whether the Democrats will have enough votes to successfully attack the immunity issue.”

What I want to see is Obama making an impassioned speech. I am so furious with him I have discontinued my monthly contribution to his campaign and will not contribute ever again unless he does the right thing here. I get the feeling that Obama is holding back hoping that Feingold, Dodd and Schumer can stop this thing so that he doesn’t have to get his hands dirty. The thing he is missing is that if he doesn’t get his hands dirty, he is going to lose the support of a lot of liberals who think that protecting our fourth amendment rights is grounds for dirty hands.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:19 pmRUSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!
June 25th, 2008 at 2:20 pmQ U E S T I O N:
Who wins and what is it THEY(sic) win when Americans loose their Right to be secure from their Government’s ability to spy on it’s citizenry?
TYRANNY
FOURTH AMENDMENT:
Q U E S T I O N:
Which protects the Republic from the other…?
Grant immunity and America falls to TYRANNY!
R E M E M B E R:
THEY(sic) HATE US FOR OUR FREEDOMS…
… And so they entertain debates on the merits to undermining Americas core foundational FREEDOMS, RIGHTS and LIBERTIES; What it means to BE an American, FREE FROM TYRANNY!
TREASON
America is being back-stabbed by the People’s Elected Officials who took an Oath to protect the Republic from this very activity our Elected Officials are engaging in.
has been subscribed to in person and filed in duplicate with the Clerk of the House of Representatives by the following Members of the 110th Congress, pursuant to the provisions of 2 U.S.C. 25:
so,
What’s on American Idol now a days…?
.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:20 pmNo signal yet from Sen. Clinton on her position…
- - C’mon, Hill. Imagine if you had the chance to vote again on the use of force against Iraq. You’d vote nay this time. This is that vote again.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:21 pmrogerse Says:
——————————————————————————–
Not to worry, with the dems, including obama, it will probably pass, immunity removal or not.most likely not.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Not to worry ; we all still realize you support criminals……….
June 25th, 2008 at 2:25 pmI’ve said it before, and rogerse still hasn’t proved me wrong, he’s a Fascist sympathiser.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:27 pmWhat are the consequences of always sitting on the fence? I hope Obama jumps to his natural side soon befoe he looses his ….
June 25th, 2008 at 2:28 pmHave we heard from Rx2 on his opinion for telcom immunity? I don’t recall reading his point of view.
Rx2: Do you agree that the telcoms should be given immunity when we do not know what they did, or who they did it to? Do you agree the President should have the authority to either order private actors to break the law, or, once they have broken the law, ignore their prosecution?
June 25th, 2008 at 2:28 pmrogerse:
Any thoughts on the fact that this program, with respect to warrantless wiretapping of American citizens or people within the US has been going on since BEFORE 9/11, therefore blowing the whole “This will protect us from terrorist attacks” bs talking point since it did such a great job of that on 9/11? Any thoughts?
Any thoughts about the fact that every single piece of this program is therefore illegal, since it is done without warrants, and our laws clearly state you must have a warrant for this type of activity, or at least seek one within 72 hours in a time-sensitive case?
Any thoughts on what your feelings would be if it was DEMOCRATS demanding immunity for companies that committed CRIMES while trying to scare people into thinking that if they don’t get their way people will die? I bet you’d be up in arms right now.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:30 pmrogerse Says:
dems past FIZA emmunity and eposed to shall not over atleast the kitty over them becaze that they are tooo four the better of that..
June 25th, 2008 at 2:31 pmrogerse
You still haven’t posted in English.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:31 pmSo you agree that too many dems are complicit in the criminal activities of the gop?
June 25th, 2008 at 2:31 pmI hope that the Dems get a spine, and do not pass this bill!
June 25th, 2008 at 2:33 pmW. is taking away our freedoms at a rapid rate. Congress: Do not continue to give into this awful man!
McWars Says:
rogerse
You still haven’t posted in English.
Probably still drunk.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:36 pmCan’t one of the Senators place a Hold on it?
There needs to be a Rule of Law review on it anyway, since it violates the Constitution.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:38 pmYeah noone knows anything about the program Bush/Cheney has been running. lol. Amazing.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:42 pmJune 25th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Schumer didn’t have the cojones to make private equity managers pay income tax rates on carriend interest. He covered the private equity underwriter (PEU) boys’ back. I’ll be interested to see what he does with telecom.
http://www.opensecrets.org/ politicians/ industries.php?cycle=Career&cid=N00001093
June 25th, 2008 at 2:48 pmGutting the country and constitution seems to be what politicians are all about these days.
Very 1984ish.
rogered up the arse proves, once again, that he is a uneducated fascist, with very low typing and grammar skills.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:51 pmstateofthedivision Says:
This is a little different. If it was about money it would have already gone under the radar……this is about immunity for crimes commited.
Shumer is still much more likely to be involved in doing the right thing than any of the republicans. At least we have a shot at it with him pushing for it. Don’t forget that the winds of change are blowing and the dems know that, they have just been unable until lately to do much about it. Don’t prejudge Schumer on this.
June 25th, 2008 at 2:54 pmSchumer realizes a spotlight is glaring down on the Senate.
Schumer supported Mukasey’s confirmation.
Mukasey supports Bush’s EP on Bolton & Meirs.
Mukasey defends the WH on destroying e-mail & records.
Schumer wants to get re-elected.
Schumer will do anything to get re-elected.
Is Schumer ‘back’, or is he just backed up to the wall?
And Clinton & Obama, we’re waiting…
June 25th, 2008 at 2:54 pmstateofthedivision Says:
——————————————————————————–
Schumer didn’t have the cojones to make private equity managers pay income tax rates on carriend interest. He covered the private equity underwriter (PEU) boys’ back. I’ll be interested to see what he does with telecom.
http://www.opensecrets.org/ politicians/ industries.php?cycle=Career&cid=N00001093
June 25th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Schumer alone was singularly responsible for that , right ?
Get a clue………..
June 25th, 2008 at 2:54 pmrogerse,
What is the redeeming quality to being able to rob a bank and then get legislation passed making my actions legal?
What is a TYRANT?
June 25th, 2008 at 2:55 pmAnd now Feinstein is siding with Schumer too. What IS it with these two?
June 25th, 2008 at 2:56 pmFolks,
June 25th, 2008 at 2:56 pmTalking to a Troll is like trying to put lipstick on KKKarl…
Sen. Russ is one American with capital letters! What a decent chap! If this bill, with immunity passes, people should surround Congress and demand the resignation of the traitors! Their names should be made known to all. I always thought Alex Jones was too ‘radical’ and exagerating things… but, as America sinks to a new low on a daily bases, makes me wonder…
June 25th, 2008 at 3:00 pmFolks, I agree with Zimzone. Ignore the FACIST. Besides, he has proven over and over again how little intelect he has. Why border? Ignore it!
June 25th, 2008 at 3:02 pmI totally agree! ughhh! Obama was such a wonderful Senator, but I don’t know if I like the new “Presidential Contender” Obama.
Doesn’t he get it that we WANT you Senate folks to stand up and take a hard stand for something and end the fence sitting? That will get you votes.
June 25th, 2008 at 3:03 pmMax-1 @#3 ~ Nice.
June 25th, 2008 at 3:03 pmrogerse,
I ask you because you keep apologising for it like there IS some intrinsic redeeming quality to the concept, itself.
If the concept is repugnant to you, then we are on the same side fighting to retain what Liberty, Right and Freedoms we have remaining.
If the concept is lost on you, well then you support the subversion of our Liberties, Right and Freedoms…
Or is there another way of looking at this issue to educate us at why privacy is so over rated, that our Founders did get it wrong.
PLEASE PARSE IT FOR US…
June 25th, 2008 at 3:06 pmAnd you propose as an alternative what exactly. Remember that Obama is trying to win an election that spans a large variety of different trains of thought. He knows what he is doing and he will be just fine.
He needs to bring all democrats together during the campaign and it is nieve of you to think he should cater to one group at this point. Lets wait and see what he does when he actually is the president before we judge him too harshly.
June 25th, 2008 at 3:09 pmrogerse Says:
——————————————————————————–
Max-1 Says:
What is the redeeming quality to being able to rob a bank and then get legislation passed making my actions legal?
I don’t know, ask your hero dems…
June 25th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Ask my “hero” Dems what ?
To steal the White House memo where that is fully detailed , shit for brains ?
June 25th, 2008 at 3:15 pmWhat, are you just plain stupid. I tire of your bs. That law required a court order…..wake up and make sense or move along.
June 25th, 2008 at 3:17 pmIt must be hard for Rawjer, going door to door, trying to sell outdated, spoiled, rotting ideas.
June 25th, 2008 at 3:19 pmIf he puts his foot in your door, please slam it hard enough to amputate.
Bernie Sanders I of Vermont, one of the good guy’s….Thank’s Bernie…Blessings
June 25th, 2008 at 3:29 pmNothing from Obama yet.? Oh well…Blessings all
June 25th, 2008 at 3:30 pmI have only one thing to say FILIBUSTER and if Obama doesn’t participate we are in trouble.
June 25th, 2008 at 3:32 pmGuys, I just had a very bad thought. What’s Lieberman gonna do?
June 25th, 2008 at 3:32 pm#42 That’s a no brainer question…After he washes the brown off his nose, left from bush’s butt he will vote with the reich winger’s…And to think he was almost put into office by a vote of mine just a few year’s ago..Good for me I became educated and will not make the same mistake’s again…Later..Blessings
June 25th, 2008 at 3:43 pmPlease join me in contacting your member of the Senate daily to put pressure on them to block this bill. ALSO CONTACT SENATOR OBAMA at http://www.BarrackObama.com and tell him to stop this bill. He is supposed to be the leader of the Democratic party now. He needs to show some leadership. Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi have painted him into a corner with their cowardess act of letting his bill see the light of day.
June 25th, 2008 at 3:53 pmSen. Russ Feingold is the only Democrat in Congress with any balls. He’s got a set on his that is bigger than an elephant. When he goes to the zoo the elephants look at him and say: “Man what a pair, I wish my balls where that big!”
June 25th, 2008 at 3:55 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins Says:
What I want to see is Obama making an impassioned speech. I am so furious with him I have discontinued my monthly contribution to his campaign and will not contribute ever again unless he does the right thing here. I get the feeling that Obama is holding back hoping that Feingold, Dodd and Schumer can stop this thing so that he doesn’t have to get his hands dirty. The thing he is missing is that if he doesn’t get his hands dirty, he is going to lose the support of a lot of liberals who think that protecting our fourth amendment rights is grounds for dirty hands.
I warned you that he wasn’t the politician you believed him to be. Obama was NEVER a progressive, the Obamaheads on the blogs simply were too pissed at Hillary’s vote on Iraq (one she shared with most Democrats) to realize that she was MORE PROGRESSIVE than Obama was. Hillary was certainly less progressive than Edwards - but she’s much further to the left than Obama ever was. Obama believes that religion should play a bigger role in government, he’s opposed to abortions having said that ‘Abortions are NEVER a good thing’, he’s opposed to gays having marriage, he’s opposed to universal health care. He has more in common with Republicans than the blogosphere ever cared to pay attention to. And when I pointed this out to you, you personally and the zoo-butt-heads in general were too busy trashing me to ever listen to what I had to say.
Obama is most certainly more to the left than McCain, but he is in no way a progressive candidate!
And at this point, don’t expect Hillary to stand against Obama - because she has committed to electing him and her words against him and his positions at this point would be counter to doing so. She is laying low out of respect to his views and his candidacy - something Obama would NEVER have had the decency, morality or party loyalty to do if he had lost. Boy you guys picked the wrong horse YET AGAIN - it’s like Kerry one more time…
June 25th, 2008 at 3:57 pmI have been listening to CSPAN2 and had an interesting thought. I think it was Feingold or Sanders who said that only 30 some members of the Senate have had any briefing about what the spying program was.
How is someone supposed to vote intelligently on something if you have no idea what you are voting about? It is sad that we cannot even trust members of congress with all the dark secrets of Bush’s nightmare policies.
Just thought that was interesting, although I guess the majority of the public votes for president with the same ignorance, even if it is willful. :)
June 25th, 2008 at 4:01 pmI watched Feingold. Then it was Feinstein-third-Recih. I am more than convinced that she is a shill for the telecoms.
June 25th, 2008 at 4:05 pmBilbo Hussein Baggins Says:
What I want to see is Obama making an impassioned speech. I am so furious with him I have discontinued my monthly contribution to his campaign and will not contribute ever again unless he does the right thing here.
SO MUCH BULLSHIT. PROVE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
June 25th, 2008 at 4:07 pmleftcoast Says:
Bilbo Hussein Baggins Says:
What I want to see is Obama making an impassioned speech. I am so furious with him I have discontinued my monthly contribution to his campaign and will not contribute ever again unless he does the right thing here.
SO MUCH BULLSHIT. PROVE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
Hey Bilbo, welcome to my experience of what it was like to post here with you zoo-heads for the last few months…
Oh, and leftcoast, if you don’t think there’s a meltdown among the netroots, go to the huffingtonpost home page right now… It’s nice to see you nutroots loonies that have lost your minds to obamamania finally wake up and realize that your candidate’s call for ‘change’ and ‘hope’ is as hollow and vague as your airhead skull!
June 25th, 2008 at 4:13 pmleftcoast Says:
I watched Feingold. Then it was Feinstein-third-Recih. I am more than convinced that she is a shill for the telecoms.
No, it’s simpler than that. Many Democrat involved in national security were briefed by Bush - implicating them in the crime. She’s covering her own *ss, and Obama is helping her to do so.
June 25th, 2008 at 4:14 pmThe Shadow Says:
Please join me in contacting your member of the Senate daily to put pressure on them to block this bill. ALSO CONTACT SENATOR OBAMA at http://www.BarrackObama.com and tell him to stop this bill. He is supposed to be the leader of the Democratic party now. He needs to show some leadership. Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi have painted him into a corner with their cowardess act of letting his bill see the light of day.
Obama has ALWAYS been about what HE WANTS not what YOU WANT, and if you hadn’t been so busy hating hillary, you would have noticed this during the primaries… He never cared what the progressives wanted, he only used you, and your naive idealism to win the primary and throw out the more progressive candidates. You were duped, and now you’re too stupid, and too proud to simply admit it!
June 25th, 2008 at 4:16 pmI have to agree. I was never an Obama supporter, but I have to admit he talks a good game. Once he had the nomination wrapped up he began to allow some peeks behind the curtain, first with his speech to AIPAC, then with his “Chicago school” economic team, now this FISA silence.
Make no mistake I would love to believe him when he speaks of change, but I have an annoying habit of thinking logically. :) I know some will say he is only playing to the electorate with these positions, but that hardly represents “change” from the usual politics.
I would have voted for him but had second thought after the AIPAC speech and it has gone downhill from there. Guess I better see if Nader is on the ballot in Illinois…
June 25th, 2008 at 4:30 pmWell nobody can say they were warned against obama. With the media all but nominating clinton or obama, people should have been suspicious. But gee, it was about making HISTORY wasn’t it?
June 25th, 2008 at 4:34 pmrepublicans hate facts Says he still would eat a mile of Hillary’s crap to see where it comes from.
You are blinded by Hillary’s crap, wipe your face, you look ridiculous.
June 25th, 2008 at 4:34 pmPassage of the FISA legislation would give unprecedented power to the President. Every Democratic Senator ought to be asking himself or herself: Why would this supposedly lame duck Administration be so hot to provide this power to a potential Democratic President. Why? Unless, of course, the current Administration has no plans to turn over all that power, all those classified documents, Dick Cheney’s walk-in safe, etc. This is so simple…If you dance with the devil, be ready to get a pitchfork up the A**…
June 25th, 2008 at 4:49 pmMC Metal,
Here’s your clue:
http://www.nytimes.com/ 2007/ 07/ 30/ washington/ 30schumer.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2&th&emc=th&adxnnlx=1185801167-9M2JTKOLyyg935sT4NOmXA
June 25th, 2008 at 5:26 pmI’m sure there are very good reasons why this administration needed to know as best they could what everyone was talking, e-mailing and txt messaging about.
I’d bet my paycheck that it had absolutely nothing to do with terrah-ists or nu-cular weapons or marketing strategies for Target $ Walmart.
No-sir, these slimy killers were out to cover their as$es from the get-go. That is precisely why they started it before 9-11.
June 25th, 2008 at 5:40 pmSo all of you Obama and Schumer bashers are willing to have the republicans retain control just to be right, is that it?
If you want to tear down the democrats chances to change the direction this country is headed then just keep it up. I will understand that you were never a progressive and that it is all about you.
If the republicans win in any way this election then you will have no chance of changing the way things are going. At least if we get rid of the thugs we will have a chance.
We will have our chance to voice our opinions and they will be heard much more than now. This is not the time.
June 25th, 2008 at 5:56 pmrepublicans hate facts Says:
——————————————————————————–
leftcoast Says:
Bilbo Hussein Baggins Says:
What I want to see is Obama making an impassioned speech. I am so furious with him I have discontinued my monthly contribution to his campaign and will not contribute ever again unless he does the right thing here.
SO MUCH BULLSHIT. PROVE YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS.
Hey Bilbo, welcome to my experience of what it was like to post here with you zoo-heads for the last few months…
Oh, and leftcoast, if you don’t think there’s a meltdown among the netroots, go to the huffingtonpost home page right now… It’s nice to see you nutroots loonies that have lost your minds to obamamania finally wake up and realize that your candidate’s call for ‘change’ and ‘hope’ is as hollow and vague as your airhead skull!
June 25th, 2008 at 4:13 pm Recommend (0) | Report Abuse
That’s pretty much why I stopped reading HuffPo, Americablog, and stopped watching Keith Olbermann. It was sickening with the Sen Clinton bashing and ’special comments’, while anyone could see that Sen ‘Change’ Obama is a politician, too. The media made him “the American Idol” candidate. Now that he’s the presumptive nominee, I hope he can be a President OF the people.
June 25th, 2008 at 6:54 pmCLinton is my Senator, and her office told me on Friday that she is definately AGAINST thte FISA bill. I was making calls all day friday with my hair on fire, so I definately asked them straight out what her position was on the FISA bill.
Shumer’s office said the same thing.
June 25th, 2008 at 8:18 pmRepublitards hate facts (Well DUH) said:
“to realize that she was MORE PROGRESSIVE than Obama was. Hillary was certainly less progressive than Edwards - but she’s much further to the left than Obama ever was. Obama believes that religion should play a bigger role in government, he’s opposed to abortions having said that ‘Abortions are NEVER a good thing’, he’s opposed to gays having marriage, he’s opposed to universal health care.”
Hee, hee, Me thinks you all twisted honey. Hilary is left of Mcnutjob, but they right of Edwards (No rights for gays) and right of YoMama.
June 25th, 2008 at 8:37 pmGet with the understanding of the spectrum, you are using a Karl Rove spectrograph. Update your software kiddo.
Wow Fred, raise an issue and get called a Schumer basher. How Republican of you. I can assure you I won’t vote Republican for many years, but I also believe Democrats need to return to some basic values and bust some of the myths.
As I said in my first post, I will wait for Chuck Schumer to act on this issue. However, history has shown him to cave for hometown (Wall Street) corporate interests.
When Democrats can’t challenge their own, that’s problematic. I do understand this is a progressive news commentary website. What happens when supposed progressives act otherwise? One might expect a challenge from ThinkProgress.
June 25th, 2008 at 8:53 pm