Bush Administration Admits That Telco Immunity More Important Than Increased Spying Power
from the doesn't-that-say-something? dept
While we had thought that Congress was going to easily roll over on the so-called (but not really) compromise bill on new surveillance powers that included telco immunity from potentially illegal acts committed in the past few years, there has been some pushback in the Senate, where the bill is finally about to come up for vote. Some Senators have put together an amendment stripping telco immunity from the bill, but leaving the increased surveillance powers in place. Amazingly, the Bush Administration has now said that if telco immunity is stripped from the bill, Bush will veto the bill, even if everything else is identical. In other words, all the talk you hear from politicians about how this bill is necessary to protect Americans is hogwash. If it were true, then it is simply unforgivable to veto the bill without telco immunity.What has been made abundantly clear by this statement is that the US government does not need these extended surveillance powers at all. Its existing surveillance powers are quite sufficient. The entire purpose of this bill then, has absolutely nothing to do with security, and everything to do with making sure that the telcos (and the administration) do not have to defend their potentially illegal actions in court. If that were not the case, then the President would still be willing to approve the bill without telco immunity.
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Filed Under: bush administration, congress, immunity, senate, telcos, wiretapping
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Heh
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Soon...
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Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
Clearly the administration in particular, and many conservatives along with them, believe the the telecoms acted in good faith after 9/11.
Furthermore, in the even of another national emergency they believe that the administration (Democrat or Republican) needs to have the cooperation of the telcos.
Pretending that this immunity is not seen by the President as an a tool as essential as any other in the bill seems either obtuse or disingenuous.
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Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
You can argue all you want about good intentions and necessary actions, it doesn't change the facts if the law was broken.
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Re: Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
I would also like to add that (sadly) many conservatives (oddly, mostly Christians) tend to want to change the government into a form of facism. They don't think it is facism, but it fits the dictionary definition quite well.
They don't think there is anything wrong in doing something "because the President said" even though that is exactly the kind of behavior that caused this country to go into revolution.
They also would rather the innocent be imprisoned just so that the one guilty person will not go free; a direct contradiction of the country's founding principals.
Something got warped along the way with that segment of the population. In their religion and political beliefs they seem to fight and preach the opposite of what they supposedly beleive. It's very tragic.
This will probably be seen as a slam or flame but that is not how its intended. This is just an observation from one that's studied a bit of history. I hold no malice for these people (well, most of them; a few individuals have earned it) just concern over the consequences of their actions.
As the (rather negative) saying goes, they breed faster than "smart" people. I put that in quotes because many of the "smart" people who run around with that quote and rag on conservaties tend to be a little blind to the areas they fall behind in.
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Re: Re: Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
Want to? It's a done deal (where have you been?)!
Germany may have lost the war, but the facists won! Thousands of Nazis were brought to this country in 1945-46 to staff positions in science and "intelligence" (ahem), to contribute to what our evolving facist nation.
Anyone notice than during the 80's when the Soviets seemed to be loosening up, about the time when Reagan was paying his in-person respects to those buried in a German SS cemetary... Bittenburg, I believe it was called, that the US was tightening down? This was a time the US was training foreign troops at the so-called School of the Americas for various right wing Latin dictators... in order to suppress their populations - done in the name of "democracy" don't cha know...
When, prior to leaving office, former president Dwright Eisenhower warned of the "military industrial complex" (he should have also mentioned the prison industrial complex), he wasn't just whistling Dixie. But then again, I suppose most people were too much concerned with millionare athletes sore muscles to pay much attention.
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
As a Christian, I really agree with your statement. There's a *lot* of crazies out there that twist religion into a cult like atmosphere! The best religion is really between you and your creator.
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Re: Re: Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
I'm.... pretty sure that my hatred for that group that's so facist is making me somewhat facist in the other political spectrum direction....
I think I need to calm down a touch... Thanks for helping put that in perspective.
DIVERSITY IS STRENGTH.
unfortunately, I had forgotten that that meant including people who believe that diversity is weakness....
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Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
There are two sides to this argument. The constitutional side and the boundless corporate power side.
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Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
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Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
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Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
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Re: Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
Because good faith isn't enough to excuse breaking the law. Not everything the telecos did was wrong, no, but there's reason to believe some of it was. Immunity denies we the people the ability to have these alegations tried in court. If something illegal happened, then there should be some kind of punishment. If there are mitigating factors, so be it, but you can't just say, "aw, come on guys, they meant well," and then be done with it. You can't undermine the rule of law just because you agree with the intent of illegal actions.
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Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
Basically, the telcos and the government didn't follow the process that was established that would have given them immunity in the first place. If they would have just asked to see a warrant or other approval for what they were asked to do they would have had immunity from the start.
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Re: Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
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Re: Re: Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
They can't say anything until a case is put before them. The judiciary is not a proactive body of government.
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Re: Re: Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
Seems The Supremes Sent message about Gitmo a few weeks ago.
Maybe they would like for a warantless wiretaps case to roll their way. Then from there, once that's established in a court of law, continue current path?
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Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
Such a case would not be ripe at the time of filing and likely be tossed out of court.
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Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
Clearly the administration in particular, and many conservatives along with them, believe the the telecoms acted in good faith after 9/11.
Acting in good faith does not mean you are not subject to the law.
Furthermore, in the even of another national emergency they believe that the administration (Democrat or Republican) needs to have the cooperation of the telcos.
And they would, if they followed the law.
Pretending that this immunity is not seen by the President as an a tool as essential as any other in the bill seems either obtuse or disingenuous.
No. Pretending that opening up a system that allows the President to excuse any illegal behavior is not an incredibly dangerous precedent is either obtuse or disingenuous.
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Re: Pretending that there is only one side to an argument does not make it so!
Except that they came to the telcos before 9/11. This kind of 4th amendment violation dates back to Clinton and his attempted Carnivore and TIA programs.
Also, if they're acting in good faith, then why did they threaten to shut off the wiretaps until the government paid their wiretap bills?
Furthermore, in the even of another national emergency they believe that the administration (Democrat or Republican) needs to have the cooperation of the telcos.
The telcos are REQUIRED BY LAW to engage in surveillance when provided with a court order. They can't say "oh...we don't want to, we're afraid of getting sued." If you have a court order, the law says they absolutely MUST engage in the surveillance.
Pretending that this immunity is not seen by the President as an a tool as essential as any other in the bill seems either obtuse or disingenuous.
Disingenuous is saying that the telcos won't help the government even though they are required to by law when presented with a warrant, and then using this argument to justify immunity.
Disingenuous is ignoring the fact that there are billions of dollars in government contracts that were handed out for cooperation in this warrantless surveillance program. Contracts that Qwest did not get because they refused to comply with ILLEGAL orders, which lost contracts caused their CEO to dump some of his stock, which was then used to put that CEO in jail.
There are more than two sides to this story, and one of them involves a lot of money. Are you willing to look at that side as you're so willing to believe that everyone involved actually had good intentions?
On that note, I'm sure Cheney had "good intentions" when he told the CDC to remove all references to the effects of climate change on human health because he was afraid it would make it harder to prevent the EPA from regulating carbon emissions...this administration is full of people with "good intentions" - for the wealthy.
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MIxed
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Re: MIxed
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Re: MIxed
I guess a little friendly co-operation on both sides was just what was needed.
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Nixon redux
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Call your Senator
The EFF's article provides a link that gives readers assistance in contacting their senators and letting their voices be heard. If the people here are truly disgusted by this legislation, then do something about it: participate in the democratic process. Until you do, you have no reason to complain.
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Re: Call your Senator
No, until you do you are not justified to complain. There's still plenty of reason to complain.
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BOHICA
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Re:
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Re:
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RE: Bohica
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ok, so a veto would be unforgivable...
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What?
That's a pretty narrow interpretation of a very vague statement. What would happen if he said he'd sign it either way? Bush would have no leverage to get the whole thing passed. He's playing hardball. No politician of any stripe has ever been satisfied with getting half of what they want, so he takes the more controversial part of the bill and makes a (hollow?) threat over it. Now you think that means he only cares about that one part?
Wow.
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I am a little confused
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Is this any more clear?
There WERE ways for them to do what they did legally, and in many cases the proper procedure was followed. The concern is that in some cases the procedure wasn't followed, the taps were illegal, and now there's work being done to get them off the hook after the fact.
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Re: I am a little confused
I'll do my best, but I think your question is backwards. If there is a law in my society, and I am suspected of breaking it, the correct question is not "why should I be liable?", but rather "why SHOULDN'T I be liable?". I should be liable because it's a law. If I am to be given immunity from this law, there had better be a very, very good reason. Perhaps that sounds like a bias, but that's how I feel: laws are default-ON.
From how I understand it, the government ordered them to do this and they complied with them. Do we think the telcos should be punished because we demand for them to question the Gov on this?
Yes. If the governent (or one branch, office or member thereof) orders me to break the law, it is my duty to refuse. To comply (or to condone compliance) is to cede absolute power to the government, or in this case the President.
...I think a lot more anger should be directed at the governing body who ordered the illegal taps than the telco who was doing what their government ordered them to do.
What does that have to do with immunity?
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Re: I am a little confused
The government asked for wiretaps without the proper well-defined legal procedures accompanying it (getting a warrant from the FISA court, or quickly getting one in the days after the request for the wiretap).
Just because a gov't official orders you to do something, it doesn't mean that's automatically legal. Gov'ts have ordered people to do illegal things in the past.
Granted, I think that was the right action, but I think a lot more anger should be directed at the governing body who ordered the illegal taps than the telco who was doing what their government ordered them to do.
Indeed. But part of the issue is that with telco immunity, there is no way to find out if the governing body ordered illegal taps.
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Telco Immunity
However, if the spying powers prevent another terrorist attack, (thank God we have not had another in the US) then, have them listen away to my conversation. Again, I am under no assumption my conversations are private using public communications mediums; Phones, internet etc.. Neither should you be.
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Re: Telco Immunity
This is perfectly fine until they enact a law you don't agree with.
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Re: Telco Immunity
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Re: Re: Telco Immunity
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Re: Re: Re: Telco Immunity
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Re: Telco Immunity
Would your view of retroactive immunity change if evidence came out that the Bush administration was using wiretaps for some other purpose than terrorism prevention? Like spying on political opponents?
Of course we don't know if that happened, but it's not unreasonable to consider the possibility, and we won't ever get the chance to know until we have our day in court.
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Re: Telco Immunity
What does that have to do with anything? By granting the gov't the ability to spy on people without any checks and balances, who knows what you might do someday that people dislike. The history of the FBI shows that when there are no checks and balances it watches whoever it wants to watch.
However, if the spying powers prevent another terrorist attack, (thank God we have not had another in the US) then, have them listen away to my conversation.
There are many well-defined legal procedures in place to allow this to happen with some sense of checks and balances. The problem here is that those procedures appear to have been ignored, suggesting that the administration knew that the checks and balances would have found them to have gone beyond what was reasonable.
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Re: Telco Immunity
Basically, even the most 'relevant' of conversations that are flagged for human viewing are so innocuous that they get maybe 1 true red flag per thousand human viewed documents.
All statistics are pulled out of my... poterior
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Bush, The Moron, has kept us terrorist free since 9/11
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Re: Bush, The Moron, has kept us terrorist free since 9/11
No, they shouldn't. Whatever the intention, no one is above the law.
They should be protected from the scum sucking lawyers out there for abidding by law.
If they abided by the law then they have nothing to fear from appearing in court.
Additionally, FISA does not give any right to anyone to just spy on any US citizen.
You're right, and the point of contention is that FISA and other rules were broken. It doesn't matter what FISA is meant for if the rules are disregarded. As noted, there are legal ways of doing what they claim to have done, but the point is we don't believe that everything was done according to the proper procedure. Even if they ONLY tapped terrorists, doing so without following the right channels is wrong if for no other reason than that it undermines the rule of law.
The same people who disagree with the "spying" are the same people who were completely in agreement with Billary's Echelon program
No I'm not...
I'm just a member of the vast right-wing conspiracy.
Funny, me too, but at least I can recognize that when you break the rules you have to be held accountable.
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Re: Re: Bush, The Moron, has kept us terrorist free since 9/11
If they abided by the law then they have nothing to fear from appearing in court.
There's a law in place called FISA, that says it's okay to allow domestic spying on terrorists. So no law would be broken. These telco's have every fear to appear in court because they can get a judge that has an axe to grind about any Bush spying program who will try to make a point that what these telcos are doing is wrong, even if its an act of congress. These lawsuits will cause millions of dollars to be wasted in litigation when it's unnecessary. There is no evidence that I have seen that would support these telco's doing anything different than what's allowed by law.
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Re: Bush, The Moron, has kept us terrorist free since 9/11
I guess that depends on what you consider a terrorist attack. In 2002 "the shooting spree of the “Beltway Snipers”, John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo, which killed ten people and wounded three more. For three weeks in October of 2002 they terrorized Maryland, Washington D.C., and Virginia, and mesmerized the local and national media.
My earlier report on Jamaat ul-Fuqra in Virginia cites a Defense Watch article in 2002 detailing the connections between John Muhammad and the terrorist organization Jamaat ul-Fuqra. There are some indications that he took time off during his spree to hole up in a safe house at the Red House, Virginia compound for a little R&R.
Given Muhammad’s stated sympathy with Osama bin Laden, the jihad-related documents possessed by Lee Malvo, and Muhammad’s connection with Jamaat ul-Fuqra, it becomes clear that this was a domestic terrorist operation"
http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2005/10/no-terrorist-attack-on-us-soil-since.html
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Re: Re: Bush, The Moron, has kept us terrorist free since 9/11
and domestic spying.
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Re: Re: Re: Bush, The Moron, has kept us terrorist free since 9/11
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Re: Bush, The Moron, has kept us terrorist free since 9/11
If they were abiding by the law, and these are bogus lawsuits, then the courts will find as such.
Additionally, FISA does not give any right to anyone to just spy on any US citizen.
Indeed. But this was done *outside* of FISA. Which is the point.
The same people who disagree with the "spying" are the same people who were completely in agreement with Billary's Echelon program
Um, actually no. Almost everyone I know opposed to this spying was just as vehemently opposed to Echelon. Both were encroachments on our civil rights.
The author of this article is making blanket statement with nothing to back himself up with the facts.
Which facts are missing? It is a fact that the telcos granted wiretaps without warrants. It is a fact that Bush has said he'll veto the bill without immunity. The rest is established from the facts.
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Re: Bush, The Moron, has kept us terrorist free since 9/11
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I have said it before and will continue to ....
...We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security...
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Responsible means ...
Public apology...
Resign...
Compensate the American people for your CRIMES!
#29 ... "But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their RIGHT, it is their DUTY, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security...
hmmmmm
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-Mayer Anselm Rothschild
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Opposing viewpoint
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7nD7dbkkBIA
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Grow UP
I would personally let the government, the army, Jay Leno or whoever listen to all my phone calls if it had a tiny chance of saving the lives of the 4000 americans who died on 9/11.
I understand there are laws that governs wiretapping, but I also understand that extreme circumstances sometimes requires extreme measures.
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Re: Grow UP
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Re: Re: Grow UP
GOLDEN RULE
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Re: Re: Re: Grow UP
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Re: Re: Re: Grow UP
Accept Jesus
Do you WANT to know how that statement makes me feel?
I would feel less threatened if you had said "your money or your life". I would have felt less threatened if you had said "Hold still while I rape you." I would have felt less threatened if you had said "I'm gonna kill you".
Those two words, to me, mean torture, pain, forced conversions, burning, gas chambers, Inquisition, and being treated as less then human. my responce is also two words
Fuck you.
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Re: Re: Re: Grow UP
Quaker Jesus? Muslim Jesus? Catholic Jesus, Eastern Orthodox Jesus? Jesus the spanish man who lives down the hall who I think is gay? The Jesus that belongs to Fred Phelps? Mormon Jesus? Baptist Jesus? Anglican Jesus? Evangelical Jesus? Jesus the carpenter? Jesus the man who hung out with several other men in a way that seems somewhat homosexual of an era where relationships between men was accepted and condoned?
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Re: Grow UP
And it's not limited to Republicans vs. Democrats (I simplified it that way because you probably wouldn't understand anything more complex), but it could just as easily be Christians vs. atheists, vegan vs. omnivores, left-handers vs. right-handers, and so on. In your world, the government can spy on you for any reason, even though you're a law-abiding citizen. If this becomes law, law-abiding no longer has any real meaning.
Maybe you should grow up, and defend yourself for once. The government is not your nanny, and rarely has your best interests at heart.
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Re: Grow UP
Would you be willing to break the law? Would you be willing to stand trial for your crime?
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Re: Grow UP
No, I don't think the gov't is eavesdropping on my silly conversations, but that's not the point, is it? If they were doing this to prevent another attack, they have well-established means to do so. They chose not to.
I would personally let the government, the army, Jay Leno or whoever listen to all my phone calls if it had a tiny chance of saving the lives of the 4000 americans who died on 9/11.
Well, where does that stop. If you want to prevent another 9/11 that's easy. Put every human being in the US under house arrest. Do not allow them to leave their homes without gov't supervision.
Do you see how easy it is to go to an extreme?
We have civil liberties in this country for a reason. You are saying that we should give them up. That seems like a horrendously anti-American position.
I understand there are laws that governs wiretapping, but I also understand that extreme circumstances sometimes requires extreme measures.
Sure. And if these were extreme circumstances and extreme measures, what's wrong with establishing that in court?
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Good Faith
Similarly, the Administration and the telcos (except Qwest) also acted in "good faith" with the warrant-less wiretaps. But for whom were they keeping the faith? Certainly not for the public, on whom they would spy without due process of law.
I don't care how chummy they were as they went about abrogating my rights, they should be accused of their crime, and put to trial. If in fact there was no wrong committed, then they will win in court and clear their name.
If, in contrast, laws were broken, then they will have to face the penalty, or perhaps make a case for duress. Duress would imply that they were somehow inextricably pressured to do the crime by some other party. I suspect that this is at least partly the case, and that they are being protected by that "unknown" third party.
BTW, this is not some witch-hunt based on some trivial legal violation like a hummer or jaywalking. This is YOUR government spying on you. Your government, possibly forcing companies to break the law to spy on you. Your government, feeling above the law, failing to use the EASY FISA warrant process for wiretaps for one of two reasons: they are lazy, or they wanted to wiretaps that wouldn't be approved. FISA warrants, BTW, can be applied retroactively by, I think, a couple of days, so the gov't can rush a wiretap and get the warrant later - but that wasn't convenient enough??!
For the apologists commenting here: What part of this situation, does it seem to you, wasn't understood by the founding fathers? The architects of the constitution knew that government may get out of hand, and comment #29 illustrates that perfectly. So why do we need a new law, a law that specifically immunizes some Parties from some specific act that may have been illegal? The laws we already have are already fair, already adequate, and already protect us from terrorism.
Are we proposing a law just to forgive a certain specific crime? Passing a law as a cover-up? That's worth looking into.
The right to bear arms may seem to have nothing to do with this, but it strangely does. We have that right only so that we might rise up against a government that over-reaches its powers. But times have changed. We can't resist our government with muskets - we need to fight back with words, letters, and phone calls. We need to NOT roll over apathetically when our government invades our privacy. Ironically, there is probably a lot of overlap between people who are pro-gun, and people who are willing to let the government run roughshod over us in this immunity case. Put down your gun, raise your pen, and fight for your rights.
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Re: Good Faith
Thank you. Your words speak truth. I'm going to use parts of this and forward it to my congressional leadership.
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
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Everyone Is Faping Again
When El Prezidente departs office in January next year he will just issue a blanket pardon. Everyone will bitch, whine, moan and gnash their collective teeth, on the right and the left. But it will be a "fate accomplis" and no one will be able to do a damn thing about it.
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Re: Everyone Is Faping Again
When El Prezidente departs office in January next year he will just issue a blanket pardon. Everyone will bitch, whine, moan and gnash their collective teeth, on the right and the left. But it will be a "fate accomplis" and no one will be able to do a damn thing about it.
That, however, does not immunize the President himself. The President is looking to cover his ass, not necessarily the telcos. Further, pardoning the telcos for something that (1) may or may not be illegal, and (2) is not even known publicly, gives him more bad attention than he likely wants.
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Re: Re: Everyone Is Faping Again
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Re: Everyone Is Faping Again
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hands off
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Good Faith has nothing to do with it.
For all those who say "Well this was dangerous times, we needed the info, so the law breaking should be excused", I ask the following question:
It's two in morning, your kid needs medicine. You forgot to get it. The pharmacy is closed. You break down the window, get the pills, leave a check on the counter (for window and all). Is this acceptable? Should the police say to the pharmacy "Well, he did it in good faith, it was important. So don't bother us"? The pharmacy would not think so.
Neither would most innocent people spied on think, "well, I can have no secrets, so let anybody listen". Anyone who claims this, is either a liar, or self deluded. Everybody has secrets. Everybody has things they do not want others to know. If we didn't, our houses would be all windows. It could be as trivial as how they look naked, or what their salary is, or how much money they own, or what kind of TV shows they watch. It does not matter. That is why the law is there, to protect the privacy of the innocent. This government is not above the law. That is supposed to be part of what made this country great. It's a real shame that the experiment has failed......
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http://www.internetweekly.org/2005/12/cartoon_dial_m_for_moron.html
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Re: Grow UP
"I understand there are laws that governs wiretapping, but I also understand that extreme circumstances sometimes requires extreme measures."
Gee Sam, I live in the United States of America, where the Constitution & the Rule of Law exists (or is supposed to anyway). What country do you live in?
They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.
- Benjamin Franklin
Think that says it all.
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The Black Box of Government
George: That's just a red button on a black box, what's so great about it?
ID10T: It's a flabogastometer (patent pending). Whenever you push the button it will do one of three things:
1. Wiretap ordinary citizens (those of the opposite political party, or those who have spoken out against the current government first, other citizens may be tapped as needed), and sends out press releases about how it's to prevent terrorism, it does this without any warrants or actual suspicion that the people being tapped are actually terrorists.
2. Starts a war with a random 3rd world oil producing nation, and sends out press releases about how it's to 'protect the citizens' or 'overthrow the evil dictator'. Also prepares the multi-billion dollar 'rebuilding' contracts and awards them to companies that are friends and/or family of the current government.
3. Kills a random puppy using GETMO approved torture techniques, then posts a video of the puppy's demise on you-tube with a George Bush 'Did I do that?' quote (morphed into the familiar 'Erkle' voice from Family Matters that the general populace seems to love).
George: Well I already do number 1 and 2 whenever I want to, but I'm generally opposed to killing random puppies, so why would I want to use this device.
ID10T: We made it big and red and glowing and then put 'EASY' on it, just like the Staples button on the commercials. We've also 'fixed' the programming so that the button is about as likely to kill a puppy as the Electronic voting machines are to cast accurate votes for the Democratic party.
George: Ooh, my own easy button, I'm in, sign me up. Push... Push.... Push...
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