Reyes: Deal soon on eavesdropping law

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - The House Intelligence Committee chairman expects a compromise soon on renewal of an eavesdropping law that could provide legal protections for telecommunications companies as President Bush has insisted.

Rep. Silvestre Reyes, in a television interview broadcast Sunday, did not specifically say whether the House proposal would mirror the Senate's version. The Senate measure provides retroactive legal immunity to the companies that helped the government wiretap U.S. computer and phone lines after the Sept. 11 attacks without clearance from a secret court.

Bush wants the House to agree to the Senate bill.

Reyes, D-Texas, said he was open to that possibility after receiving documents from the Bush administration and speaking to the companies about the industry's role in the government spy program.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080302/ap_on_go_co/terrorist_surveillance

that THEY will be spied upon as well... with immunity and impunity

If the House gives in to George Bush they will ineffect have overturned the Bill of Rights. No Constitutional Convention, No amendment ratifcation, nothing! Democracy as we know it will no longer exist. We have gone from the land of the free to a totalitarian dictatorship. Information in hands of the few. No Checks no Balance. Kinda makes me feel like a German Citizen when Hitler came into power.

When Hitler came to power the economy in Germany started getting better then it was under the Weimar Republic!

Here's an excellent video on the subject.

http://www.guba.com/watch/3000051919

compromise. When you give the other side everything they want, and they give nothing, how is that a compromise?

Mother Jones



Reyes: Deal soon on eavesdropping law, March 2, 2008





How many more times will these cowards sell out the grassroots of this party, along with the rest of the American people?

It can be a one-way street as well as a two-way street.

about how far to the right the nation has moved in the area of civil liberties. When the FISA legislation was first proposed in the 70s most of the opposition was to it was that it was too secretive and invasive. In fact it was even opposed by AT&T...

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/index.html

Happy karma, Sylvester.

and if they begin to facilitate spying I will get rid of them too. We must all call Reyes and Pelosi and our own reps today.

too, and went with Credo: http://www.credomobile.com/index.cfm?event=ourMission

Yes, I canceled AT&T. Everyone should cancel.

There are a lot of blue companies out there that can handle your phones and internet.

LET'S BE VERY CLEAR---This is not about immunity for telecoms, but for George W.Bush and about our 4th Amendments Rights. No Congress person and no President has the right to take away our garuanteed 4th Amendment Rights.

IT'S THAT SIMPLE

its disgusting when they KNOW its against the LAW

We need more recs.

We need to pick up the phone.

to let them know someone saw what they did, not that they care.

Not a lawyer, nor do I play one on the internet - but it seems like we should have some recourse if these asshats cave in to Bush. They can't just pass a law that is unConstitutional.

I am so sick of them giving this little fucker every god damn thing he wants.

The Democrats in giving immunity to the telecoms will be saying Fuck the Constitution. Fuck the People.

:sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:



Got to get rid of these non-representatives. I/We all have 3 representatives. In CA, one senator is a jewel; one is the left coast lieberman and my congress critter is an idiot. I guess 1 out of 3 ain't bad. It could be worse.

to the privacy rights of Americans, and the constitutional right to "be secure in our papers & effects"

why ?

It's not necessary to be spying on every American ?

This is part of the Bush New World Order - a police state for the world

One world government without asking those who would be governed .

scuttling the Constitution of the United States

IMPEACH THE BASTARDS

stop immunity and no lawsuits against the telcoms if they continue

What a pitiful situation.

when they're going to do what they want anyway. That is why I stopped giving
money to the DNC.

The Communications companies probably promised Reyes as bunch of cash for
his re-election, and we don't have the money to stop this.

Everyone should write to the DNC and let them know that if the DEMS cave
in on this issue, we will not donate any more money for their candidates.

Maybe then they might listen.

....look moron, I don't care if you carry a D behind your name, let's get something straight....

YOU CANNOT TRUST THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT INSANE AND SHITSTAIN SHOOTS-GUY-IN-FACE UNDER ANY CONDITIONS

Are we clear on that? If not, get ready to say the following, "would you like to supersize that?"

What is it that we don't know???

Whcih would explain everything except why a Democrat would agree to be enabling Bush to collect more blackmail material.

...supposedly proves that the warrantless wiretapping saved America from a terrorist attack, and Rep. Silvestre Reyes is so thrilled to be inside-the-loop on this garbage that he's eager to reward Bush.

Obviously, I haven't seen the secret document, but that is my best guess.

that the Dems might pass something against it, Bush shows/tells them something confidential and
they completely cave. It happened with Pelosi, too, remember?

It's probably as bogus as everything else this administration has put out there, and the 935 lies.
I just wonder if and when it will ever come to light.

that a wiretap of the good Congressman's phone revealed things he may want kept from the light of day. That could explain why the Dems seem to have neither balls nor spine.

allow themselves to be castrated by the Bush administration. FUCKING COWARDS!!!!!!

it's bad enough I have a fricking sinus infection that feels like my eyes are being driven into the back off my head, but reading this article makes my head feel like it will explode.

If this deal is made, I may be leaving the Democratic Party...

The Dems have become corporate shills as bad as the repugs. I, too am tired of writing and calling for no effect. They've had a mandate since 2006 and haven't done diddly with it. We need something besides two Repug parties. If they can't stand their ground on this, what are the chances they'll be able to do something really difficult - like getting out of Iraq?

Anyone paying attention?

fuck all you traitorous criminal bastards. I fucking HATE you all.

I gather that dramatic title caught the eye of some of you. But this sordid crop that WE-the-SHEEPLE have procured to sell us our, betray us and subject us to constant illegal surveillance will stop at nothing. There is no way we can trust them or expect anything but the WORST for our future unless we get them out.

Compare these graphs:

WASHINGTON - The House Intelligence Committee chairman expects a compromise soon on renewal of an eavesdropping law that could provide legal protections for telecommunications companies as President Bush has insisted.

vs.

The eavesdropping law makes it easier for the government to spy on foreign phone calls and e-mails that pass through the United States. The law expired Feb. 16 after Congress did not quickly renew it. Bush opposed a temporary extension and has warned that failure to renew the law would put the nation at greater risk.

vs.

But House Democrats worried the legal protections would erode civil liberties protections and accused Bush of fear-mongering. A quirk in the temporary eavesdropping law adopted by Congress last August allows the government to initiate wiretaps for up to one year against a wide range of targets.



Legend

BOLD- Expiration date conflict.
RED- Contradiction of philosophy.



Extra: How does one compromise on something the other person has insisted upon?

to make our voices heard....

I wonder, what would be the effect - if concerned citizens started sending their favorite representative a jar of Vaseline (large, medium, or small) with a short note that says something like '.for you to use.. to help ease the pain...of what you are doing to us....';

Of course to make this effective as a protest..you gotta promote the idea..

just a thought...

We're supposed have two parties in power in Washington now, but Democrats in Congress cave to Bush as if this were a dictatorship.

in this fall's election. We all know that the "anons" who will be funding the "charities" are the telecoms--but apparently the ads will be legal and they have threatened to throw hundreds of millions against a handful of Congressional Dems if they do not play ball.

If is time for another avalanche of Democratic email and phone calls to Congress.

:kick:

Stop sniveling already! We need to get to the bottom of this possible steroid taking by a baseball player.


:sarcasm:

I dunno, maybe we should read about Britney or Michael Jackson instead of FISA, impeachment, or McCain's trying to get around the public financing laws... (more horrified sarcasm). Will there be much left on 1/20/09?

There is no need to create a new law. There is nothing wrong with the FISA law as it is on the books. The current law says they have 3 days to get a warrant after they eavesdrop to prove that they had a good reason to do it. They never had a good reason to do the illegal eavesdropping that they have been doing and that is the only reason they keep trying to change this law. They are guilty of illegal wiretapping. They have been doing it since before 9/11/01.

I am afraid there are more changes to come, and we may not even GET an election... don't you think this could be just one of the mechanisms they use to create an "event" that will allow martial law and the rest is ...well, I don;t even want to think about it..

:scared:

let's get ready to kick some A**!!!

and giving criminals like Bush/Telcos a get out of jail free card? Mark my words... this will have a devastating effect on the Democratic Party for many years to come.


I can hear it now:
"Daddy... why did the Dems cave?"

When Bush shows "documents" to Reyes and he folds like a cheap suit, it was information that would have ended his career.

Mission Accomplished.

This is why we need to elect better Democrats

Do we vote for the cowards or the nazis, is that our choice ?

battle?

J

Deal Close on Wiretap Law, a Top Democrat Tells CNN

By JASON DePARLE
Published: March 3, 2008
WASHINGTON — The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee hinted Sunday that a battle over an expired eavesdropping law might be moving toward a conclusion that gave phone companies the retroactive legal protections long sought by President Bush

<snip>

The main point of the dispute over renewing the legislation concerns whether to immunize phone companies from at least 40 lawsuits that allege their actions after 9/11 violated privacy laws.

“They’re getting sued for billions of dollars and it’s not fair,” Mr. Bush said on Feb. 25. “And it will create doubt amongst private-sector folks who need to help protect us.”

<snip>

A White House spokesman, Gordon D. Johndroe, declined to say whether Mr. Reyes’s comments signaled a coming agreement. “We certainly hope the House Democratic leaders will bring the measure to the floor as soon as possible,” he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/03/washington/03fisa.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

Right now the telecoms are pissed at the republicans. If it weren't for republicans like the bushes, the telecoms wouldn't need immunity from the Constitution. So the telecoms are showing their displeasure by NOT giving campaign contributions to the republican party.

When the telecoms get their immunity from the Constitution (and the bush can hide his illegal activities) then the telecoms will be appeased and they will start giving those republicans the campaign contributions they expect. By giving the republicans what they want, the DLC is funding the republican party.

How stupid is that? Nancy Pelosi, by giving into the bushes again, is making sure republicans have plenty of money to campaign against her and her party, not just for the presidency but for Senate and House seats as well.

Talk about snatching defeat from the mouth of victory.

things, but stupid isn't one of them. They know what they're doing. The fact is that the real Democrats compose only about 25% of either chamber, the rest are uniparty corporatists.

LMAO