Our FISA Outrage Made Them Blink!!

Keep up the pressure and let all of the Congressional Scoundrels know that we understand they are trying to sell us a pig with lipstick and we are having NONE of it. IF we keep them blinking maybe they'll honor our July 4th celebration of Freedom by Killing this Outrageous FISA Bill and protecting our Freedom.

The people speak...are any of our alleged leaders listening to us?

Anyone who votes for telecom immunity does not belong in Congress OR our White House.

Bush's Rubber Stamp in Virginia Beach

Thelma Drake is so predictable. Once again she is going to vote against the constitution she swore to protect and she will vote to shred the checks and balances our founders set up.

Thelma Drake SUPPORTS immunity for the telecommunications corporations who "allegedly" agreed to break the law and illegally wiretap Americans.

The telecom immunity will prevent Americans from having their rightful day in court. It prevents our judicial system from doing their job.

The corporate lobbyists and republican right wing extremists will say that the corporations are "patriotic" and are innocent.

These so-called "patriotic" corporations stopped the surveillance when the Bush administration got behind on their payments for this service. So much for the patriotism argument.

Innocent? I believe they are guilty. I believe they KNEW they were breaking the law. IF the telecommunication corporations are so "innocent" why are they spending so much money to lobby Congress for immunity?

The telecommunications immunity does not serve the public's interests. It serves the interests of corporations and Bush and Cheney. It enables Bush and Cheney to escape accountability.

Thelma Drake has consistently voted AGAINST holding the Bush administration accountable.
Thelma Drake continues to exhibit an inability to change course...Hopefully the people of Virginia Beach will vote their interests this election and oust Thelma Drake from the House.

Another Big Fat Lie by George Bush

George Bush has been lying through his teeth about the FISA bill that he "insists" on passing. What is George Bush intent on hiding from the American people with the retroactive immunity clause?

If this matter is fully investigated then the American people will be the last to be told that the Bush/Cheney Cabal began their illegal wireless surveillance program BEFORE 9/11 and that it's main targets were not terrorists but the American people themselves (including some journalists...and I bet some of our elected officials also). The problem was that the existing FISA law would have restricted the Bush/Cheney Cabal to actually target 'suspects" not your averae American citizen, or a journalist investigating something that the Bush/Cheney Cabal wanted hidden.

So Bush was willing to lie, throw tantrums, scream that national security and "keeping Americans safe" was the issue...when the issue was retroactive immunity and protecting Bush/Cheney and their minions from prosecution for breaking laws tme and again.

What was even worse, was that time and again, was how Congress would give in without a fight whenever Bush played his "keeping US safe card."

FINALLY, some congressmen have stood up and called Bush's bluff. Amazingly enough it was not the Senator I most expected would stand up to Bush and call his bluff---Senator Webb folded and ended up supporting what Bush wanted.

It was a few House Democrats, noteably Rep. John Conyers, Rep Silvestre Reyes, and Rep Nancy Palosi who have taken the stand.

And what has Bush done in response? Bush had said he would have to cancel his AFrica trip. Well, Bush is in AFrica. Meanwhile there has been no increased level of America's terror threat level.

Obviously, Bush and Cheney are lying in an attempt to protect their own butts. Thankfully some membr

Conyers speaks out on "patriotic" phone companies

Conyers sets the FISA record straight.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers, Jr. released the following statement to President Bush’s commitment to work on foreign surveillance legislation through the recess:

“The President’s efforts to cast blame on FISA, echoed by his allies in Congress, show an appalling disregard for the facts. He threatened to veto any extension of the Protect America Act and, following his lead, every single Republican in the House voted against the 21 day extension I sponsored in the House. The President and House Republicans cannot have it both ways, simultaneously arguing that the PAA is essential to national security and also engineering the defeat of an extension of it. The consequences for inaction are their responsibility.

“Unfortunately, it is the same old tired rhetoric of fear that the country overwhelmingly rejected in the 2006 elections.

“From what I have seen from the Justice Department documents so far, there is no need to provide amnesty to telecommunication companies who are protected under current law, as long as they and the government are acting accordingly. I have not seen anything that leads me to believe, as the President seems to believe, that providing amnesty to these companies is a more compelling public interest than our Constitutionally protected right to privacy. (Source)

Chairman Silvestre Reyes of the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence also issued a statement challenging Bush to “put partisanship aside” on the FISA debate:

The proper course is now to conference the House bill with the Senate bill that was passed on Tuesday. There are significant differences between these two bills and a conference, in regular order, is the appropriate mechanism to resolve the differences between these two bills. I urge you, Mr. President, to put partisanship aside and allow Republicans in Congress to arrive at a compromise that will protect America and protect our Constitution.

I, for one, do not intend to back down - not to the terrorists and not to anyone, including a President, who wants Americans to cower in fear.

We are a strong nation. We cannot allow ourselves to be scared into suspending the Constitution. If we do that, we might as well call the terrorists and tell them that they have won. (The letter that Reyes sent to George Bush on Friday is here.)

It's Shameful that the Democratic Senators allowed two members of their party--Reid and Rockefeller--to railroad others into joining the Republicans to cover up criminal behavior and grant retroactive immunity so there would be no accountability to our nation's laws nor the public these folks "pretend" to be serving.

Sincere thank yous are due to both Conyers and Reyes for upholding their oaths of office to protect our constitution and allow the laws of our land an opportunity to work.

Senator Jim Webb's Yes Vote on FISA Bill

February 12, 2008

Statement of Senator Webb on FISA Passage in Senate

Washington, DC— Senator Jim Webb (D-VA) issued the following statement on the Senate passage of the FISA bill:

“There were a number of measures brought before the Senate today that I believed could have improved the FISA bill which passed overwhelmingly tonight. This is a complex law. It becomes imperative that we look for ways to both keep our nation safe from further terrorist attacks and ensure that our government’s surveillance is conducted in a legal manner that comports with the U.S. Constitution.

“Senators Feingold, Tester and I spent two months working to construct and introduce an amendment designed to add further safeguards against Executive Branch surveillance on innocent Americans. I believe the amendment best answered the call of Americans who have been demanding a proper system of checks and balances for our government’s surveillance program. Our amendment regrettably failed this afternoon.

“I also supported two amendments which sought to limit immunity for telephone companies in proper situations. These amendments would have allowed consumers to move forward with legal action in certain situations, for example where companies have acted in bad faith in aiding government surveillance. Unfortunately, both of these amendments failed as well.

“Our current FISA bill expires in two days. As someone who has decades of experience in dealing with national security matters and classified intelligence, I believed it was necessary to implement a surveillance program that provides professionals an updated set of tools to properly respond to terrorist threats. However, I plan to urge my colleagues who sit on the Senate-House conference committee to adopt House provisions that better protect Americans from Executive branch overreach.”

I'm sitting here scratching my head. Surely, Jim Webb understood that if his preferred version of the FISA bill had passed Bush was going to veto it. Bush's veto would have resulted in our nation being unprotected. So why would Jim Webb vote "YES" on such a flawed bill to "protect" us? I want to be protected from corrupt, tainted, anti-constitutional bills that are making my country as a democracy totally unrecognizable.

I have put a lot of my trust in Senator Webb as the man who can fight for me in the Senate. I still believe that no one can buy Senator Webb...a RARE asset in our Congress these days. But wasn't these one of those times to either vote no or fight? I have phoned Senator Webb on this matter. I am hoping that someone from his office will be able to explain to me why did Webb choose to vote yes instead of registering a no vote on this bill?

I am pleased that Senator Webb has written to the members of the Senate/House sub committee that must reconcile the Senate and House versions of the bill. Webb is urging that the House version be adopted which does not grant retroactive immunity. I have to ask the question--Why should these Senators hold firm and push the House bill version forward when Senator Webb himself "gave in" and approved Bush/Cheney's dream come true version??

I am so sick of having a President who puts his ego and his power trip above national security, my security, in order to threaten Congress to do his bidding. President Bush is basically saying it's my way or there will be NO SECURITY and the terrorists will do what they will. Let's be clear folks.....retroactive immunity is protecting law breakers and is not necessary in any way, shape, or form, for a "legal" wireless surveillance program to be implemented.

How do "yes" votes like this FISA bill protect me from a White House that continues to control every branch of my government with no restraints or consequences? (Why are the most powerless in our society ending up being the ones forced to deal with the heaviest consequences?) When will Congress represent us and do what is needed to put a stop to the machiavellian process that enables the White House to control every branch of our government with no restraints and no consequences?

In the meantime FISA's final form is in the following hands-- Sen Jay Rockefeller, Rep. Silvestre Reyes, Sen Patrick Leahy, Rep John Conyers, Sen Kit Bond, Rep Peter Hoekstra, Sen Arlen Specter, and Rep Lamar Smith. Looks like I'll have my hands full taking action via phone and email. I do not get any pay or benefits for my patriotic services to my country. Hopefully others will also be voicing their own objections to this abhorrent retroactive immunity clause that provides the curtain for Bush and Cheney to hide their illegal actions behind.

Bush's new lap dog is not going to fold this time...

Senator Harry Reid who has been heavily criticized for folding whenever the Republicans threaten to filibuster.

FINALLY Harry is not going to fold. He's going to MAKE the Senators filibuster instead of folding his hand.

THE PROBLEM IS HE IS MAKING THE DEMOCRATIC SENATORS FILIBUSTER.

Does anyone doubt that Harry Reid has taken over Tony Blair's old role of Bush's new lap dog? Senator Harry Reid is Bush's new teacup poodle.

Thank heavens for Senators like Jim Webb, Chris Dodd, Russ Feingold, and Barrack Obama. They will support the filibuster. This filibuster is to protect the rule of law in America. Retroactive Immunity for the telecoms is a Bush/Cheney dream come true. Then "they" will be protected from being exposed for the wholesale illegal surveillance of millions of Americans...and guess what....I'm thinking there's a good possibility they did this BEFORE 9/11....

Maybe there is much more to this telecomunications surveillance story than meets the eye.....Could Bush and Cheney learned things they could use to "blackmail" important people? If that's the case it would sure explain why Senator Reid has his heels dug in so hard in his support to help Bush and Cheney get away with their illegal spying....Is this why Reid has been transformed into Bush's new lapdog---a teacup poodle? Or maybe, the telecoms simply bought him off. Senator Harry Reid's party is going to be leading the filibuster....thank heavens the Democratic party might still be salvageable. Senator Reid is surely not leading the Democrats....he's too busy protecting Bush and Cheney's interests.

CSpan will make for good tv viewing tomorrow!! Hopefully we'll hear some good speeches from Jim Webb and Barack Obama. Heck, Hillary Clinton may even have to show up in spite of all the corporate money she has stashed away.

If nothing else...at least Harry Reid has been exposed....only Democrats have to carry through with a filibuster....Republicans only have to threaten a filibuster to get their way.

SOURCE
Buzz...Buzz....

Alleged War Profiteer and Criminal Resurfaces at Heritage Foundation

If you only had this speech to go by you'd think Darth Vader was a patriot. But missing from the speech is his record of OUTING a CIA covert spy--Valerie Plame Wilson--and going after a REAL Patriot Joe Wilson for exposing Cheney and Bush's Lies that led us into an illegal invasion of Iraq.....so that Cheney can reap millions from his Haliburton stock....

He also rewrites History and pretends that the Bush Cabal went to Congress to get permission for their wireless surveillance program. LIAR...They simply broke the law and violated our Constitutional rights....because they believe in a President who is a KING....so they were doing their wiretapping wholesale of millions of Americans and not telling Congress a thing about what they were doing.

If the House and Senate doing it's job this would already have come out in impeachment proceedings...and probably even more stuff that no one has even had the time to imagine yet....

Now they want retroactive immunity for their partners in crime...and to protect themselves. The telecommunications corporations who ENABLED Bush and Cheney's unconstitutional surveillance knowingly chose to break the law. One corporation followed the law--Qwest Communication--they followed the law of the land and REFUSED to participate in the wholesale wireless surveillance of millions of Americans without a warrant or FISA court approval. IF everything is how Cheney portrays it then the telecoms will not be found guilty....However, the truth will come out in court and this scares Bush and Cheney...that's why Bush keeps vetoing the bill...because Bush and Cheney, it is alleged. started their wireless surveillance program BEFORE 9/11....it wasn't done to protect us....Nothing about the Iraq illegal invasion and occupation has been done to protect us. I'm wondering if it's possible if some of this "information" was used to blackmail members of Congress?? It sure would explain a lot of weird Democratic behavior in the House and Senate.

But Cheney is the ultimate snake oil salesman isn't he? He's so good that he has Harry Reid taking over Tony Blair's old role as the Bush/Cheney French Poodle of the White House. Careful Harry....we can tell you've been drinking the Kool Aid....I hear that results in lots of telecommunications money being steered your way...

Now the question is...How many Senators are feeding at the Telecommunications money trough besides Senator Reid and Rockefeeler??

Contact your Senators today and tell them that Congress has NEVER granted retroactive immunity in the past....and this is DEFINITELY the WRONG situation....