Since we lost the Senate to a case of "I need my vacation, so screw the country" blackout, our only hope is to somehow tie this crap FISA update evisceration up in the House. Meanwhile, we can work on the latest capitulation chorus in the Senate to wake the hell up.
Some common sense questions about the Urgent Need To Destroy The Constitution And Make Abu G Into The Head Of The Secret Police Act to ask your congresscritter are below the fold...
My rep is Peter Welch, and he can be counted on to vote the right way on this one - after all, both my senators did the right thing (did you think Leahy would give Abu the frickin' keys???) and Welch is right there with them. But I wrote him anyway, asking him to lobby other "dems" who might actually fall for the tired old bogeyman ploy that the Idiot is pushing. These questions are offered as 'talking points' of sorts to sound out any reasonable justification for giving yet more power over Americans' private lives to the wannabe dictators in the White House;
Rep Welch, please work to convince your colleagues to oppose the changes in the new temporary FISA law. Under no circumstances whatsoever should this attorney general be granted additional powers of any kind. His reputation and credibility are in tatters, he is clearly dishonest, and a political tool of a White House that has consistently demonstrated contempt for our system of laws.
There is massive opportunity for abuse in this bill.
It is a near certainty that abuse will occur.
These questions must be satisfactorily answered before an informed vote can be cast on this issue:
- Why, six years after 9/11, is a radical change to the FISA law such a sudden emergency?
- What possible reason could there be for a 120 day delay before allowing judges (known for their compliance with authority and secrecy) to review wiretaps?
- Why is there expressly NO oversight of secret executive surveillance?
- Why are the targets of surveillance kept secret from members of congress and the judiciary?
- What retroactive 'legalizations' of illegal activities are in this rushed bill?
- Will this be another PATRIOT act mistake?
- Which, if any, terrorists or terrorist plots have been foiled by the secret surveillance programs put in place by the administration? Do these programs produce demonstrable results at all?
- Why wasn't the deal between the DNI and congress acceptable to the White House? Mr Bush said just yesterday he would take the DNI's advice on any deal - then broke his word.
- Why is nobody pointing out that a program of warrantless wiretapping has no chance of stopping a terrorist action that is supposedly set to occur before Sept 11 of this year? The urgency of this whole thing is blatantly false. What is the real motivation? Is it political cover?
- Why is Congress once again allowing bogus fearmongering to cause an abandonment of the civil liberties that separate us from caliphates and dictatorships? Political cowardice, or is vacation that important?
Please, rep Welch, I am sure you are aware of the pattern of abuse from this administration, and oppose this power grab. Use your networking skills and persuasion to keep your colleagues focused on the important business of protecting the Constitution, the fabric of our nation, from turning into a police state.
Post any other questions in the comments - I'll write him again. And again. And I'll call him.
Write your reps - let them know we're watching this.
goddammit