When we have a dispute with a landlord or service provider, we can place payment into an escrow account. The money is encumbered and reserved for payment to the adversarial party, on completion of all court actions. Unless they lose. Then, they are out that payment.
President Junior, has decided to force the issue. The telcoms do not currently have immunity, and we have standing to proceed against them in court. Here's the key, from the Reuters story:
The Justice Department and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence issued a joint statement saying wiretaps will resume under the current law "at least for now."
"Although our private partners are cooperating for the time being, they have expressed understandable misgivings about doing so in light of the ongoing uncertainty and have indicated they may well discontinue cooperation if the uncertainty persists," the statement said.
When the payments lapsed on some of the illegal wiretaps before, service was disconnected. The buggings weren't being facilitated as an aid to "national Security." The phone companies are selling an illegal service.
No payment, no wiretapping. Add to that the increasing liability for violating the civil rights of every American online. We need some lawyers on this. Let's have them arrange an escrow account to deprive AT&T of our payments until they can prove in court they were acting legally. AT&T is the best universal focus and are the company with the NSA rooms on splitters.
Junior Bush is a lame duck. The next president is likely to be a professor of Constitutional law. The odds of a telcom win in court will only decrease. Expect a complete tantrum from the right. This is where they pucker up and kiss our ass.
Any, and I mean ANY Democrat that votes for telcom immunity, is guilty of a cardinal sin and gets no votes in the next election. On this one, vote for the effing Greens or Libertarians first. If at all possible, find a primary challenger that can actually win. In Wisconsin, Senator Heb Kohl, voted for immunity. He is dead to me. In 2012, I will leave the space blank if he is on the ballot. The threat must be honored.
The louder the crooked Republicans scream, the more we enjoy it. It isn't about national security, or Junior Bush wouldn't really let the programs lapse. This is where we call his bluff.
If this can't be stopped. the alternative is open rebellion. Let's try the easy way first.
Lawyers? Can we get a little pro bono class action over here?
Cross-posted on Zenger.us