The following is a paraphrased transcription of an interview with Mr. Ellsberg that I found over at www.fourhourworkweek.com. Video is embedded below the fold:
[People] should ask themselves whether they think it's possible that various members of Congress have either something to hide or something that would embarrass them politically that they don't want out...
It could be things that the congressperson, or the journalist, or the source wants to achieve or are planning to achieve that the government can manipulate by blocking it, by frustrating them, by promising to them. In other words, this information would enable the government to intimidate or blackmail, or manipulate every member of Congress, every official who might be tempted to reveal criminality, people like the ones in the NSA who knew that criminal action was, and is going on. This law is intended to legalize it basically, and to continue the cover-up, to conceal it.
What Every American Needs to Know (and Do) About FISA Before Tuesday, July 8th from Tim Ferriss on Vimeo.
You can't have a democracy, with the state, the executive branch having that kind of information... total information about the, about every communication, every credit card transaction, the fax, e-mail, telephone conversations of everyone. And as far as we know, that's what's being collected right now.
Two hundred years ago, Ben Franklin was asked what kind of government we had at the end of the Constitutional Convention, and he told the lady who asked him that, "A republic, if we can keep it." You can't keep a republic, a constitutional republic with that degree of knowledge by the president and the executive branch... you have something else... you can call it an autocracy, a dictatorship. It's the basis for tyranny. And that's what the constitution was meant to prevent. And that's what this bill would confer: Unlimited power, in the way the East German Stasi, the state surveillance organization... You can live lives, weddings, education, business, jobs, you can go along as normal... but you're not living in a democracy or anything that even pretends to be one.
... I really admire some members of congress who are doing, planning to do, and will do I'm confident everything they can to block this unconstitutional, dangerous legislation. The way I see them, it reminds me of [the] opposition by Henry David Thoreau, which was very much in my mind when I... copied the Pentagon Papers and gave it to the New York Times. He said, "There are thousands of people who are opposed to slavery", in his time that was in 1848 "and to the Mexican War" which was a war of aggression... in opinion. "But they do nothing in effect to stop it. They hesitate and they regret, but they do nothing in earnest or with effect. At most," he said "they give a cheap vote." Well, he went on to say, "Cast your whole vote, not a piece of paper merely, but your whole influence." He said "A minority is powerless when it conforms to the majority. It is not even a minority then. But is irresistable when it clogs by its whole weight." Now for a Senator, you can't do this in the House of Representatives, but for a Senator who casts his or her whole vote, means to clog by his or her whole weight, with a filibuster, a minority of people: Senators Dodd, Feingold, Senator Boxer, and Senator Wyden have already promised to filibuster this in attempt to prologue the debate so that this bill does not infringe on our liberties after all, and others can join them.
So this is a chance now for all the voters and citizens, and Obama supporters and Republicans who care about the Constitution... every viewer in the next hours can fill the... message services of their senators, wherever they are, Republican or Democrat... they have a chance to make a real difference here to keep the freedom and the liberty that we celebrated just two days ago on July the 4th, from beginning to die two days from now. It's in mortal danger right now. It can be preserved if senators can be urged to live up to their oaths, the same oath I took, to uphold the Constitution.
I have to say that no senator, Republican or Democrat, should be voting for this Senate bill -- not one. Every one who does so, is in fact violating his or her oath to defend the Constitution. But they can do better than that. Specifically, Senator Obama who had earlier promised to join a filibuster is now indicating for reasons I don't know honestly, to change that --reverse that position... Over twenty thousand of his supporters... are appealing to him, saying "we support you," I'm one of those by the way, "we support you, we'll contribute, but we ask you to do better."
One easy way to contact your senator is being provided by Blue America. They will auto connect you for free.
Here's a list of senators who voted for FISA the last time it was in the Senate and are most likely to vote for it again this time around. Please spend a few minutes and reach out to one or several of these senators:
Democrats:
Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), Evan Bayh (D-IA), Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Tim Johnson (D-SD), Herb Kohl (D-WI), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Claire McCaskill (D-MO), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Ken Salazar (D-CO), Tom Carper (D-DE), Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Jim Webb (D-VA), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Not voting: Clinton (D-NY)
Republicans:
Alexander (R-TN), Corker (R-TN), Allard (R-CO), Barrasso (R-WY), Enzi (R-WY), Bennett (R-UT), Hatch (R-UT), Bond (R-MO), Brownback (R-KS), Roberts (R-KS), Bunning (R-KY), McConnell (R-KY), Burr (R-NC), Dole (R-NC), Chambliss (R-GA), Isakson (R-GA), Coburn (R-OK), Inhofe (R-OK), Cochran (R-MS), Wicker (R-MS), Coleman (R-MN), Collins (R-ME), Snowe (R-ME), Cornyn (R-TX), Hutchison (R-TX), Craig (R-ID), Crapo (R-ID), DeMint (R-SC), Not Voting: Graham (R-SC), Domenici (R-NM), Ensign (R-NV), Grassley (R-IA), Gregg (R-NH), Sununu (R-NH), Hagel (R-NE), Kyl (R-AZ), McCain (R-AZ), Lieberman (ID-CT), Lugar (R-IN), Martinez (R-FL), Murkowski (R-AK), Sessions (R-AL), Shelby (R-AL)Smith (R-OR), Specter (R-PA), Stevens (R-AK), Thune (R-SD), Vitter (R-LA), Voinovich (R-OH), Warner (R-VA)
You might also consider visiting the wiki that's been set up for this at Get Fisa Right
One last thought: Anybody in DC might consider going down to the Senate gallery to be there in person to witness this vote on Wednesday. I think a gallery full of citizens gathered for this issue might have some kind of effect...?
UPDATE: It was brought to my attention that this topic has been written about once before. It's also worth a read.