A Bad Day for More McConnell Posturing
by mcjoan
Wed Apr 02, 2008 at 02:29:16 PM PDT
Made worse by the fact that Democratic House member Anna Eshoo is joining with him in propogating more lies about why this government is trying to gut judicial and Congressional oversight of intelligence.
They start out:
Recent reports in this paper and others allege the existence of broad intelligence programs run by the National Security Agency to process wide-ranging personal data on Americans' activities. One of us (Eshoo) sees this as the latest in a string of troubling accusations about the erosion of privacy and civil liberties since 9/11. The other (McConnell) sees it as more hyperbole and inaccurate press reports designed to mislead the public into thinking that the intelligence community is acting against American law and values. Honest people can differ on these tough issues. We think it is healthy. This is America, after all.
Eshoo should be ashamed of herself. Those reports detailed how the government--in direct defiance of a Congressional ban--continued programs to collect massive amounts of data about the phone calls, e-mails, financial records, travel, Internet searches, Internet activity of millions of Americans. In direct defiance of a Congressional ban. And McConnell as an "honest" broker in this? The Mike McConnell who accused United States Senators of arguing to dismantle the nation's intelligence system? Of stating in debate over FISA that Bush should be jailed? That McConnell?
McConnell and Eshoo, inexplicably, are trying to push anew effort to prevent "a cyber attack [that] could be more devastating economically than Sept. 11." Yet another new threat that can only be combated by yet another secret NSA program that will require the cooperation of those patriotic telecoms. The pair conclude, seemingly completely without irony:
Finally, no cyber-security plan will succeed without congressional support. Checks and balances are essential in a democracy, particularly when the matter concerns secret government programs that rightly remain out of the public view. Active congressional oversight gives the public confidence that their rights and their security are being properly attended to, and such oversight allows Congress to say so confidently and publicly.
For foreign threat information, pursuant to a legal framework, the government must listen in. But in so doing, we should also listen to the voices of our founding fathers, who foresaw that a nation without freedom at home would be incapable of standing for freedom around the world. We need a professional and empowered intelligence community as well as effective congressional oversight to protect our nation. We are committed to both.
This was a very bad day for Mike McConnell and his new Democratic buddy to try to pawn yet another secret program off on us. This day when the deprivation of what this administration has done in the name of national security has been fully exposed. Were the voices of the founding fathers ringing in the ears of John Yoo when he penned the infamous torture memo, in secret, without Congressional support, oversight, or knowledge? The memo that led to Abu Graib, that led to innocent men tortured and imprisoned in Guantanamo?
Does this Congress really want to grant any more license to this administration of liars, with its track record, when it comes to our sacred liberty? No more. Just say no to the Bush administration and the continued degradation of our reputation and principles. Let this most disgraceful chapter in the history of the United State finally close in eight months, with no more license given to them to damage us further.
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