According to a new Washington Post article, congressional democrats have settled on a FISA bill that would be almost as bad as the FISA "fix" that was passed in late July. The bill was passed by the house judiciary committee today. This bill would allow "blanket warrants" to be used. A single blanket warrant could be used to eavesdrop on anyone without court review. These amount to the FISA court, rather than congress, authorizing unlimited warrantless surveillance. This is unacceptable. And the "administration" can continue their illegal activity for up to 45 days (the prior standard was 72 hours) before a blanket warrant has to be approved. This war against the constitution cannot be allowed to continue. Democrats have to stand up. Democrats have to realize that we put them there for a reason, and we aren't going to stand by while they continue to be derelict.
One could tell the fringe right wing that this is about abiding by the constitution so that surveillance is done without abuse. One could say that the issue isn't if the government should have wiretapping powers. The issue instead is that we have to ensure that the wire tapping is done correctly and within the constitution. But it doesn't matter. You can't persuade an ideologue any more than you can teach physics to a dog.
"This is a deeply flawed bill," [Rep.] Hoekstra [R-MI] told reporters after the committees acted.
He and other GOP lawmakers said the bill gives too much power to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court to oversee intelligence activities and will bog down intelligence agencies with administrative burdens.
If there was any doubt that they are at war with the constitution, that statement should settle the question. They seek to destroy the constitution and institute a fascist rule under a republican dictator. Checks and balances, separation of powers, and the constitution itself stand in the way of this fascist republican rule.
This is how tyranny always emerges out of a constitutional government. The leader (always the executive leader, rather than legislative leaders) convinces his citizens that there is a threat to the country and the survival of its citizens. He uses this fear, which he created, to take away more and more rights. He does it in the name of protecting the country. Eventually the citizens have given up all of their rights to the leader. And that leader, now an unstoppable tyrant, shreds the constitution and refuses to give back the rights that the citizens negligently gave up.