Not Exactly the Change You were Hoping For
20 June 2008 1:35 pm by Taylor Marsh
BY TAYLOR MARSH
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| via Glenn Greenwald First ad from Blue America and Color of Change against Steny Hoyer — which will run as a full-page ad in The Washington Post and numerous newspapers in his district, aimed at the Democratic base upon whom he depends for re-election |
Democrats caved. Speaker Pelosi led the cave in, along with Steny Hoyer and
so many others.
Including the Democratic nominee for president, with a teaser. About that telecom
immunity he supports giving companies like AT&T, Senator Obama “will work…
to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability
for past offenses.”
Hold on for the word fog.
Statement of Senator Barack Obama on FISA Compromise
“Given the grave threats that we face, our national security agencies
must have the capability to gather intelligence and track down terrorists
before they strike, while respecting the rule of law and the privacy and civil
liberties of the American people. There is also little doubt that the Bush
Administration, with the cooperation of major telecommunications companies,
has abused that authority and undermined the Constitution by intercepting
the communications of innocent Americans without their knowledge or the required
court orders.“That is why last year I opposed the so-called Protect America Act,
which expanded the surveillance powers of the government without sufficient
independent oversight to protect the privacy and civil liberties of innocent
Americans. I have also opposed the granting of retroactive immunity to those
who were allegedly complicit in acts of illegal spying in the past.“After months of negotiation, the House today passed a compromise that,
while far from perfect, is a marked improvement over last year’s Protect America
Act.“Under this compromise legislation, an important tool in the fight against
terrorism will continue, but the President’s illegal program of warrantless
surveillance will be over. It restores FISA and existing criminal wiretap
statutes as the exclusive means to conduct surveillance – making it
clear that the President cannot circumvent the law and disregard the civil
liberties of the American people. It also firmly re-establishes basic judicial
oversight over all domestic surveillance in the future. It does,
however, grant retroactive immunity, and I will work in the Senate to remove
this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses.
But this compromise guarantees a thorough review by the Inspectors General
of our national security agencies to determine what took place in the past,
and ensures that there will be accountability going forward. By demanding
oversight and accountability, a grassroots movement of Americans has helped
yield a bill that is far better than the Protect America Act.“It is not all that I would want. But given the legitimate threats we
face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards
is too important to delay. So I support the compromise,
but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the
program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress
to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives –
and the liberty – of the American people.”
Not that I’m in the least surprised.
Way to go Democrats! You showed them, er… Way to stand up, um… No caving
to fear-mongering from you all…eh… #*@$! Spineless, the lot of them who caved on this just to make sure Republicans
couldn’t say they were “soft on terrorism.”
As long as Republicans
get to lead top Democrats, including our nominee, around by the nose on national
security we will forever be taking a back seat to these Spy Now No Consequences
Later Republicans. Pathetic in every sense of the word.
Now we wait for Senator Obama to “work” to remove the immunity so
Democrats can “seek” accountability. And when he falls short of the
votes what then? I suspect he’ll suck it up like all the rest of these pantywaist
“war on terror” toadies. Again, not that I expected anything different from him. But
I bet his supporters are having a rude awakening of what they got from this
guy right now. It’s been quite a week for Senator Obama: walking away from public financing
(good move, which I predicted from the start); now a cave in of all cave ins complete with
a weasel word fog of monumental proportions.
Not much change so far. Keep hoping!
