Dubya's TP

silver · Post by **silver** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 3:25 am

Yes Ladies and Germs our illustrious leader has once again wiped his derriere with the US Constitution.

FISA Becomes Law, EFF and ACLU Rain Down Lawsuits
Tom Corelis (Blog) - July 11, 2008 7:51 AM

As expected, President Bush signed the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 into law Thursday morning, revamping the United States’ aging surveillance rules and granting telecommunications companies amnesty for their assistance in a post-9/11 mass wiretap.

Under the new law, the government gains a number of sweeping new surveillance powers, in addition to a number of additional limitations to work under. One such expansion allows the government to force e-mail providers to forward the government all communications where one side of the party is believed to be overseas – including e-mail, phone conversations, and text messages. Such surveillance includes a number of rules designed to protect the privacy of American citizens.

Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union announced a counterattack just hours after the law’s signing, filing a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on behalf of a wide range of plaintiffs, including attorneys, journalists, and human rights organizations.

Journalists Chris Hedges and Naomi Klein of The Nation said the law creates a chilling effect on their international reporting -- since their jobs requires speaking with overseas parties that often work against American objectives, their contacts might be wary of further communication. Hedges, in particular, says that one of his sources – a secret contact close to Hamas – is already more hesitant to speak openly.

Hedges compared the passage of FISA to the tactics of authoritarian regimes he had previously worked inside, noting that their objective was to openly “prevent any dissidents, anybody who had information that countered the government” from contacting him.

“I have little doubt that the passing of this FISA bill essentially brings this type of surveillance system, and the effectiveness of that system, to the United States,” said Hedges.

The ACLU’s lawsuit asks the court to stay FISA’s immunity provisions until their constitutionality is fully evaluated.

The EFF says it will continue its supervision of the – possibly doomed – 40+ lawsuits filed against AT&T, Verizon, and others, and it is also “preparing a new case” against the government for its wiretapping program, “past, present, and future.”

Both the EFF and ACLU argue that the FISA’s dismissal of the lawsuits – the legislative branch interfering with the judicial branch, essentially – violates the constitutional principle of separated government powers.

The FISA amendments’ opponents fought long and hard in their attempts to scuttle the law before its signing, with opposition Senators attempting to stall proceedings with a filibuster and amendments that would have watered it down. Congress ultimately voted down these attempts, and instead allowed the bill a swift trip through both branches of Congress. Previous FISA law was set to expire in August, and many feel that Congress hastened the amendments’ passage in order push them out the door before the deadline. Previous attempts to update FISA died in Congress earlier this year, after grinding into a Congressional deadlock – talks were immensely complicated by a Presidential vow to veto any reform that failed to include the immunity provision.

Ebolavictim · Post by **Ebolavictim** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 9:53 am

So much for the USA being a free country eh. Kinda becoming like that states the west is trying to free.

silver · Post by **silver** » Sat Jul 12, 2008 10:36 am

As one Sen. Mike DeWine stated :

"You know, there’s been some controversy about whether or not this program is legal or is not legal. I think we need to get beyond that. And the vast majority of American people believe these calls need to be listened to. But we don’t want to have any kind of debate about whether it’s constitutional or not constitutional. So I think we need to put that beyond us."

Yeah, that really flies well with that part that Dubya had to contend with once he managed to slither into office.

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

So much for :

"Amendment IV

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. "

But then again Dubya is little more than illiterate so I doubt he could actually read that part.

Finally we should note that out of over 48,000 FISA permits (which really shouldn't be construed as legal warrants) only 4 have been shot down. Also the government has now completely exempted telecoms from any legal accountability for their part in surveillance even though the public at large is footing the bill. Yep, it's one extremely smooth operation !

Ebolavictim · Post by **Ebolavictim** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 10:04 am

Time to emigrate mate. The UK is better, not at lot better mind.

pacer · Post by **pacer** » Sun Jul 13, 2008 1:00 pm

Canada is where I will go.

stan · Post by **stan** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:04 am

Head EAST young men, and join us down here in the land of OZ

We are so politically aligned to the USA you won't notice the differance, except our top man in the office speaks cantoneese, and knows how to use e-mail!!

It gets cold (but no snow in the cities), gets hot, dam hot for a few months of the year, and rearly rains anymore

So come on down and join us in Victoria the over policed state,

stan

orionburn · Post by **orionburn** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:01 am

Think you guys need to work out your frustration with this...... http://www.addictinggames.com/fallingbush.html

silver · Post by **silver** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 11:03 am

Just about perfect !

haunter · Post by **haunter** » Tue Jul 15, 2008 4:53 pm

buncha crapola

so illegal its rediculous

hope they repeal this junk when hes out of office

orionburn · Post by **orionburn** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 6:27 am

What they fail to realize that by passing laws such as this to "keep us safer" the terrorists are actually the ones winning. The things that make this country so great are being stripped away from us one by one. But, the sadder thing is - WHY AREN'T PEOPLE DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT??? I've been saying for years now that you could have some special vote at night that would strip us of all our rights but if it was on a night when American Idol or any other crap show was on people would be more worried about watching that than seeing their rights go away.

If this keeps up it will be Orwell's 1984 in another 10 years.

silver · Post by **silver** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 12:38 pm

Orwell (E.A. Blair) was a genius who passed far to soon. Of course we should never forget the comments of one G. Ford "A government big enough to give you everything you want is a government big enough to take from you everything you have"

As to the apathy of society, it's the American way. Just look at our environment for a really sad statement on humanity.

If this keeps up it will be Orwell's 1984 in another 10 years.

Unfortunately it's already here. We're just incapable of seeing the big picture.

pacer · Post by **pacer** » Wed Jul 16, 2008 1:36 pm

If this keeps up it will be Orwell's 1984 in another 10 years.

Unfortunately it's already here. We're just incapable of seeing the big picture.

Yep.

People are more concerned with the Met's recovery more than our economy's recovery. As I said before I am going to Canada......Or I may be staying on Stan's couch. He did invite me down there.

ps
I just edited this newspaper....I mean post.

KontoBoy · Post by **KontoBoy** » Thu Jul 17, 2008 5:02 pm

if you want to help donate to the ACLU. They have already filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of FISA.

http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/07/13/1254223

Just make sure you pay for you MotoGP tickets first.

Kontoboy