Feingold: 'Farce' Wiretap Deal Could Be Hiding 'Impeachable Offense' ("An Astonishing Giveaway")

[Hissyspit]

Source: Raw Story

Feingold: ‘Farce’ wiretap deal could be hiding ‘impeachable offense’

By Nick Juliano | Uncategorized | Monday, 23 June 2008

The battle to protect Americans from warrantless wiretaps and hold telecommunications companies accountable is all but lost, Sen. Russ Feingold, a leading critic of President Bush’s likely illegal surveillance programs, said Monday. The “farce” of a surveillance law deal heralded by House Democratic leaders last week could permanently hide evidence of an “impeachable offense” on the part of President Bush, the Wisconsin Democrat said.

Feingold spoke at the New America Foundation in Washington about the nation’s intelligence needs. He panned an update to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that quickly passed in the House last week. The Senate is expected to follow suit this year, officially putting the Democratic-controlled Congress’s seal of approval on an administration backed gambit to essentially legalize Bush’s warrantless surveillance program while at the same time letting off the hook phone companies that critics say facilitated the contravention of current law.

“I do think this is a total farce with regard to the immunity (for telecommunications companies). It basically guarantees the immunity,” Feingold said. “It doesn’t simply have the impact of potentially allowing telephone companies to break the law. It may prevent us from ever getting to the core issue … which is the president ran an illegal program that could’ve been an impeachable offense.”

House Democratic leaders heralded the bill as a “bipartisan compromise” because instead of giving blanket retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that facilitated the president’s warrantless wiretapping program, it would route the grants of immunity through a district court. As long as the companies could demonstrate to a judge that they were instructed to spy on Americans by the Bush administration they would be spared the trouble of litigating more than 40 pending lawsuits , even though they initiated the surveillance without legally required warrants.

“This is an astonishing giveaway,” Feingold said.

Read more: http://rawstory.com/news08/2008/06/23/feingold-farce-wiretap-deal-could-be-hiding-impeachable-offense/

[pberq]

1. The truth comes out - thanks to Russ Feingold

This is about covering up Bush's crimes

[polichick]

6. Because too many of them are complicit??

[bjobotts]

42. DUH!

[lovuian]

58. exactly but if they think that we don't know they have been

aiding and abetting the criminals they be so fricking wrong

WE KNOW and they will pass a meaningless law here the next congress will just change it when their in office
and who knows some Congressmen men and women who have aided and abetted these criminals will go to Jail also

these crimes are all documented

[HowHasItComeToThis]

91. BINGO FOR YOU, REMEMBER THEY CREATED BUSH

[bobbolink]

98. And the demand is that we work our selves into a frenzy and give money we don't have

to keep re-electing those who are aiding and abetting.

AND, if we don't do that, we can't be HERE.

:eyes:

[Grinchie]

102. No, Because too many of them are Corporatists/Fascists

Pelosi = DLC Democrat-Like Corpo-person

[mod mom]

59. Could it be they are using the impeachment issue from keeping Iran from being attacked?

Conyers has warned Bush about this very thing.

I have to put trust w anyone as intelligent as Sen Feingold. I don't see any other reason not to IMPEACH the bastards.

[bobbolink]

99. We've searched and searched for years now to find ways to excuse the complicity.

It's time to face reality.

[Grinchie]

103. Bush won't attack Iran, Israel will do it for him and we will "Help" in the aftermath

[natrat]

61. thank you Obama for standing up for the constitution and citizens

obamania....what a joke

[JoFerret]

80. And this, of course, is why it matters. N/T

.

[Connonym]

85. I really wanted Russ to run for president but I'm glad he didn't

I think he's serving a far more valuable role in the Senate. I'm proud as hell to have him as my Senator. And on a more shallow note, he's a total hottie.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

90. CAN WE COUNTERACT OUR VISCHEY GOVERNMENT SO LATE?????

[AndyA]

2. How many impeachable offenses does Congress need?

A war based on lies.

The outing of a COVERT CIA AGENT during a time of war.

Those two alone should be more than enough. Congress is just looking for excuses now to cover their asses. They are all disgraceful for allowing this to happen.

[jtrockville]

5. TORTURE is a big one too.

So what's the difference if these reasons are hidden, or out in the open? The house has sworn to uphold the illegality of this president's actions. Too bad they don't take their other sworn duty as seriously.

[proud2BlibKansan]

51. FRAUD is the easiest to prove

[hootinholler]

38. Apparently more than 35

We'll see how they do with 60 in about 3 weeks.

-Hoot

[Vinca]

3. I agree entirely with Feingold, but at this point Nancy wouldn't

impeach Shrub for anything. IMHO, she's protecting her own ass.

[Baby Snooks]

9. The Empress

She serves the Emperor. Not the American people.

[bdamomma]

10. and it doesn't phase them that they (Congress) has an

12% approval rating. They are clearly not looking out for our best interests. Time for them to go.

[Dr.Phool]

12. Did you notice that they waited until it's too late to run an opponent?

Here in Florida, qualifying for federal office was the last week in April. You can't even be a write-in candidate, unless you file to be one by then.

[peacetalksforall]

93. I am unrepresented. We are unrepresented. Well, make that most.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[djp2]

71. Protecting something juicy

I'm sure she's protecting some juicy tidbit from coming out? Maybe her husband likes porn or something else they found out about her or her family from the "Eavesdropping"!

[Castleman]

107. Absolutely, protecting her own ass is

one of Pelosi's great skills. They could have a video footage of Bush skull f**king Dakota Fanning and Pelosi wouldn't act on it.....

[bullimiami]

4. all they have to prove is that the president asked them to break the law.

but of course the president has no authority to ask anyone to break any laws.

we really need to replace many of this current crop of democrats with some more with integrity.

[beac]

25. Ah yes, the schoolyard-approved "An OLDER boy made me do it!" excuse.

:puke:

Bush probably held them down and gave them noogies until they caved.

[bjobotts]

29. Exactly what pac blue is doing.Raised over $300k so far to target these dems

[e-mail] has all the details as well as all the informayion about this whole issue since it started. Well worth the visit...daily

[cui bono]

89. Glenn Greenwald is fantastic. I sent a quote and link from him to my Rep.

Hope he starts reading him on a regular basis, even though my rep seems to vote for the people on all the big stuff. :)

btw... your link is to email him.

[peacetalksforall]

94. Maybe your post holds the key. Dems get the little things and give

the big wins to Dick and George.

They should change the names of our Party.

Pro-People Party
Corporation Party

That should separate out our Representatives. No more crap and lies from them.

Make their every decision more conscious, more transparent to us - more easily removed.

Our enemey is the baron foundation leadership with Cheney representing them - this time around and for the next term unless we are graced by justice from somewhere.

[pokercat999]

56. ALL yes ALL members of congress should be replaced

after their first term never to serve in federal public again! It's time for term limits. Let these lazy and corrupt MFer's get a real job for a change. Yes, it's time to throw the goddamn baby out with the f---ing dirty bath water.


The peoples new battle cry shoud be "ONE TERM AND OUT F O R E V E R" !!!!!

[Oak2004]

101. Term limits would not solve anything

The corporations would just make sure the people they own get in in the first place (which is pretty much happening already). And it would forceably retire people like Bernie Sanders, a wholly unowned politician.

[pokercat999]

108. Ah wait, you haven't heard the second part.

After their term we have a second vote....to see if they live

only a small touch of :sarcasm:

[The_Casual_Observer]

7. He got that right!

[mike_c]

8. congress is complicit, plain and simple....

Or maybe it's just ordinary cowardice. :puke:

[midnight]

11. This is the heart of the matter. It has always been.

It may prevent us from ever getting to the core issue … which is the president ran an illegal program that could’ve been an impeachable offense.”

[CrispyQ]

13. Feingold: A true democrat upholding his oath to defend the Constitution.

Madam Speaker, you are complicit, along with everyone who voted yes on this free pass to boosh.

[rudy23]

14. I guarantee you all that there were several impeachable offenses covered by the lack of Katrina

investigations. Too bad Democrats didn't make any kind of a fuss over this. Michael Brown has alluded to controversial emails that were covered up by Lieberman's flip flop on Katrina investigations.

I wonder just how controversial they were...

[aggiesal]

15. Just received a call from the DNC about ...

donating money to get a veto proof majority in both the House and the Senate.

I told the caller to write down exactly what I say:
"I will not give money to the DNC as long as they allow retroactive immunity to the
telecommunications companies to pass congress."

If enough of us say this to the DNC, then maybe the dems in congress will start to
realize just how much damage they've cause the party.

Call the DNC and let them know, if you don't get a call from them.

[Hawkeye-X]

16. You told that to the wrong group

The DNC doesn't speak for the Congress - DNCC and DSCC does - that's where the money should be *WITHHELD* - not the DNC - which has nothing to do with the House or Senate.

So you better pony up on DNC and donate money to them as a form of an apology.

That's my advice to you.

Hawkeye-X

[aggiesal]

19. Are you sure that the DNC does not give money to candidates?

Because where does the money go?
I was under the impression that money given to the DNC, is used for
administrative purposes and to help support candidates.

[rucognizant]

31. The DNC is supporting the 50 states initiative!

They PAID me last fall to collect voter history records in my county. An intiative BADLY needed! ( And I couldn't have afforeded the time to do it as a volunteer, it was full time for more tha a month!) Records were kept in attics of town offices or the registrar's kitchen cupboards.........or worse thown out! Over 1/2 the registrar hadn'
t a clue how to use the new manditory computers for voting....... We have tried to raise funds through varoious social events..but the population is small poor, and more Repug than Dems.
Now they have helped fund a full time Dem headquarters in he county. We had the opening yesterday. At least 50 came ( this is big! WHen I was a VISTRA trying to help school kids, the biggest turnout I got in 2 years was 12! Our caucus in 2004 was 18 people out of 200 registered Dems. Our caucus this year was 45 people!
We have 4 lively, peppy, youngish, district reps to the state legislature, and the Majority leader of the Maine state house, Hannah Pingree, was here. Her Mother CHellie Pingree, was mentored by Paul Wellstone and is a shoo-in for Tom Allen's Congressional seat.
Our last State Rep from our district was AWOL most of the time,.....oh you could see him tooling around the country side in his classic convertable from time to time! But he never addressed any issues!
We were last on Howard Dean's 50 states intiative, but when they got to us it made a BIG difference!

[bjobotts]

33. That's the good part.Now they finance Bush enablers over progressives in the dem primaries

[JDPriestly]

54. Thank you for the post about Chellie Pingree in Maine.

I found her website. She has a great comment on the telecom immunity fiasco.

http://chelliepingree.com/

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

66. I have dealt with Ms. Pingree in the past.

If it serves her ambitions, she will turn on a dime in a femtosecond. She is the very definition of someone who has spent too much time inside the beltway. Don't trust her as far as you can throw her.

[HowHasItComeToThis]

92. THANKS

[saracat]

20. Nonsense. The job of the DNC is to get those Dems "elected" . It makes just as much sense to deny th

them as the DSCCC and the DCCC. We also have a presidential nominee who supports this bill but says he will try to eliminate "retroactive immunity" but otherwise supports this.No money to ANYONE. JMHO.

[aggiesal]

22. Agreed. I told them that ...

I'd rather give money to a local candidate that will
vote with my more progressive views.

I mentioned that the Dems continue to fund the war without any safe timeline for withdrawal.
And all the money spent on the war, we could have easily paid for health care for
every American!

[saracat]

24. Exactly. Our local candidates, who the DNC is NOT helping in the least,

the local state senate and house races as well as state wide races, need our help. W4e should put our money and efforts where it counts.

[Love Bug]

17. How many constitutes a 'veto-proof majority' when half of them vote

the wrong way in the first place? We can't even count on our 'Speakers'!

That's what I'd ask them.

[Two Americas]

57. 150%

Once we have 150% of the seats, then things will start happening. Until then, "we don't have the votes."

We only have one problem, which is an "opposition" party that refuses to be in opposition. So we must elect more of the same, with no questions asked. They are "better than Republicans" which all we ask, and all we ask them to be. First "we" - otherwise known as "they" - win and get seats - that must always be the priority to the exclusion of all else, and keep your eyes on the prize people and all that. Then we start asking questions and wonder why that doesn't work.

[bjobotts]

32. Good on ya. Why do they need a veto proof majority with a dem president

Stop electing republicrats. Too many republicans in the democratic party and it is them we have to battle against to prevent such horrible legislation from passing...the republicans in our own party.

[dixiegrrrrl]

43. Aggiesal...

I love your sig line.
I modified it just a wee bit, and am adding it to all outgoing e-mail.
Forever.

And I am e-mailing the DNC and etc. to let them know why I will NOT vote for Obama
( the shattering sound you hear is my last vestige of hope breaking)

The last time I got this furiously intent was in 1970.
That lasted for a few years.

I have had it.

[aggiesal]

68. Hey Dixiegrrrrrllllll ...

Feel free to use the sig line, any way you please.
I use it on my political emails as well.

I can only imagine what Duncan Hunter, Sen. DiFi and Sen Boxer
think when they read my emails.

My congressional representatives in DC.

What were your changes?

[dixiegrrrrl]

82. I removed everything after

You have no recourse nor protection.
took out the impeachment part...
sorta like Pelosi did.

So the first e-mail I sent with it was to my banker...
conservative banker
in the south..
whom I will be meeting for first time next week.

That should set the tone.

thanks for letting me steal...it's a great in your face reminder...
I hope lots of folks use it.

:bounce:

[FunMe]

67. What a great recommendation !

I too sent the same message but to the DSSC"

"I will not give money to the DNC as long as they allow retroactive immunity to the
telecommunications companies to pass congress."

[aggiesal]

69. Welcome to DU ...

:toast:
illegal codesmilie_remote(':beer:')
:yourock:
:applause:

[DutchLiberal]

70. It won't work, because in the end... all of you will be voting Democratic anyway.

What are you going to do? Vote for the Republicans? I think not. The only alternative is voting Democratic. They know this. Unless the political system is transformed into at least a three-party-system, no threat against the Democrats will make them change their minds.

[aggiesal]

76. I thnk you're wrong because ...

If they don't get the money, they won't be able to go after
the swing voters.

If they have the arrogant attitude that you seem to think they'll
have, when the general election doesn't gain the numbers they expected,
they'll know that it was because they didn't get the $$'s.

$$'s talk, big time.

[The Blue Flower]

18. The telecoms took part in negotiating?

Why were the telecoms even at the table when the bill was being negotiated?

[bjobotts]

34. Took part hell, they wrote the damn thing.This has never been about anything but immunity

[bjobotts]

35. Remember, Bush would veto anything that did not have immunity

[bjobotts]

36. It covers Bush's ass and makes sure we will never find out what he had been doing

[bjobotts]

37. It was enough that Comey, and hospitalized Ashcroft and top tier of DoJ would resign

[The Backlash Cometh]

21. I wish Pelosi would resign.

It's the American thing to do.

[fascisthunter]

26. She Doing What She Was Put in Charge to Do

until she finishes protecting Bush from accountability she will never step down.

[liberal N proud]

27. The Democrats who gave it all away

Thanks a lot Nancy, Thanks a whole fucking lot.

[bjobotts]

39. 129 dems voted against it. Those are the only real dems we have

[djp2]

73. the ONLY UNIMPEACHABLE Dems

They must be the only 129 that the rePukes don't have incriminating evidence against... WHAT do you think all the EAVEDROPPING has been for? they know plenty about the others in Congress to keep their mouths shut, or else be shown for what they know. Remember the big turn around in PELOSI, she was GLOATING over BUSH one day, the next she is a cowering coward.

[Skink]

28. This is an issue that I'd like to hear Obama and Mccain speak about

[bjobotts]

41. They did on Friday. Extremely disappointing and deceitful. go here for the truth

[e-mail]

[The Stranger]

30. Remove Pelosi from office. She is a criminal too. It is the only way.

[bjobotts]

40. She's deceitful, ignores the people and knows there is nothing we can do about it.

[bobbolink]

100. Ohhhh, but it's so WUNNERFUL to have a WOMAN! as speaker now!

~~~swoon~~~

:puke:

[slipslidingaway]

44. Feingold is on the Senate Intelligence Committee, thank you

Senator Feingold.

http://intelligence.senate.gov/memberscurrent.html

[Catherina]

45. Thank you Russ. Thank you for having the spine to do your job

Astonishing giveaway is very polite for treason to our country.

[ooglymoogly]

46. The stench from the corporate congress is becoming deadly. nt kr

[mdmc]

47. I love DU

so I won't post what I think of the dems on FISA.I am too scared of the tombstone.

[Divine Discontent]

50. The DEMS are spineless on this issue and on holding B*sh accountable

nothing wrong with saying that...


New Pro-Obama & Anti-McSame Stickers/Shirts!
www.cafepress.com/warisprofitable

[NorthCarolina]

52. I think "complicit" is a more accurate description than "spineless"

eom

[Divine Discontent]

62. thinking their nefariously more involved is something I don't want to believe

even if it is the truth... (sorta like how the Germans knew what was really going on but lived in denial) cuz if so, there's no point in anything 'govt'... sigh...

[NorthCarolina]

65. The problem is there is no other reasonable explanation

that I can see.

[mdmc]

53. I am afraid that it might be construed

as a (forbidden)"broad based right wing smear" and not (allowable)"constructive criticism".

I got a warning and I enjoy posting here too much to post "hold Bush accountable" replies.

For the record, I am a lifelong dem (actually from the age 18 to 20 I was a registered LIBERAL in NYS. I switched to Dem in 92 and voted (in Colorado) for Jerry Brown in the primary (he won, by the way - he WON Colorado!), then Clinton Gore in the general (the first time Colorado went blue since jfk).
I donated to Obama (only $17.76, but that is one hour of overtime for me).
I ran for town council in 2001 and am still on my local county dem committee.
I sure ain't no freeper.:patriot:

[L. Coyote]

48. Are ALL COMMUNICATIONS routed overseas to circumvent US law and the Constitution?

Deja DU: Are ALL COMMUNICATIONS routed overseas to circumvent US law and the Constitution?
Nov-09-07 - http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x2245762

I was told years ago that ALL fiber optic communication traffic was routed overseas so that "everything" was moved outside the protections of the law and Constitution and ANYTHING could be monitored. I thought the idea quite fantastic even though it came from a very reliable source that would know exactly such things. Then, the story of the fiber optic splitters hit my radar. I now see now how easily exactly that, routing ALL COMMUNICATIONS overseas, was accomplished.

Is that Bush's and the Telecom's HUGE crime hidden and covered-up behind this story?

If the telecoms get immunity, will it aid in covering up Bush's crime.
ABSOLUTELY! That is why it is so important to the Rs! Support = obstruction of justice.

Have we arrived at the point in the history of the Bushco junta where
laws passed and people nominated are part of crimes of obstructing justice?

===================
AT&T Whistleblower: Telecom Immunity Is A Cover-Up
By Spencer Ackerman - Nov 7, 2007
http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/004662.php


Earlier today we flagged that Mark Klein, who uncovered a secret surveillance room run by the NSA while employed as a San Francisco-based technician for AT&T, is in Washington to lobby against granting retroactive legal immunity to telecommunications companies. In an interview this afternoon, Klein explained why he traveled all the way from San Francisco to lobby Senators about the issue: if the immunity provision passes, Americans may never know how extensive the surveillance program was -- or how deeply their privacy may have been invaded.

"The president has not presented this truthfully," said Klein, a 62-year old retiree. "He said it was about a few people making calls to the Mideast. But I know this physical equipment. It copies everything. There's no selection of anything, at all -- the splitter copies entire data streams from the internet, phone conversations, e-mail, web-browsing. Everything."

What Klein unearthed -- you can read it here -- points to a nearly unbounded surveillance program. Its very location in San Francisco suggests that the program was "massively domestic" in its focus, he said. "If they really meant what they say about only wanting international stuff, you wouldn't want it in San Francisco or Atlanta. You'd want to be closer to the border where the lines come in from the ocean so you pick up international calls. You only do it in San Francisco if you want domestic stuff. The location of this stuff contradicts their story .....

=======================
NSA Monitors All Web Traffic, Says Ex-AT&T Employee

NSA Monitors All Web Traffic, Says Ex-AT&T Employee
Tom Corelis (Blog) - Nov 10, 2007
http://www.dailytech.com/NSA+Monitors+All+Web+Traffic+Says+ExATT+Employee/article9620.htm


Felt "forced to the connect the Big Brother Machine" if he wanted to keep his job

Mark Klein, the former AT&T technician and whistleblower who helped kick off the AT&T/NSA eavesdropping scandal, clarified further details regarding what he witnessed while connecting a secret NSA eavesdropping facility: secure room 641A in AT&T’s San Francisco switching center, presumably commissioned by the NSA, received copies of all the traffic its splitters were connected to, including both international and domestic e-mails, web traffic, and phone calls, both from AT&T’s customers as well as other providers.

Previous statements by the government, AT&T and President Bush indicated that the only affected communications are communications relevant to national security, like those of suspected terrorists and suspicious foreign nationals. According to Klein, however, the technology used to connect the secure room was far more democratic, consisting of simple, dumb splitters incapable of any kind of contextual filtering: essentially, room 641A received “a duplicate of every fiber-optic signal routed through facilities.”

Klein, appearing on MSNBC’s Countdown with Keith Olbermann show, told viewers about his personal association with secure room 641A. “When I was a technician, I had the engineering/wiring documents, which told me how the splitter was wired to the secret room … I had to know in order to do my job,” he said, “so I know that whatever went across those cables was copied; the entire datastream was copied into the secret room.”

Referring to the equipment itself, Klein states, “the splitter device has no selective capability, it just copies everything. .............

=======================
Interview: AT&T Whistleblower Mark Klein on Bush's Illegal Surveillance and Retroactive Immunity
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0dJJhLueEg

=======================
NSA Pressured LA Times To Kill Domestic Spying Story
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOI1VGKcgGY

=======================
November 5th, 2007
AT&T Whistleblower to Urge Senate to Reject Blanket Immunity for Telecoms
Press Conference on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, November 7
http://www.eff.org/press/archives/2007/11/05

Washington, D.C. - On Wednesday, November 7, at 10:30am, telecommunications technician and AT&T whistleblower Mark Klein will speak out at a press conference on Capitol Hill, explaining why he is asking lawmakers to reject immunity for telecoms who assisted the Bush administration's spying on millions of Americans.

Klein witnessed first-hand the technology AT&T built to assist the government's domestic warrantless wiretapping program at AT&T's main switching facility in San Francisco. As part of his job at AT&T, Klein connected high-speed fiber optic cables to sophisticated equipment that intercepted communications from AT&T customers and then copied and routed every single one to a room controlled by the National Security Agency (NSA). Klein has provided evidence for the Electronic Frontier Foundation's (EFF's) class-action lawsuit against AT&T for its role in the illegal spying.

"My job required me to enable the physical connections between AT&T customers' Internet communications and the NSA's illegal, wholesale copying machine for domestic emails, Internet phone conversations, web surfing and all other Internet traffic. I have first-hand knowledge of the clandestine collaboration between one giant telecommunications company, AT&T, and the National Security Agency to facilitate the most comprehensive illegal domestic spying program in history," said Klein.

Also speaking at the event Wednesday ...........

=======================
Judge Orders Telecommunications Companies to Preserve Evidence in Government Surveillance Cases
Ruling Advances EFF's Class-action Lawsuit Against AT&T
http://www.eff.org/press/archives/2007/11/06


San Francisco - A federal judge today ruled on a preservation motion filed by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), ordering that telecommunications companies must preserve any evidence of collaborating with the government in illegal spying on ordinary Americans.

In his ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker ordered the telecommunications companies to halt any routine destruction of documents or to arrange for the preservation of accurate copies. On December 14, each party must provide the court with confirmation that the court's order has been carried out. The court order did not require the government or the carriers to reveal whether or not they had any relevant evidence.

The government and the carriers had opposed the preservation motion, claiming that the government's invocation of the state secrets privilege made it impossible to proceed with a preservation order. In litigation, parties are typically required to preserve all relevant evidence.

For the judge's order:
http://www.eff.org/files/filenode/att/393%20order.pdf

For more on the class-action lawsuit against AT&T:
http://www.eff.org/cases/att

===== MORE ======

[BearSquirrel2]

63. Read where the spy center was ...

The spy center was in San Francisco. No doubt AT&T is paying Pelosi off to cover this up.

If you can't elect a liberal out of San Francisco, where can you?

[L. Coyote]

105. Wrong. One of the splitters is in SF. The routing is overseas, outside the US

where the law and Constitution do not apply!!

And, I wish Pelosi knew what is going on!!!

[jgraz]

49. Russ must be lying, since we know our sainted nominee would never steer us wrong.

This line is particularly telling:

Later during a question and answer section, Feingold was asked specifically whether he or Dodd would filibuster the FISA update this week. He said the two met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Friday to request that the bill not just be “rammed through” the Senate.

Gee, it's surprising that he could do that since, according to Obama, he's "just one Senator". :shrug:

[stillcool]

79. I don't understand why...

Obama has to vote for it. Surely if the Democrats want it passed they don't need him. Why doesn't he just vote no?

[TechBear_Seattle]

55. How many Democrats were complicit with this treason?

And are we still gagged by DU rules for calling them out on their complicity with treason?

[djp2]

74. Blackmailed?

May not be compicit, but blackmailed by Repugs! What evidence are they holding over the Dems heads?

[TechBear_Seattle]

78. What makes you think they were not gleefully complicit? n/t

[L. Coyote]

106. Why would we even think they know what Bush has done, is doing, etc...?

Because, if they did ....

[bonito]

60. K&R!

[Senator]

64. But Not Quite. Senator Groupthink Had To Insert "Equivalent"

He's didn't really say "impeachable offense" but merely "the equivalent of an impeachable offense."

Yes, this is of course logicless drivel. But it allows continued complicity via "equivocating over equivalences."

At least the word did come out of his mouth. They may yet talk themselves into regaining consciousness.

We could yet reunite our once-great nation.

----

[dixiegrrrrl]

72. I just talked with an Obama staffer at

1-866-675-2008.

There was a lot of background noise, phones ringing and lots of people talking.
Staffer was a nice lady. I was polite..well, of course, we are always polite..and made sure she knew my feelings were directed at Obama, not her.


I told her Obama said he wanted people to become engaged in the political process so that we could hold our representatives in Congress accountable, and that is what I was doing, and now I wanted HIM to be engaged, not just talking.

She says they have gotten a huge amount of calls, she thinks it is because MoveOn.org was organizing.
I told her there was a lot of information coming from DU and TPM and etc also, many many many people on the web are upset with Obama's stance after we all had been involved for months trying to shut down immunity.

I asked her if she could give me any information or reason I should look at the issue differently.
She couldn't...all she could say was "they" understand a lot of folks are not happy.

[asp64064]

75. Come On America Wake up!!!

The House passes a $162 Billion war bill and the surveillance issue does a 1-80. Where is the money really going?

For 8 years democrats back the administrations war and continues to do so against the will of the people. Why?

"Billions unaccounted for in the war". How do you loose billions of dollars? You don't, you hide it for yourself.

Did any of you watch the "GOD FATHER"? Our government has become the criminal enterprise and makes all the rules, even changes the rules when needed.

Get the picture?

This is not complicated, without laws we have no Democracy. Do you see anyone following our Law?

Impeach the House, Impeach the Senate and Impeach the Administration when they fail to follow the will of the people.

Tell your representatives you want a law that provides automatic Impeachment and removal when representatives fail to follow or vote for the will of the people.

[biglake]

87. Awake! Hide billions- bribery? Ok..Pelosi/Rockefeller/Reid. Who are they really?

Can we all contribute much more information on these right favoring, double-talking Democratic leaders? Sort of like log an ongoing long list on them- who they are- bios, conflicts of interest and actions- ongoing pressure-facts as we see them- revealing who they really are- expose- pressure them out of office if they can't stand up to the heat-since they refuse to represent their people. They set NO example to the world of justice and leadership in America when in fact AMERICA DOES CARES-Nothing can bring America back until TRUTH is exampled. Lead from the top and by example start with prosecutions and impeachment actions on this administration-accountability- like we teach our children-no more talk- otherwise the world will not believe us. We don't believe us. Even Ron Paul speaks more clearly to the people of his intended actions....So lets start.....Who are these people representing us- Who IS Nancy Pelosi? Who Is Harry Reid? I'd like to know more than I do as a voter, citizen, progressive.

[lonestarnot]

77. "That thing got my blood a boil'n"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7J51LEr-k9M

[Seabiscuit]

81. Another "smoking gun" proving "bipartisan compromise" = selling out and caving in to fascism.

Pelosi, that neo-con, cryto-fascist enabler was undoubtedly behind this one, organizing her rancid, rat-infested little tail off.

Is it time for a good, old-fashioned, 1776-style revolution yet?

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security." - The Declaration of Independence.

[Generator]

83. Farce!

Doesn't that sum up "our" entire "leadership" and political age.

Sounds like something Carlin would have succinctly nailed-with that word-farce- the whole shitfuck nightmare shebang we are living through.

[MasonJar]

84. I hope that the dems who voted for this and are still in primary

contests lose big time...like the guy referenced on DU today in Ga.12 (I think). Hey, Georgia, vote him out. His opponent sounds great. Otherwise we must start really early next time and make sure that they disappear by 2010.

[BlueJac]

86. DC is full of criminal cowards with pockets full of cash!!

This country has been asleep to long. I will say 85% of the people know nothing about anything, and that is wrong in a democracy. TV rules and everyone is brain dead!!

[cstanleytech]

88. I guess no one gave Juliano the memo that this horse is dead.

I mean while I would have loved both Bush and Cheney to have been impeached during their first term its pretty dang clear it wont happen so why not instead focus on something atleast as important which is stopping it from "ever" happening again.
Work to get tough, strict laws in place that prevent any future president from abusing their power ever again like this one has and I mean laws that dont let the president wiggle around them like a worm.

[disndat]

95. This should give a boost to Cindy Sheehan's

campaign. The people in Pelosi's Congressional District should take notice and do the "right thing."

[dogday]

96. Russ doesn't pull any punches...

One hell of a great politician...

[spanone]

97. don't worry russ, impeachment is off the table anyway

nancy has made it possible for bu$h* to get away with his crimes

[L. Coyote]

104. VIDEO: Sen. Russ Feingold on FISA

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x150878

[Uncle Joe]

109. I can only recommend within 24 hours.

Thanks for the thread, Hissyspit.