Pelosi Seeks to Change FISA Bill

[madfloridian]

Source: CQ.com

Barely an hour after the House voted, 227-183, to clear the legislation (S 1927) late Aug. 4, Speaker Nancy Pelosi released a letter calling on the Judiciary and Intelligence committees to “send to the House, as soon as possible after Congress reconvenes, legislation which responds comprehensively to the administration’s proposal while addressing the many deficiencies in S 1927.” The legislation expires in February.

The House vote on the surveillance bill was one of its last acts during a weekend of acrimony sparked by Republican allegations of Democratic procedural misconduct, which delayed the start of a monthlong recess. Working through numerous delays caused by Republican floor protests, the House managed to pass a defense spending bill and a major energy package and clear $250 million in aid for the Minneapolis bridge disaster before adjourning around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. The Senate adjourned Aug. 3 after passing the surveillance bill.

Pelosi’s letter indicates that the tug-of-war over how much authority to give the administration to eavesdrop on suspected terrorists with little or no court oversight is far from done.

“Many provisions of this legislation are unacceptable, and although the bill has a six month sunset clause, I do not believe the American people will want to wait that long before corrective action is taken,” Pelosi, D-Calif., wrote to Judiciary Chairman John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., and Intelligence Chairman Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas.



Read more: http://public.cq.com/docs/cqt/news110-000002567347.html

[villager]

1. Was she reading DU last night?

n/t

[Triana]

2. Have fun, Ms. Pelosi, getting that toothpaste back in that tube...getting that genie...

...back into that bottle.

You shoulda NEVER let it out.

You were warned. No turning back now.

[man4allcats]

8. I guess Nancy's mom never taught her how to cook.

Sorry, Madam Speaker. I don't know how to break this to you except just to say it. You can't unscramble an egg.

[knight_of_the_star]

15. She got shafted with this one

Keep in mind she was pushing for a bill on the same issue that was NOT what Bush wanted and would have required FISA court approval and not put the wiretaps under Gonzo's control as the two big items. Damn Blue Dogs jumped ship here.

[WileEcoyote]

24. There needs to be some quiet "payback"

on the Blue Dogs. Something to let them know that military appropriation, pet project back home well the money just "suddenly dried up".

Pelosi can simply say: "I just don't know what happened to that water project in your state Congressman. Now the rest of us are very busy here please return to your seat. Don't call us, We'll call YOU". Etcetera.

And any republican representative? Bone dry his whole district.

[peace frog]

25. Hear hear!

Don't get mad, get even. More than even.

[grasswire]

3. whatever it takes, Madame Speaker

Just get 'r' done.

[Journeyman]

4. "I'm a slow walker, but I never walk back." . . .

How much better off we'd all be, if more of our politicians aspired to the deliberate consideration that was Mr Lincoln's hallmark.

[jgraz]

5. Could she possibly be more cynical?

I swear that woman thinks we're all a dumb as Chimpy. She's going to ask for the law, press it through to a vote so it can either get filibustered in the Senate or vetoed.

Don't you get it? The Democrats have no intention of ending or even stalling a single one of Bush's disastrous policies. They want the issues to run on in 2008 -- and they don't care how many people die in the meantime.

[defendandprotect]

6. What? Does this have to do with the Senate version? It's different from the House????

[orleans]

7. much too little and far too late. n/t

[TankLV]

9. Never happen.

Prediction:

They revisit the law - AND IT GETS WORSE.

Just like EVERYTHING they have touched - Dems and Repukes alike...

[IndianaGreen]

10. Pelosi and Reid have joined Neville Chamberlain in the pantheon of shame

Pelosi could have blocked the bill, as a Speaker Gingrinch would have blocked any bill that displeased him, but she didn't. She took the easy way out, and now puts out a CYA memo to tell us that she is on our side.

:puke:

[krispos42]

11. Just AFTER the nick of time

Damn good thing Pelosi isn't an EMT. Or the commander of a Coast Guard cutter.

[Hydra]

12. I saw this letter yesterday

As if Bush will sign anything he doesn't like, assuming he even HAS to get this renewed. I'm still looking for his signing statement if anyone sees it on the net somewhere- no way did he keep that 6 month reauthorization intact.

[autorank]

13. This bill "does violence to the Constitution." You GO Nancy Pelosi!

:kick:

[Morereason]

14. Don't get it... allow it through then act like it is an abomination???

[EnricoFermi]

16. Too late

I estimate that the power grab is coming during the intermission.

But I hope I am wrong.

[Hissyspit]

17. Welcome to DU!

:patriot:

:toast:

[EnricoFermi]

18. Thanks

People have been so kind, I appreciate it.

If someday we are all in an internment camp together, at least I know we'll get along :)

[deacon]

19. She has absolutely NO credibility left. n/t

[acmavm]

20. Sounds like she knows they bent too far over for the administration on

this one and she's trying to act like it's just all one big misunderstanding.

She's such a phoney witch.

[Norrin Radd]

21. Shouldn't it be called "offense spending?"

[jonnyra]

22. So Pelosi

is now quoted as saying the bill "does violence to the constitution". So Ms Pelosi since your sworn oath is to protect the constitution just what are you going to do to defend the constitution? And where were those kinds of comments before it passed? And why make such comments now when there have been numerous attacks on our constitution, which by now is on life support if it even is still breathing. I personally think its dead.

If you were truly defending the constitution (as you are sworn to do) you would have done whatever necessary to stop this bullshit. If you were truly concerned about the violence being done to the constitution (the constitution you are sworn to protect) you would be demanding an end to this bullshit to the point of calling emergency sessions, demanding impeachment or even threatening to resign in an effort to bring attention the violence you describe.

Our constitution is under attack, in fact has already been trampled with your help (did I mention your sworn to protect the constitution?) as you allow fear mongering to trump the rule of law, our constitution and our bill of rights. Those are facts, not political spin...facts.

We can no longer count on our elected leaders to do the job of protecting the constitution and bill of rights. They are not sworn in to "protect American citizens" as Bush and the republicans have managed to make Americans believe. They are sworn to protect the constitution period. They have failed and now it is up to Americans...We the People...to decide if we will allow this to continue or if we value our constitution enough to stand up and defend it. I for one feel like its worth defending.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

23. The letter was posted in GD yesterday. Here's a link to that "discussion".

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1518011

[Warren Stupidity]

26. Better late than never.

Actually in this case: what is she thinking? Its too late. The deed is done.

[michaz]

27. If this bill had been blocked in the 1st place, they wouldn't have..

to waste time trying to change it after the fact!

[Vinca]

28. Nancy might as well forget about it. Once Shrub gets his name

on the line, it's over. Here's hoping the Dems find their spines within the next 6 months.

[NotGivingUp]

29. WOW...she must think we're real stupid. n/t

[IndianaGreen]

33. Pelosi is more interested in the lobbyists business than the people's business

No wonder the first thing she did after the elections was to throw a big party for lobbyists and corporate friends.

[NotGivingUp]

35. hillary says she would NEVER be influenced by lobbyists. i'm sure nancy wouldn't either. (SARCASM!)

games are OVER. we see the coporatocracy behind the curtain. time to end the games.

[sendero]

30. Dear Nancy....

... yes, I'm a little slow. Well after many folks here, maybe even most, had given up on you, I was still a supporter. I thought you knew what you were doing. I thought you actually were tough enough to do the right thing.

Boy was I wrong. I see pretty clearly now. There is simply NO EXCUSE for what you have done here. NONE. No amount of backtracking, downplaying or revisionism will save your reputation now.

You've just made the biggest mistake of your political career. I hope whatever the reasons were, that it was worth it.

[Tesla]

31. I wish it was Nov 8 06 again,

I had so much hope for our Constitution that day.
Today?, ... not so much!

[mopinko]

32. purposeful temper tantrums

i think that whole thug dog and pony show was about harassing and harrying the dems. making them frantic to get out of town and away from them.
and they fell for it. again.

[Hawkowl]

34. Nancy is WEAK

Wahhhhhh....The horses are gone, close the barn door. Idiot. She has to be the weakest speaker in modern times to allow this travesty of a bill to come to the floor for a vote. Or she is simply another duplicitous, politician playing political games with the constitution and not doing a very good job of it.

Singularly unimpressive.

[NotGivingUp]

36. she's not WEAK at all...she's just not working for us. she's part of the corporatocracy. n/t