Democrats propose safeguards in Bush's spy program (Reuters)

[pinto]

Another take on the proposed FISA legislation(s).

Democrats propose safeguards in Bush's spy program

By Thomas Ferraro and Randall Mikkelsen

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The rights of Americans swept up in President George W. Bush's warrantless domestic spying program would be given new safeguards under a bill introduced on Tuesday by Democratic lawmakers.

But civil liberties advocates complained that the measure, which would require secret-court approval of most spying, did not go far enough in protecting the rights of U.S. citizens.

Republicans warned it could help terrorists.

The White House had its own objections. It wants retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies that cooperated in the warrantless surveillance begun after the September 11 attacks.

Democrats in the House of Representatives said they would not even consider immunity until they receive information detailing precisely what the firms did.

"To give immunity at this point in time would be a blind immunity -- not knowing what, in fact, was done," said House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, a Maryland Democrat.

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN0943500820071010

[rodeodance]

1. and all those involved in breaking the law at the Admistration level? what

will be done with them? Looks like nothing!!

[Warren Stupidity]

2. Don't worry, 'we got your back'.

The fact that people here have been deluded into thinking that because this bill, which legalizes unprecedented spying on americans, contains unenforcable safeguards, we should support it. There is no need for any such legislation. The existing FISA regulations were more than sufficient to provide our intelligence agencies with access to legitimate suspects, and has been made demonstrably clear, the administration can simply ignore any and all regulations and safeguards while a compliant complicit Congress capitulates on holding them to account.