Democrats Have Not Folded On FISA w/link

[ThomWV]

Something just out:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/05/politics/politico/thecrypt/main3910944.shtml

"(The Politico) House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer said Wednesday the House will not take up an electronic surveillance measure this week, further delaying any decisions on the controversial measure.

Hoyer said in his weekly press conference that he hoped to wrap up work on an update to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act; “towards the end of this week or the beginning of next week.” "

[LeftCoast]

1. God I hope they don't cave on this

It's nice to see the spine transplant is taking, but it still feels like the transplant could fail at any moment.

[slipslidingaway]

2. Also from the article...

"...Although Democratic leaders insist they are working feverishly to iron out their differences, one House member—speaking on the condition of anonymity—suggested it could be a long time, if ever, before the bill was brought for a vote.

“A lot of people think the politics of doing nothing on this issue are very good for both sides of the political spectrum,” they said."


Rep. Steny Hoyer House Majority Leader

202.225.3130

http://democraticleader.house.gov/contact.cfm



A few points that Democrats need to constantly repeat...

---Bush playing the terror card yet spying began before 9/11.

---Programs that began under the Protect America Act can remain in place for a year.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=2917645
"It other words, orders issued in February of 2008 – immediately before the sunset – will be in effect until February of 2009, keeping this program alive through the end of the Bush Administration."

---Any new surveillance can still be initiated under the FISA bill.

[ananda]

3. Folks.. it's still a cavein because..

.. Bush and the telecoms have already
agreed to continue domestic tapping and
surveillance contingent on Congress'
cavein at some point.

SO.. if Congress stalls, they still go on
wiretapping.

This REALLY sucks.

[slipslidingaway]

4. True and I do expect them to cave at some point and grant

immunity as well :(

[pleah]

5. They are just waiting for people to get distracted.

[zestfolly]

6. Exclusive capitulation report

Friday March 7, 2008 14:39 EST

Exclusive capitulation report: House Democratic leadership circulates FISA bill

UPDATE III: I want to underscore that some of the surveillance safeguards which TPM suggests the House may include in its draft bill are substantial and important. Those shouldn't be minimized. That includes many of the protections which made the RESTORE ACT such a superior bill to Rockefeller's Senate bill -- such as prohibitions on reversing targeting of U.S. citizens. So, there is that.

But it remains to be seen if the House bill really ends up including those protections and, far more importantly, if they really stand firm behind them (it's impossible to envision the White House or Rockefeller agreeing to them). Moreover, nobody with whom I've spoken -- including those most emphatically denying some part of the report here -- denies that the House is overwhelmingly likely ultimately to bestow amnesty to lawbreaking telecoms.

At best, then, it's possible (though highly unlikely, in my view) that the House will end up marginally improving some of the surveillance provisions in the Senate bill, but still give telecom amnesty and needlessly gut many of the key protections of FISA. And that's the best-case scenario. There are far worse ones.

http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/03/07/house_fisa/index.html