thursday reads

Motion to invoke cloture to preceed on the FISA bill passes 80 - 15

Senators voting NAY to a surveillance state:
Biden (D-DE)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Dodd (D-CT)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Harkin (D-IA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Wyden (D-OR)

Too busy to even bother to vote:
Clinton (D-NY)
McCain (R-AZ)
Obama (D-IL)

Remarks of U.S. Senator Russ Feingold Opposing H.R. 6304, FISA Amendments Act of 2008

This legislation has been billed as a compromise between Republicans and Democrats. We are asked to support it because it is a supposedly reasonable accommodation of opposing views. Let me respond as clearly as possible: This bill is not a compromise. It is a capitulation.

This bill will effectively and unjustifiably grant immunity to companies that allegedly participated in an illegal wiretapping program – a program that more than 70 members of this body still know virtually nothing about. And this bill will grant the Bush Administration – the same administration that developed and operated this illegal program for more than five years – expansive new authorities to spy on Americans’ international communications.

If you don’t believe me, here is what Senator Bond had to say about the bill: “I think the White House got a better deal than even they had hoped to get.” And House Minority Whip Roy Blunt said this: “The lawsuits will be dismissed.”

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JP: I Am Howard Beale


Matthew Yglesis: Lies, damned lies and John McCain


Euro 2008 TV Blackout: "the most annoying balls-up imaginable"