Comments on: GOP Seeks To Rally On Immigration Issue

Washington Post: Special Election In Massachusetts Could Be Indicative Of Democratic Weak Spot

[pepperp1]

RNC GOP BULLLL, it is their boy George who wants open borders with his buddies in Mexico and amnesty for the illegal he has allowed to amass in this country under his rule it is he who demanded the legislation that was attempted to provide illegal and they employers with amnesty. It is Bush and his co conspirators in Congress who had complete control of this county for 6 years who did not strengthen the penalties or enforce the laws on the books. Prosecutions of illegals and companies who employ them under Bush dropped to an all time low. It is the Republican front runner Rudy who openly invited illegal to his city and vowed to protect them against our government which should be called what it was treasonous behavior. Dont let them lie to you again and again and again judge what they do not their propaganda, if you are uniformed just do a little research it wont take much.

This is also a major National Security blunder by Bush not only allowing just anyone to come in across the border but as the climate heats up migration from the South will become acts of survival for many many many more.

[pepperp1]

RNC GOP staple, find a group of people to hate and slander nothing like it to rally the rancid core and party faithful. The republicans were in total control, unfortunately, of this country for six years and did nothing but undermine the Immigration Judiciary not prosecute and under funded repeatedly boarder and port security allowing the illegal to bloom to 28 million possibly more. And now they expect you to believe that they are the party against illegal, A JOKE FOLKS a TALKING Point A group to attack fear and hate.

Just like during the same 6 years You did not receive a promised Constitutional Amendment to ban abortion or as promised a Constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. One wonders when you small amount of remaining party faithful become tired of your puppet strings being jerked to sick you on a group of people to fear and hate.

[getagrip54]

Anmericans generally embrace legal immigrants. However the tsunami of illegal immigrants we''re experiencing is perceived as a threat by almost all working class people.

The Republicans will carry a lot of baggage into the next election and need an issue or two to divert attention away from their mistakes ovet the last decade. Illegal immigration could be that issue.

[mudrose-2009]

Just ask McCain how important securing the border is to us. He still has not, nor will he ever, recover from getting in bed with democrats and Bush on the failed amnesty bill.

Posted by Signof4

Hi, buddy! Did you call your Senator today and tell him not to support S2205, the Dream Act that President Harry is trying to ram down our throats on Amnesty?

[signof4]

Just ask McCain how important securing the border is to us. He still has not, nor will he ever, recover from getting in bed with democrats and Bush on the failed amnesty bill.

[mudrose-2009]

Meanwhile, civil liability for these companies is also a realistic prospect. For example, in a San Francisco federal court, AT&T customers are seeking to protect their privacy with actions under laws like 18 U.S.C. 2520, which provides a civil remedy and hefty damages -- ranging up to $10,000 per day per violation. Since it is possible that, over five-plus years, there have been tens upon tens of thousands of such violations, the, if liable telecoms could be looking at hundreds upon hundreds of millions of dollars of damages.
Posted by starleo146

Not gonna happen. These companies where acting under the request of their government. It''s been established that they will not be prosecuted. Also, the FISA court is not the last word. Congress over the years has tried to pass legislation that is unconstitutional. When it comes to survellience, the Constitution trumps FISA, meaning, the President listens to what the Constitution says not the courts. And just for the records, the Courts have backed up the President on precisely this point. FISA is not the last word. The Constitution is and the President has broad Executive rights in defense of the nation.

[starleo146]

But what about under the next Administration? The five-year statute of limitations will make them potentially criminally liable after Bush is gone -- at least, unless the Bush Administration gains for them retroactive and future immunity. In a new Administration, the telecoms may be viewed not as cooperative patriots, but rather as criminal co-conspirators.

Civil liability appears to be driving the immunity request

Meanwhile, civil liability for these companies is also a realistic prospect. For example, in a San Francisco federal court, AT&T customers are seeking to protect their privacy with actions under laws like 18 U.S.C. 2520, which provides a civil remedy and hefty damages -- ranging up to $10,000 per day per violation. Since it is possible that, over five-plus years, there have been tens upon tens of thousands of such violations, the, if liable telecoms could be looking at hundreds upon hundreds of millions of dollars of damages.

[starleo146]

Many of the companies appear to be violating a number of federal criminal statutes -- such as 18 U.S.C. 2511, which requires a warrant for such surveillance and 18 U.S.C. 2702, which prohibits any "entity providing an electronic communication service to the public" from knowingly divulging "to any person or entity the contents of a communication" without a court order.

Currently, the telecoms are not likely to be particularly worried about being prosecuted by the very same government that instructed them to violate the law, and is leading the way in doing so itself.

[starleo146]

Ironically, in requesting this immunity, the Bush White House has refused to disclose exactly what type of activities Congress would be retroactively immunizing. Preliminary congressional inquiry has revealed that a massive amount of electronic surveillance of Americans has gone on under the Bush/Cheney Administration. For example, one of the telecom giants, Verizon, reported that between January 2005 and September 2007 they provided information on 94,000 occasions. These numbers suggest that Verizon was operating as merely another (and a secret) extension of the federal intelligence establishment.

[starleo146]

However, when the Bush Administration asked for the necessary fix to FISA, it also requested much more, including immunity under the existing laws for all the telecommunications companies that have been assisting the government in its illegal warrantless surveillance. Significantly, this practice -- justified by reference to the "war on terror" -- apparently started well before 9/11 under the Bush Administration.