Comments on: GOP Seeks To Rally On Immigration Issue

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

[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.

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.

[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

[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.

[starleo146]

The FISA amendments: the administration is seeking immunity for miscreants

Because of the way electronic traffic is directed from foreign countries through the United States, the FISA Court had previously rejected requests to intercept certain foreign-person- to-foreign-person communications in the United States. It was a technical problem, arising from the fact that FISA was written before modern data routing had been designed, and FISA thus needed fixing. On this, everyone agreed.

[starleo146]

This contention is being bantered about once again, so there is no better time than the present to set thinking people straight. Bush and Cheney want to make permanent unchecked Executive powers to electronically eavesdrop on anyone whom any president feels to be of interest. In August, before the summer recess, Congress enacted the Protect America Act, which provided only temporary approval for the expanding Executive powers under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). These temporary powers expire in February 2008, so Congress is once again addressing the subject.

[starleo146]

"I''ve got nothing to hide, so electronic surveillance doesn''t bother me. To the contrary, I''m delighted that the Bush Administration is monitoring calls and electronic traffic on a massive scale, because catching terrorists is far more important that worrying about the government''s listening to my phone calls, or reading my emails." So the argument goes. It is a powerful one that has seduced too many people.

Millions of Americans buy this logic, and in accepting it, believe they are doing the right thing for themselves, their family, and their friends, neighbors, community and country. They are sadly wrong. If you accept this argument, you have been badly fooled.

[hippychicky-2009]

The Republicans have seized on an issue that just might save their hides. I am a liberal Democrat of Hispanic origin who now lives in Mexico. The way Americans are treated here is a disgrace. Other foreigners such as Salvadorans, Guatemalans and Nicaraguans are treated even worse by the Mexicans. They are immediately deported no questions asked. The only reason they stomach Americans is because they know we bring money.
Though a Hispanic American myself, and a liberal Democrat to boot, I am against any immigration reform in the US, unless and until Mexico begins to treat its immigrants with the samse respect it demand its citizens to be treated in the US!
Posted by hopetrumps


That is really an interesting perspective, and I had never thought about it that way.

[sendreidpelo]

Hey RandyBoBS, aka Bozo on champipple...

Since you love ILLEGALS so much do America a favor and move to your beloved Mexico. You can boast about your military record, or was it your circus record - makes no difference in YOUR case, to your boyfriend Vicente Fox.

And speaking of cross burnings, something you specialize in, Randy - how''s that other fossil KKK Byrd these days ? You ought to know as you constantly stick up for the Racist.

[sendreidpelo]

For the Neo-Nazis of the Left who claimed the Republicans were out...This is the issue besides the betrayal of the troops that will do you maggots in.

Don''t forget to kiss Pelosi''s cheeks as she hires another undocumented worker. And do remember to cut her a check, Andy Stern, while undermining real American workers, you fascist pig.

[DrColes]

Illegal Aliens and Immigration is NOT the same thing. 80% of the American people want an end to anarchy!

Illegal (aliens) workers are criminals, those who hire them are criminals and those who aid-and-abet them are criminals.

Illegal aliens in America have NO rights. We are required by law to arrest and prosecute, deport them. (Title 8 U.S. Code)

No, matter your political party affiliation, and setting aside your thoughts on issues. We all need to remember what it is to be an American Citizen. We need to make sure our elected representatives obey their Oath of Office and keep their Oath of Allegiance.

See http://tinyurl.com/2znnvl Know whom you are voting for.