Senate Gives White House Freedom to Wiretap and Guarantees Immunity to Phone Companies
This is landmark. The Senate voted 69-29 to approve an update to the Foreign Surveillance Act of 1978. Since 9/11, the White House has operated an illegal Terrorist Surveillance Program that did not operate under the oversight of the secret court created by the 1978 Foreign Surveillance Act. These illegal surveillance activities were enacted with the help of some of America's largest telecommunications companies. At present, some 40 lawsuits have been filed against the privately-owned telcom companies. This new legislation will grant immunity from all lawsuits against these corporations.
The government is now free to eavesdrop on all phone calls and emails, and may use the full technological power of the telecommunications industry without fear of legal repercussions. Should this give us reason for concern? Not if you believe the president:
The House must now come to the defense of the American people, but some expect that the otherwise stated opposition of Congressional leaders will "be forced to accept some sort of legal protection for the phone carriers."
Senator John Rockefeller IV believes the legislation "is the right way to go for the security of the nation." Spoken like a true Rockefeller. War-mongering Democrats like Senator Joe Lieberman supported the bill wholeheartedly. This support is not only on behalf of the telecommunications companies; the National Security Agency will no longer need any approval or court order to eavesdrop both domestically and internationally. American liberties are being signed away by the day to the sound of cheers, prayers, and patriotic pride. But a time is coming when we'll have the devil to pay for our negligence!
But, why listen to paranoid people like me? You're right. Everything is okay. Go back to sleep.
The government is now free to eavesdrop on all phone calls and emails, and may use the full technological power of the telecommunications industry without fear of legal repercussions. Should this give us reason for concern? Not if you believe the president:
"The president called the Senate bill a good piece of legislation that allows the intelligence community to monitor communications of foreign terrorists while protecting Americans' liberties. He urged the House to pass the bill and send it to his desk without delay."Guess what? There is NO aspect of the legislation that describes HOW Americans' liberties will be protected. We're supposed to take him at his word. This is doublespeak. If the government and telecommunications companies can eavesdrop all of your communications at will, your liberty is already gone. What protected American liberties was the absence of such legislation, right? Now that we have these draconian measures, liberty is gone!
The House must now come to the defense of the American people, but some expect that the otherwise stated opposition of Congressional leaders will "be forced to accept some sort of legal protection for the phone carriers."
Senator John Rockefeller IV believes the legislation "is the right way to go for the security of the nation." Spoken like a true Rockefeller. War-mongering Democrats like Senator Joe Lieberman supported the bill wholeheartedly. This support is not only on behalf of the telecommunications companies; the National Security Agency will no longer need any approval or court order to eavesdrop both domestically and internationally. American liberties are being signed away by the day to the sound of cheers, prayers, and patriotic pride. But a time is coming when we'll have the devil to pay for our negligence!
But, why listen to paranoid people like me? You're right. Everything is okay. Go back to sleep.
