We are all Americans...
And as Americans,
I hope we can all stand together- liberals and progressives, independents, conservatives and libertarians- in upholding the BIll of Rights. The 4th amendment is under attack today in the Senate. The bill currently before the Senate gives telecoms like AT&T, which we know broke the existing FISA law, immunity from prosecution. It also allows whatever administration is in power to collect databases of emails and phone calls from ordinary citizens without a warrant. These private communications can then be used for whatever political purpose the administration desires, with no consequences.
Full text of current bill:
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-h6304/text
Article:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-op-sanchez16mar16,0,4039194.story
includes some history of government wiretapping in the last century incl. how it was used for political purposes
Please call your Senators and urge them to vote no on the FISA bill. No wiretapping without a warrant!
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
You can also call Senator Obama. He promised not to support legislation like this early in the campaign, but has flip-flopped on his promise. As a democratic leader, his support could make or break this bill.
http://pol.moveon.org/call/?cp_id=758&tg=479&id=13133-9098640-Xzacqpx&t=3
Email Obama:
http://action.downsizedc.org/wyc.php?cid=98
You can also call Senator Reid, majority leader and ask him to withdraw the bill from the floor.
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/activities/93
More articles:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/07/05/monarchy/index.html
long but worthwhile, digs in and explains how the existing 1978 FISA already contains
immunity clauses- and also places the burden on the telecoms both not to comply with illegal requests, and to comply with FISA and other warrants. These existing immunity clauses do not currently apply in these cases because there were no warrants issued, the requests made were illegal.
AT&T
http://www.wired.com/politics/onlinerights/news/2007/05/kleininterview
Wired published the documents in question. The EFF has a case pending. But if the current bill passes, the cases will be dismissed.
I hope we can all stand together- liberals and progressives, independents, conservatives and libertarians- in upholding the BIll of Rights. The 4th amendment is under attack today in the Senate. The bill currently before the Senate gives telecoms like AT&T, which we know broke the existing FISA law, immunity from prosecution. It also allows whatever administration is in power to collect databases of emails and phone calls from ordinary citizens without a warrant. These private communications can then be used for whatever political purpose the administration desires, with no consequences.
Full text of current bill:
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/110-h6304/text
Article:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-op-sanchez16mar16,0,4039194.story
includes some history of government wiretapping in the last century incl. how it was used for political purposes
Please call your Senators and urge them to vote no on the FISA bill. No wiretapping without a warrant!
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
You can also call Senator Obama. He promised not to support legislation like this early in the campaign, but has flip-flopped on his promise. As a democratic leader, his support could make or break this bill.
http://pol.moveon.org/call/?cp_id=758&tg=479&id=13133-9098640-Xzacqpx&t=3
Email Obama:
http://action.downsizedc.org/wyc.php?cid=98
You can also call Senator Reid, majority leader and ask him to withdraw the bill from the floor.
http://www.democracyforamerica.com/activities/93
More articles:
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/2008/07/05/monarchy/index.html
long but worthwhile, digs in and explains how the existing 1978 FISA already contains
immunity clauses- and also places the burden on the telecoms both not to comply with illegal requests, and to comply with FISA and other warrants. These existing immunity clauses do not currently apply in these cases because there were no warrants issued, the requests made were illegal.
AT&T
http://www.wired.com/politics/onlinerights/news/2007/05/kleininterview
Wired published the documents in question. The EFF has a case pending. But if the current bill passes, the cases will be dismissed.