Because you don't talk on the phone enough. Or because you do.
The Senate has resumed consideration of S.2248, the FISA Amendments Act, as of 2 pm. They are voting on further amendments to it possibly as early as today. This is a bill to make changes to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which governs the procedures for wiretaps and searches for, well, foreign intelligence purposes, and the courts that approve or deny warrants.
The FISA courts were created in the 1970s as a reaction to domestic wiretapping abuses against Americans. The current version of S.2248 weakens protections against Americans being spied on by their government, and gives immunity to telecom companies that wiretap Americans without the approval of a FISA court.
Far be it from me to compel anyone to do anything, but if you think that weakening legal protections against government spying and approving illegal activity by telcos is bad for a free country, you may want to call your senator today and ask them to oppose immunity for warrantless wiretaps and to support the Feingold amendments.
If you think that illegal warrantless surveillance is the best way to secure the blessings of liberty for yourselves and your posterity, please read this on the Dodd-Feingold Amendment first. If you still think so, you have the same senators as anyone else.
Here is Cos's post with a rough timeline of FISA changes in recent months.
Here is the EFF telling you to call your senator.
Here is more on the topic from the EFF.
Also, calling other people's senators is silly and annoys their staff.
The FISA courts were created in the 1970s as a reaction to domestic wiretapping abuses against Americans. The current version of S.2248 weakens protections against Americans being spied on by their government, and gives immunity to telecom companies that wiretap Americans without the approval of a FISA court.
Far be it from me to compel anyone to do anything, but if you think that weakening legal protections against government spying and approving illegal activity by telcos is bad for a free country, you may want to call your senator today and ask them to oppose immunity for warrantless wiretaps and to support the Feingold amendments.
If you think that illegal warrantless surveillance is the best way to secure the blessings of liberty for yourselves and your posterity, please read this on the Dodd-Feingold Amendment first. If you still think so, you have the same senators as anyone else.
Here is Cos's post with a rough timeline of FISA changes in recent months.
Here is the EFF telling you to call your senator.
Here is more on the topic from the EFF.
Also, calling other people's senators is silly and annoys their staff.