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Dems’ FISA Thriller: 3, .. 2, .. 1 .. The Constitution Is Saved!

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House Democrats Save the World! (for now) Dems’ Freedom Card v. GOP’s Fear Card: Constitution v. Cowardice
Who wins this hand may depend on you. Contacted your Representative yet? Here’s a new C&L video that parodies the latest fearmongering efforts by the House Republicans because the Democratic Party refused to grant immunity to the Telecoms. If the GOP truly cared about the safety of America then they would have passed the bill and sent it on to the president. Instead, they threw a hissy fit—staged a photo-op—and whined to the press. They looked like insignificant little children playing with our national security. The clock is ticking away at the GOP’s foolishness.

“In a stunning display of courage today, House Democrats have upheld their constitutional responsibilities by allowing the Protect America Act to expire. ”

Glenn Greenwald writes:

It expired because George Bush threatened to veto any extensions and House Republicans unanimously voted against any extension. Our blood, to be gushing shortly like a volcanic eruption, will be on their loving, protective hands.

billw writes:

Dems’ Freedom Card v. GOP’s Fear Card: Constitution v. Cowardice
Who wins this hand may depend on you. Contacted your Representative yet?

All the GOP has left is the fear card, and that sucker is wore slam out. Bush’s trusty Supreme Court has already seen fit to throw up a firewall for the telecoms, so why is it the Republicans are still insisting on holding up the FISA bill? It’s because the Republican Party will do anything they can to keep whatever secrets are hidden in those NSA spy rooms from ever incriminating their President, even if it does mean putting our country at more risk to do so. That’s why.




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58 Responses for “Dems’ FISA Thriller: 3, .. 2, .. 1 .. The Constitution Is Saved!”
1
RueMorgue Says:

Expect to see Congresses’ rating skyrocket in the next poll, while Bush sinks further into irrelevancy.

2
Vicki Iseman Says:

Ms. Iseman regarding scandal, “It’s all true”.
McCain admits to dropping loads all over her face. See video here!!

3
krisken Says:

Holy crap! Did you hear that? I think the House Democrat’s collective balls just dropped.

4
Jesusturnedwaterboardingintowhine Says:

Faux News Opinion Poll–2-22-2008

If you are a fair and balanced viewer please vote:

Could reducing non-Republican Congressional votes to 3/5ths of a vote actually provide for a truer democracy in America?:

A. Absolutely. Non-Republicans actually have on average 40% less patriotism than Republicans.

B. Without a doubt. And it is what the Founding Fathers intended.

C. I would raise it to 4/5ths of a vote if the non-Republican has actually killed someone in a war–even accidentally.

5
Moral Compass Says:

For Bush and the GOP avoiding accountability trumps everything–even “national security” whatever that means.

6
Different Anonymous Says:

Uh oh. BushCo better get that telco immunity on the fast track - all the spying they’re going to be doing with RISA expired is sure to trigger a couple of law suits.

I hope.

7
Ash from Rochester Says:

I am proud of the Democrats including Rep. Louise Slaughter from Rochester, who was shown on the video. Unfortunately, we are stuck with a Republican rep Randy Kuhl, who, I am sure , was on the steps outside, while others were working seriously. He has voted every single time with President Bush and lies to his constituents about how he votes using our own money!

8
JTM Says:

Keep in mind that several very-left Democrats also refused to pass the extension, including Kucinich. There were two reasons for voting against it: to protect Bush (since he’d really look silly if he actually vetoed it) and to protect civil liberties, since the PAA is a POS.

In fact, the failure of an extension to pass is a very good thing. FISA without the PAA is much much better than FISA with it.

It goes without saying that FISA with the Senate’s bill is flat-out evil.

9
FOX ix State Sponsored TV Says:

woot

10
mudshark Says:

about damn time.

11
Plisko Says:

The Republicans are airing their commercial during the local news here in Phoenix. When can we expect our side to start doing the same thing?

12
justabill Says:

Dugg it.
;^)

13
janefromhell Says:

I really like the juxtaposition of Bush warning people not to use the term “lynching” because it causes fear and terror.

14
D to the Izzle Says:

The assholes are already trying to claim that it has hindered the “war on terror”: http://www.newsweek.com/id/114572

15
Karoli Says:

Outstanding video! Well done

16
Bangkok Bob Says:

Finally.

17
jimt Says:

Excellent! This is the message the American electorate needs to see more of.

18
c. atrox Says:

Hail Fredonia!

19
deadbeater Says:

Yes, finally! Although the Bush Administration still can tap under old FISA. All they want is telecom immunity. I wonder why?

20
Ryan Says:

If you haven’t written your Congressperson yet,

Write Your Representative.

21
L.A. Confidential Says:

AP - 29 minutes ago

PHOENIX - Federal authorities announced corruption charges Friday accusing Rep. Rick Renzi (R) of engineering a swap of federally owned mining land to benefit himself and a former business partner and stealing from his insurance company’s clients.

22
Peter G Says:

FESA FISA FOSA FUM
Republicans chill the blood of everyone

I guess a lot of Bush Buddies will not be passing Go and collecting two hundred dollars.

23
Col Kilgore Says:

L.A. Confidential @ 21:

AP - 29 minutes ago

PHOENIX - Federal authorities announced corruption charges Friday accusing Rep. Rick Renzi (R) of engineering a swap of federally owned mining land to benefit himself and a former business partner and stealing from his insurance company’s clients.

I read where Renzis indictment had 35 counts. Is that a current Republican count record?
Move over Ney and Cunningham.

24
L.A. Confidential Says:

Col Kilgore @ 23:

L.A. Confidential @ 21:

AP - 29 minutes ago

PHOENIX - Federal authorities announced corruption charges Friday accusing Rep. Rick Renzi (R) of engineering a swap of federally owned mining land to benefit himself and a former business partner and stealing from his insurance company’s clients.

I read where Renzis indictment had 35 counts. Is that a current Republican count record?
Move over Ney and Cunningham.

Could be. Going to be a busy decade or two putting these guys away.

25
Peter G Says:

L.A. Confidential @ 24:

Col Kilgore @ 23:

L.A. Confidential @ 21:

AP - 29 minutes ago

PHOENIX - Federal authorities announced corruption charges Friday accusing Rep. Rick Renzi (R) of engineering a swap of federally owned mining land to benefit himself and a former business partner and stealing from his insurance company’s clients.

I read where Renzis indictment had 35 counts. Is that a current Republican count record?
Move over Ney and Cunningham.

Could be. Going to be a busy decade or two putting these guys away.

I’ll bet they sure miss having Alberto at the helm of the justice department.

26
Trittydi Says:

Y E S !!
*

27
Captain Kangaroo Says:

Is it safe to come out of my bunker yet? Have they passed the FISA billyet?

28
Captain Kangaroo Says:

L.A. Confidential @ 24:

Col Kilgore @ 23:

L.A. Confidential @ 21:

AP - 29 minutes ago

PHOENIX - Federal authorities announced corruption charges Friday accusing Rep. Rick Renzi (R) of engineering a swap of federally owned mining land to benefit himself and a former business partner and stealing from his insurance company’s clients.

I read where Renzis indictment had 35 counts. Is that a current Republican count record?
Move over Ney and Cunningham.

Could be. Going to be a busy decade or two putting these guys away.

Keep Bush’s address down in South America in the Rolodex. It may come in handy.

29
Captain Kangaroo Says:

Captain Kangaroo @ 28:

L.A. Confidential @ 24:

Col Kilgore @ 23:

L.A. Confidential @ 21:

I read where Renzis indictment had 35 counts. Is that a current Republican count record?
Move over Ney and Cunningham.

Could be. Going to be a busy decade or two putting these guys away.

Keep Bush’s address down in South America in the Rolodex. It may come in handy.

And Cheney is looking at water front property in UAE. It might be a good idea to keep an eye on where he goes.

30
Captain Kangaroo Says:

Captain Kangaroo @ 29:

Captain Kangaroo @ 28:

L.A. Confidential @ 24:

Col Kilgore @ 23:

Could be. Going to be a busy decade or two putting these guys away.

Keep Bush’s address down in South America in the Rolodex. It may come in handy.

And Cheney is looking at water front property in UAE. It might be a good idea to keep an eye on where he goes.

Does somebody have Rummy’s address in Palo Alto?

31
Captain Kangaroo Says:

Take Gonzo’s passport away he may try to head down to see his relitives.

32
MountainMan23 Says:

D to the Izzle @ 14:

The assholes are already trying to claim that it has hindered the “war on terror”: http://www.newsweek.com/id/114572

I read that too ..

And the reason they’re whining about how it’s “hindering the war on terror” is that several (unnamed, of course) telecom companies are refusing to continue to cooperate with the illegal surveillance ..

To which I say BRAVO!!

33
Batocchio Says:

Awesome!

(typo alert, though: the Richard Clarke quotation in the video misspells “manipulated.”)

34
sassafra Says:

that’s an effective video response , however in a few sections the texts appearing on the screen are coming at too fast a pace. if they were either slowed down or a couple omitted the remaining would have more punch. other than that, very nice.

35
americangoy Says:

How come the Senate voting to kill the Bill of Rights was a NON STORY in the US media?
No one cares - instead the networks run “aww puppies” kind of stories.

No, I am not kidding.

Well done overall … but the quotes flashed by too fast to easily read.

37
slag Says:

Excellent use of the Bush clip at the end! Really illustrates the irony of the GOP’s using terror for political purposes. Bush Laden hates us for our freedom.

But agreed that the quotes went by too fast. It’s a tradeoff cuz you don’t want the vid to be too long. Maybe use fewer of them?

More post-9/11 irony here.

38
StirFry Says:

Warning. Walmart just sold out of all vinyl mattress covers and Depends.

It’s a ploy by the Democrats to make the chickenshit repugs hide in their homes while the rest of America votes!

39
CalGeorge Says:

I’M IN A PANIC! I CAN’T FIND MY DUCT TAPE AND PLASTIC SHEETING!!!!!!!

40
Orangutan. Says:

Cool.

41
Orangutan. Says:

Awesome.

42
TB Says:

People have to understand this:

It is not a security-versus-privacy debate, it’s actually a debate about liberty versus control.

Period.

43
Paul in LA Says:

JTM @ 8:

Keep in mind that several very-left Democrats also refused to pass the extension, including Kucinich.

A twenty-one day extension would likely have infringed no one’s rights, and it was silly to oppose it (but DK has to keep looking like the pure saint no effective politician will EVER likely be).

Chalk up another meaningless vote for the Kucinich mythos.

44
Paul in LA Says:

krisken @ 3:

Holy crap! Did you hear that? I think the House Democrat’s collective balls just dropped.

Over a year ago the House Dems had exactly the same position on the immunity offer they have ALWAYS had, which is that it cannot be considered without a full briefing on what was being immunized.

All this time with these ‘balls’ metaphors, and yet the Democrats have opposed the offer, and quite a bit more, for the entire time Bushco has been foisted on us all. Maybe it’s time to reexamine this ‘balls’ metaphor and see if it isn’t context and balance on the part of the metaphor makers that is lacking.

45
Mr Clutz Says:

Maybe it has something to do with John McCain and Miss Vickii! She was a telecom lobbiest. Another “cover our asses”

46
Keith H. Says:

Contacted your Representative yet?

Yes, every single one, who’s representative said they would be happy to pass my opinion along.

Storming WDC by the millions is way past due.

If this passes, all bets are off, and the gloves are coming off as well.
Time to take some action they will feel.

47
The Oracle Says:

The latest attempt by the culture of corruption Republicans to “rewrite” the Truth is their fear advertisement over Bush and Cheney not getting their way by not getting retroactive immunity for the telecom companies who’ve been illegally spying on U.S. citizens for the past seven years.

However, upon seeing this ad, my first thought was of the criminal incompetence of the Bush administration in its first eight months in office over seven years ago that got close to 3,000 U.S. citizens killed on 9/11.

Yes, criminal incompetence.

The Bush administration obviously had different priorities after entering the White House than protecting U.S. citizens from the al Qaeda terrorist threat.(Unlike the outgoing Clinton administration which made the al Qaeda terrorist threat its top priority, along with protecting U.S. citizens).

Remember: Aug. 6, 2001 PDB: “Bin Laden Determined to Strike Inside the U.S.”??? And how Ashcroft downgraded the terrorist threat??? And how Richard Clarke, the counter-terrorism chief, was demoted, and forbidden from attending Bush administration top-level principals meetings??? And how Condi Rice only held ONE cabinet-level counter-terrorism principals meeting ONE WEEK before the 9/11 attacks???

So, if any terrorist attacks occur on U.S. soil anytime between now and when the worst and most corrupt administration in American history leaves office, it will be the Republicans who will be solely responsible, just as it was criminally incompetent Republicans who got close to 3,000 U.S. citizens killed on 9/11!!!!

48
Paul B. Says:

It’s time to call the Republicans in Congress what they really are: traitors, plain and simple. Sadly, the Democrats deserve the same label. Both parties in both houses have failed in their sworn duty to defend the Constitution. The same is true, obviously, of Bush and his cronies.

Remember, the oath of office taken by the President, the Senate, and the House of Representatives is an oath to defend the Constitution. Although national security is clearly vital to that goal, it is not the sworn duty of these representatives. The oath is not, “I swear to protect Americans,” it is “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic…”

The Republicans are clearly “domestic enemies” attacking the Constitution on a daily basis, so they are traitors.
The Democrats regularly fail to “support and defend” the Constitution, so they are traitors.
Bush, Cheney, and their ilk…well, enough said. Traitors, one and all.

The Constitution defines treason as “adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort” and so forth. Again, this is clearly applicable to the Republicans and the Democrats. The highest possible penalty for treason against the U.S. is the death penalty. That is a bit much to ask or hope for these days–besides, it would leave Washington D.C. empty–but the next best thing would be to kick every single one of the bastards out of office. Not a single sitting Congressperson should be reelected–they are traitors. Bush and Cheney should be dragged away in chains–they are traitors.

Go and read the Oath of Office given for the President in the Constitution. Read the Senate’s oath (http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/Oath_Office.htm). Look at the wording carefully. It is very clear that treason has been, and is still being, committed by both parties.

Impeach them all! Out with the traitors!

49
txlvn Says:

I have given the FISA bill with it’s blanket immunity to telecommunication companies that wiretapped without warrants a lot of thought. I am not that concerned about “terrorists” attacking on U.S. soil as much as I am concerned about our children being unprotected from sexual preditors. If protection is the basis for immunizing companies that act outside the law on behalf of our elected leaders definition of their powers, why not use this type of immunity in going after something that is more substantial and actually a threat to our most innocent … our children. Let law enforcement tap into phones of those they suspect to be a threat to children, search what ever they need without warrant, give them blanket immunity if they prove to be wrong, or violate civil liberties of innocent civilians during the course of their investigation. Just think of the evidence that would now be allowed without those silly laws regarding unlawful search and seizure.

Take the republican arguments FOR immunity to a new level…. PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM SEXUAL PREDITORS… and see if they truly believe that violating civil liberties and laws requiring warrants are the only means to protect U. S. from attack. Then those same theories and reasoning might well apply to protect our most vulnerable citizens of all, our children. Perhaps Mark Foley would like to give comment, or any other congressman who was aware of Foley’s bad acts and did nothing of substance to protect the interns.

It’s time to change the discussion, put their arguments into a perspective that actually shows where they are loyal…. Bush, telecommunications, or us. My money is on the first two. Us would include some support of our Constitution and frankly that has not been evidenced by their actions.