DISQUS

CONGRESS not only failed to do its oversight, it helped King Bush to break the law, and it allowed the law breakers to go free. And, I don't think it will stop.

CONGRESS violated its oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution. And I don't think it will stop.

Nancy Pelosi weaseled. Hoyer actively helped.

Harry Reid as usual was ineffective.

Senators Dodd and Feingold did a great job and tried.

If the government fails its up to the people. Voice your support of the Constitution. Vote.

Security which the FISA law is supposed to provide is not worth losing our Freedoms over , even if it worked.

Do you really think a plotting terrorist is going to announce his plans on the phone?

Don't you understand for this phone monitoring system to even have a chance of working the NSA will tap as many foreign calls as it can.

"Hello Marie, Mr. NSA, Mr. Bush, Mr. Cheney, Mr. Attny General, how's the weather in Paris?

Gad, to think I pay the telecoms for spying on me.

Thank Goodness for the ACLU.

What good is a Congress that's afraid to make any decisions that go against the "Political Considerations First" or the "Fear is the First Consideration" criteria?

I vote for a legal penalty for breaking one's oath of office. If you swear to uphold the Constitution etc. then you must do it.

Also not being a lawyer...We must have two thirds of the States Ratifiy an Constitutional Amendment how can we simply pass a law by Congressional majority that makes it moot? How can Congress pass a law and the President sign it if that law voilates a Constitutional Amendment?

What is the terrorist agenda? 1. To frighten citizens and government to the point of inaction? 2. To disrupt daily life? 3. To disrupt government? 4. To interfere with the rule of law? All of these and more I guess.

Hmmm suppose we use this to evaluate FISA which contains telecom immunity and ignoring the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution.

Obviously by passing the present FISA bill Congress at the Presidents insistence will be doing the terrorists work. Certainly the idea of a government spying on its own citizens can disrupt daily life and the government. It is against the law and the Constitution.

Political considerations and compromise when applied to decisions on the laws and the rights of citizens leads to bad law. Either we follow the law, or through proper process change it. We do not pass special legislation to exempt criminals or give them immunity because the President asked them to break the law. Either we follow and preserve the Constitution or we dilute it to the point of meaninglessness.

I am sorry to say my cynicism has reached the point of saying that the political considerations such as, "if we pass this and something happens will we endanger our chances in the next election?", and "will it endanger the war profits we are making?" have become the determining factor, not the legality or need for the law.

I do not believe anyone can argue that the breaking of the law or violating the Constitution will better the Country, UNLESS you subscribe to the, "I'd rather be secure (maybe) than free", philosophy.

The question now is how can we get out of this type of government? How can we get back to the idea that it is better to be good than do well. Government has been hijacked by those with money, power and influence. Somehow we must remind government it is, "We the people..." that are the basis for its power, the reason for its existence and the purpose of its actions.

Under a, "we the people..." government our elected officials would not even consider the present FISA bill.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Tell him to stop "moving to the center". Its just a BS way to change positions without being called a flip flopper.

The Constitution and the Fourth Amendment should not be sacrificed for political considerations. I hope on the Fourth of July he knows that.

Giving the telecoms immunity for Political Considerations is shameful.

I am disappointed. I thought Obama was a shining white cat. Now I'm back to believing In the dark all cats are gray.

Not spending the Social Security Trust Fund is the key to Social Security.

You can't fix it until you quit breaking it.

But a candidate needs to be able to "move to the center."

He needs to be able to change his mind after he has secured the nomination with one set of spoken positions. and then he can "move to the center" and announce a new set of positions.

You are asking a candidate to not play politics. Just because "political advantage, political considerations" are what has this nation in a mess; just because it has paralyzed the Congress for the last 8 years; just because this paralysis has allowed the biggest growth industry in recent times, you want Democrats suddenly to stop it?

You do understand that political considerations, have stopped Congressional Oversight, and have distracting everyone from being able to hold our Administration accountable, an most important have given the "Capitalists of War" industry the best money making (stealing) scheme in modern times.

You do know there is a "Capitalists of War" industry don't you? You do know the money involved is astronomical, and the disappearance of a few billion here and there is happening without any investigation. I hope you know the drugging of race horses is more important.

What we need is an Honest Government.

Thanks for trying.

I need, we the Americans need, an honest corruption free government.

It is the growing "War is profitable. War is Capitalism at its best. War is the best Growth Industry around", philosophy that is killing us at home and abroad.

It is the idea that during war spending you can steal millions (now maybe spelled with a B) without either being held accountable or even caught.

If the next government can provide that, we will no longer be considered a rogue nation, an aggressor nation by the rest of the world.

If the next government can help feed, educate, medicate and stop genocide we will then have a chance to defeat terrorism.

And, if the next government shows and acts on a concern for American Citizens it may change the public's opinion of government.

Finally for the next time this happens, and it will, WE ALWAYS NEED A CONGRESS THAT DOES ITS JOB. Congressional fear of political consequences has allowed all this to happen.

I think your attempt at humor minimizes the horror. Laughing at Addington and Woo is like laughing at the moon. Do you think anyone that would create such a monstrous system of reasoning would care?

Not in this lifetime.

It astounds me that we are even talking about torture. It astounds me that 44% of Americans think it is OK.

What happened to speak softly and carry a big stick.

The problem it seems to me is that there has become such an advantage to being the party/people in power. The idea that absolute power corrupts absolutely is proven true over and over again. The party/people in power have learned that they can steal from America and use its money, its influence, its goodwill, and its military might to their private advantage; to further them in the "war equals money" industry. So the result is that they will do anything to keep in power.

Torture is a symptom of this. It is the fear that a terrorist attack will happen and then the people will require a change in the holders of power. Those who now steal will lose that ability, and consequently the fear of that loss drives them to use any means to stay in power, even torture.

We have allowed the creation of a whole industry. A military, industrial, political, financial complex that I doubt Eisenhower even imagined. That has become the driving force in American politics. IT IS THE CAPITOLISM OF WAR that has become the growth industry in America.

America in the pursuit of WAR PROFITS has become a rogue nation, an agressor nation, and a nation of political pirates that are stealing from the sleeping, trusting Americans.

Woe to those that do this when the American Sleeper wakes up.

Soon I hope.

Party politics has been a tool to cripple the Congress in its oversight duty. Party politics and a particular party especially has been either used or taken over to allow the stealing from America.

Change is the watchword of your campaign.

Change is the basis of your campaigns success.

Change requires action that follows the words.

Unfortunately on FISA you have ducked the action.

I guess its true, "The more things change; the more they stay the same."

I will vote for you now as the lesser of two evils. Unfortunately.

Auwe, Auwe!!!