Forbes reports on a new bill that is being introduced by Senators Olympia Snowe, Chuck Hagel, Mike DeWine, and Lindsay Graham. It should be dubbed the Tyrant Enabling Act. Rather than have an investigation to determine the true breadth and targets of NSA’s extralegal surveillance, these Republicans are looking to legalize and expand the President’s tyranny.
The bill would give the government up to 45 days to monitor calls and e-mails of suspected terrorists when one party is in the U.S. and the other is overseas. Like Bush’s existing program, the government would not have to get court approval.
After 45 days, federal officials would have to stop the eavesdropping, get a court warrant or explain to House and Senate intelligence subcommittees why the monitoring must continue.
So, where does that leave our rights? There is no requirement or oversight to assure that the government has probable cause to consider us as terrorists. They can spy on for us 45 days and then just stop. Or they can tell the intelligence subcommittees that they are spying on us, but those committees are sworn to secrecy and cannot publicly complain if they think the government is out of line. Or they can get a court order. When seeing a judge is one of three options, I don’t think they will be seeing a judge too often.
This bill goes in exactly the wrong direction. Rather than tighten up the spying and increase oversight, it gives away the store. The ACLU states the obvious:
The ACLU said in a statement that the bill would allow “Americans’ phone calls and e-mails to be monitored for 45 days without any court oversight and makes court review after that period optional” – in violation of the Fourth Amendment’s guarantees against unreasonable searches.
“Congress cannot approve an illegal program when so many questions remain unanswered,” said Caroline Fredrickson, director of the ACLU’s Washington legislative office. “When the rule of law has been broken by anyone, especially a president, the proper response is a full and independent investigation.”
When you call your representatives today, make sure to tell them that this bill is a terrible idea and that the proper course is for Congress to initiate a “full and independent” investigation.
Unchecked authority to spy on those meddling terrorist-loving Quakers. And Russ Feingold. How long until we see the bill allowing them to assassinate terrorist-lovers as long as they notify the Intelligence committees with 45 days?
And the county sheriff is now sitting outside on the swing. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence, as I haven’t said anything terrorist-loving recenty.
Isn’t a national assembly passing a law to retroactively cover a despot’s ass something out of the Guatemala of the 1950’s?
That era calls to mind something different for me.
link
It gives an entirely new meeting to the phrase, “War on Terror.”
Noted without comment.
As BooMan’s link shows, Guatemala in the 40s and 50s is one of the prime examples of our country’s anti-democratic meddling in latin america.
Aren’t these all judiciary people? What does Specter say?
I always knew somebody had to have an obedient bent to be a Republican, but this is beyond grovelling.
These four Senators are licking the boots of the Executive that are trampling all over the Constitution and the rights of Americans.
The only problem is that the bill is meaningless.
If BushCo didn’t obey the FISA law, why should he obey the 45-day statute? He can just thumb his nose again at Congress and the American people at day 46.
It’s a war of wills and the Republicans aren’t fighting.
TO OBEY IS OUR WAY!
That should be the American motto. They should put that into the bill if they want Bush to sign it.
On warrantless spying, here is link to What does Specter say?
Now let’s see if he’ll be brought to toe the line…aka, cave.
One of the first steps is to identify what all the govt wants to do in the way of surveillance and then decide the limits that are needed to protect privacy/liberties.
It will be a balancing act to avoid divulging effective methods but still get a level of trust in the govt.
Unfortunately, it almost doesn’t matter. Bushco does as it pleases now, despite FISA. Why would there be compliance with this silly excuse for abuse-limiting legislation?
Your right, they do as these please, like rabid dogs and we need to put this administration out of business: Vote them out, protest, remain active and well informed. As further evidence of the corruption and inhumanity of the bush regime, read my diary.
There’s a link to my ordeal of illegal detainment by the FBI in Atlanta, Georgia.
Deborah
So are we at least over the fantasies about “liberal” Republicans like Snowe? Can the Dems, liberals and all their allies including the pro-choice outfits finally realize that there are no “good” Republicans anymore? Every single one of them has to be fought into extinction.
Liberal Republicans, ha ha, from my perspective I see them as having liberal moments, which are quickly subdued after they get the talking points and the arm bending for the day from headquarters.
Shays has had several liberal moments, has he done any backsliding? He was quite stricking in the hearings for his put downs, but haven’t heard much about him lately. Anyone know.
The problem is democrats, with few exceptions, are not much better. Most will be co-opted into supporting even this legislation. At best they’ll insist on a minor adjustment. The repugs play by no rules and will ignore any limits, they have demonstrated that. They call it “will to power” and they know that the dems are to weak to stop them, not just in numbers but in spinelessness.
Tyrants are never removed by the ballet, Which in our case has been rendered moot.
oops, that should be ballot.
Hi jaded, and I see you are fairly new to the site so welcome, come by the next welcome wagon train diary.
I chuckled at the ballet word and I think that actually might be more accurate than ballot. lol
The proposed bill doesn’t create the necessary conditions for anyone to challenge the spying program(s). Here’s a link for the press release DeWine’s office issued yesterday for the introduction of the bill, S. 2455. The full text of the bill is not available yet from Thomas, but it’s reasonable to suppose that the press release describes the salient points in the light most favorable to Bush and his Senate enablers. The key point would appear to be this:
Unlike how the proposed legislation was portrayed by most of the traditional media, it seems clear that warrantless surveillance of an individual can continue beyond the 45-day “limit” without the explicit approval of the rubber-stamp subcommittee, but merely with the filing of a certification by the Attorney General. Some oversight. Even if the certification shows that the surveillance is totally improper, so long as it’s been filed with the subcommittee, the Dear Leader and his buddies are all okay under this new law, and thus there’s not really anything to challenge. And our republic marches ever onward toward tyranny.
Can you define ‘spying’ in this context? I think the problem is far more dangerous and deceptive than a trditional wiretap surveillance.
Lost respect for Snowe a long time ago…Just shows that no repulican and the damn dems who side w/them aren’t worth anything to those they represent.
I would suggest a filibuster once this piece of idiocy reached the Senate floor, but then given the Dems’ track record, I realize I have a better chance of being struck by lightning twice.
Bush has been told he can do whatever he wants in his Commander-of-his-Pants capacity.
Look at the torture thingy and his signing statement.
He does not believe the law applies to him.
Case closed until congress makes him obey the law or sends him home.