Yesterday, the Senate overwhelmingly passed President Bush's new FISA bill. This follows the House essentially passing the same bill last month, basically clearing the way for Bush to sign the bill into law.
This bill includes immunity for telecommunication companies from civil prosecution for their complicity in breaking the law via illegal wiretapping for the White House. Bush's absolute resolve for this section of the bill made clear that he values these corporations -- and the safety of himself and his staff from prosecution -- far more than he does the welfare of the American people. This immunity will make it much harder for citizens to seek information -- indeed perhaps make it impossible -- on what information was collected about them and to seek redress for private information illegally collected. It is a horrid umbrella of protection for those who do not deserve it and should never have seen the light of day. Be this as it may, it is not this provision that is the true horror in this bill.
The bill that Bush will sign into law will absolutely gut the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. In direct violation of the Constitution, it will allow communications by American citizens to be monitored and recorded by the government without proper judicial oversight or revue. It is a sweeping expansion of executive branch power, one that shrinks the protections afforded Americans by our Constitution and weakens America as a nation. When this bill is signed into law, far more damage will have been done by the terrorists -- and now by our own government -- to the nation than was done on 9-11. Our very way of life will have changed. And barely anyone will have noticed.
How did this come about? Could Bush, in his wildest dreams, have envisioned in November 2008 that the incoming Democratic Congress would help him cover up his crimes? And make no mistake, that is exactly what happened yesterday and exactly what the Democrats intended. They want this "mess" to go away. They violated their oaths to do so, Democrats and Republicans alike. For almost two years now, Congressional Democrats have proven themselves to be spineless, conniving lap dogs. "Politician" truly is a dirty word.
To my great sadness, Barrack Obama voted for the measure. He called it an imperfect compromise. "Capitulation," was the correct word, although he certainly compromised his own ideals with this vote. Hillary Clinton, it should be noted, voted against the bill. Shame on you, Obama!
And lest we let John McCain off the hook, he supported the measure... but not with his vote. No, McCain could not even be bothered to return to the Senate to vote on the bill. This was a cowardly act on his part indeed.
The media deserves condemnation as well, as it almost always does. Americans will hear little about this. Unless you take it upon yourself to keep up-to-date on such matters, you might very well have never even have known that this vote was taking place or exactly what the bill entailed. Indeed, I believe the FISA vote in the Senate was about the fifth story on last night's CBS evening news! This is what passes for "journalism" in American today?!?
America lost yesterday. Rather, it might be said that we forfeited the match by our own actions. Our government failed us, our press failed us, and we as citizens failed ourselves. We may one day reclaim the fundamental protections that we have lost, although I think this unlikely anytime soon. Those with power, especially power illegally held, are most loath to give it up. Indeed, if history is any guide, this wound will not be healed in my lifetime. It was a dark day indeed.
10 July 2008
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