Kossacks,
Every couple months it comes to this – a firm deadline and a promise by leading Democrats that they’re going to pass FISA with telecom immunity.
Only it hasn’t happened.
Time and time again.
Don’t believe me? Check out my post from November – "Feinstein Buckled: How it Happened – back when the experts thought FISA’s passage was inevitable.
a) Call Dodd, Feingold and Obama and ask them to lead a filibuster
Senator Dodd
Senator Feingold
Senator Obama
b) Call your Senator – here’s the switchboard - (202) 224-3121
c) Use our online tool to email Senators Dodd, Feingold and Obama calling on them to lead a filibuster
Follow me below for a bit of FISA history and action steps to take right now!
(Full Disclosure: I am the Online Organizing Manager at TrueMajority/USAction)
There have been so many diaries about FISA and telecom immunity since Steny Hoyer's cave in compromise was announced on Thursday that I can spare you the details of why this is such a bad deal. But, if you're looking for some background, I'd encourage you to look to people much smarter than I on this issue.
A few sources of FISA analysis:
- Anything by Glenn Greenwald
- Senator Chris Dodd
"I cannot support the so-called ‘compromise’ legislation announced today. This bill would not hold the telecommunications companies that participated in the President’s warrantless wiretapping program accountable for their actions. Instead, it would simply offer retroactive immunity by another name.
"As I have said time and time again, the President should not be above the rule of law, nor should the telecommunications companies who supported his quest to spy on American citizens. I remain strongly opposed to this deeply flawed bill, and I urge my colleagues in Congress to join me in supporting American’s civil liberties by rejecting this measure."
- Senator Russ Feingold
"The proposed FISA deal is not a compromise; it is a capitulation. The House and Senate should not be taking up this bill, which effectively guarantees immunity for telecom companies alleged to have participated in the President's illegal program, and which fails to protect the privacy of law-abiding Americans at home. Allowing courts to review the question of immunity is meaningless when the same legislation essentially requires the court to grant immunity. And under this bill, the government can still sweep up and keep the international communications of innocent Americans in the U.S. with no connection to suspected terrorists, with very few safeguards to protect against abuse of this power. Instead of cutting bad deals on both FISA and funding for the war in Iraq, Democrats should be standing up to the flawed and dangerous policies of this administration."
This is where it becomes important to remember something very important about our system of Government. When I was in AP United States history, our teacher had a great way of describing the House and the Senate - the house as a cup and the Senate as a saucer for tea drinking. The House would pass thousands of different ideas based on the heat of the moment, and then the Senate would cool their passions and even one Senator can grind the whole process to a halt. The Senate was designed for this. One Senator could stop a blatantly boneheaded idea like letting phone companies completely off the hook for illegally spying on Americans.
Which brings me to this morning's post. I've been following the FISA fight for many months now, and the coalition build around this issue is simply incredible. My sincere apologies to anyone who I don't mention simply because the list is so long as I try to write from memory. From the ACLU and EFF launching law suits against phone companies, to TrueMajority, DFA, Credo, MoveOn, Courage Campaign, Democrats.com, PFAW, and literally dozens of progressive groups taking this on, to writers/bloggers like McJoan, Bowers, Stoller, Greenwald, Digby, Firedoglake and hundreds of others spreading the word, and ultimately to Senator Dodd standing up with the backing of Senators Feingold and Kennedy to filibuster this back in the Spring - we have seen an unprecedented progressive/libertarian on-line/off-line, activist/insider coalition built around this issue.
And it's way too soon to give up.
In November, the Senate was going to pass a bad FISA bill out of committee, until Senator Leahy fought back and passed a good bill out of the Judiciary committee to counter Rockefeller's version with immunity. Then, in the spring, Sen. Reid suddenly stopped considering the bill in the face of opposition and a then a filibuster, but ultimately Senate passage - only to have the House stand up and say no to immunity. And now, in June, a new arbitrary deadline for extension, and a new "compromise" that's nothing more than a sell out.
Well, I say let's give this another shot. One Senator can still filibuster us through July 4th to kill the chances of immunity passing. So let's get to work:
1 – Are you in CT, IL or WI? Call Senators Dodd, Feingold and Obama and ask them to lead a filibuster
We’re set up special pages to track the calls and reports we've been getting in. I'll be posting updated reports as we get more intel on what's happening in the seante.
CT Residents - Call Senator Dodd
WI Residents - Call Senator Feingold
IL Residents - Call Senator Obama
2 – Not in CT, IL or WI?
a) Call your Senator – here’s the switchboard - (202) 224-3121
b) Use our online tool to email Senators Dodd, Feingold and Obama calling on them to lead a filibuster
3 – Spread the word far and wide.
The key to stopping this from happening is greater exposure. They can only pass this capitulation if they think no-one's paying attention. That's why I'm asking that you recommend this diary and shine the light on what's happening.
It's not too late to stop Telecom Immunity from becoming law. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.