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"Reichstag smoulder"
Jul. 9th, 2008 11:25 pm... the term coming from ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
pecunium.
Anyway, here's the roll call in the Senate for the FISA bill. This is the one that contains telco immunity, and a number of wholly superfluous security theater style measures that contribute not one whit to stopping actual terrorists in the field.
(Subtle hint: It's been known since Mohamed Farrah Aidid in Somalia that the easiest way to send messages with no wiretap at all is to send individual messengers. The odds are extremely high that no terrorist message will ever be intercepted, because they're not stupid enough to use a medium that can be readily tapped. That means this bill gives powers to the executive branch with no practical purpose other than to spy on everyday citizens.)
Others have commented on Obama's switch on this issue, mostly because the use of the issue of terror has become the Red-baiting of our time, and he doesn't want to be seen as "soft on terrorism" in an election. More disappointing to me was the vote of Webb of Virginia, who has been mentioned as a Veep candidate (including by me). No longer, as far as I'm concerned.
Mad props to Senators Feingold (who led the fight against the measure), Dodd, Cantwell, and Murray (which is to say, both of Washington's Senators remain committed to the Constitution).
pecunium.Anyway, here's the roll call in the Senate for the FISA bill. This is the one that contains telco immunity, and a number of wholly superfluous security theater style measures that contribute not one whit to stopping actual terrorists in the field.
(Subtle hint: It's been known since Mohamed Farrah Aidid in Somalia that the easiest way to send messages with no wiretap at all is to send individual messengers. The odds are extremely high that no terrorist message will ever be intercepted, because they're not stupid enough to use a medium that can be readily tapped. That means this bill gives powers to the executive branch with no practical purpose other than to spy on everyday citizens.)
Others have commented on Obama's switch on this issue, mostly because the use of the issue of terror has become the Red-baiting of our time, and he doesn't want to be seen as "soft on terrorism" in an election. More disappointing to me was the vote of Webb of Virginia, who has been mentioned as a Veep candidate (including by me). No longer, as far as I'm concerned.
Mad props to Senators Feingold (who led the fight against the measure), Dodd, Cantwell, and Murray (which is to say, both of Washington's Senators remain committed to the Constitution).
