WSJ: Obama Likely Will Not Reign In Bush Surveillance Program (health care, vote)
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Could it be that we actually need these things to counteract the terrorists! OMG......
Gotta Love it!
Civil-liberties groups were among those outraged that the White House sanctioned the use of harsh intelligence techniques -- which some consider torture -- by the Central Intelligence Agency, and expanded domestic spy powers. These groups are demanding quick action to reverse these policies.
On the campaign trail, Mr. Obama criticized many of President George W. Bush's counterterrorism policies.
He condemned Mr. Bush for promoting "excessive secrecy, indefinite detention, warrantless wiretapping and 'enhanced interrogation techniques' like simulated drowning that qualify as torture through any careful measure of the law or appeal to human decency."
Well he voted for the renewal of the patriot act abomination so what does that tell you?
It tells me that you need to know government isnt black or white, either-or.
And Republicans and Democrats came together to propose sensible improvements to the Act. Unfortunately, the House was resistant to these changes, and that's why we're voting on the compromise before us.
Let me be clear: this compromise is not as good as the Senate version of the bill, nor is it as good as the SAFE Act that I have cosponsored. I suspect the vast majority of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle feel the same way. But, it's still better than what the House originally proposed.
This compromise does modestly improve the PATRIOT Act by strengthening civil liberties protections without sacrificing the tools that law enforcement needs to keep us safe. In this compromise:
Skip the health care comments; please check the information about Obama's FISA vote and Dodd-Feingold.
Yes here is his statement on his vote.
"Under this compromise legislation, an important tool in the fight against terrorism will continue, but the President's illegal program of warrantless surveillance will be over. It restores FISA and existing criminal wiretap statutes as the exclusive means to conduct surveillance - making it clear that the President cannot circumvent the law and disregard the civil liberties of the American people.It also firmly re-establishes basic judicial oversight over all domestic surveillance in the future. It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I will work in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses.[**] But this compromise guarantees a thorough review by the Inspectors General of our national security agencies to determine what took place in the past, and ensures that there will be accountability going forward. By demanding oversight and accountability, a grassroots movement of Americans has helped yield a bill that is far better than the Protect America Act.
"It is not all that I would want. But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay."
****************
I highlighted Obama's bullsh*t statements.
1) Yes it restores FISA as the exclusive means....They fit the law to cover Bush's lawbreaking! Making what was illegal..legal.
2) No, it doesn't establish Judicial oversight. It makes judicial oversight a joke. It says the Court ""must take"" at face value an assertion by a Bureaucrat that wiretapping of said citizen is warranted. No discussion. (This BTW is why it will be ruled UnConstitutional...You cannot exclude a Branch of Government from perfoming it's duties)
Last edited by padcrasher; 11-11-2008 at 02:37 PM..
Could it be that we actually need these things to counteract the terrorists! OMG......
Gotta Love it!
Civil-liberties groups were among those outraged that the White House sanctioned the use of harsh intelligence techniques -- which some consider torture -- by the Central Intelligence Agency, and expanded domestic spy powers. These groups are demanding quick action to reverse these policies.
On the campaign trail, Mr. Obama criticized many of President George W. Bush's counterterrorism policies.
He condemned Mr. Bush for promoting "excessive secrecy, indefinite detention, warrantless wiretapping and 'enhanced interrogation techniques' like simulated drowning that qualify as torture through any careful measure of the law or appeal to human decency."
If you were knowledgable on the subject you would know that we have what we need to proper legal surveillence. The point at hand is illegal surveilance without judicial oversight. You don't think the law goes far enough? Fine. Change the law, don't break it....He's the leader of our Country for God's sake!
He can't break the law.
It would've been nice if you right wingers would've been so concerned when Bush was raping the constitution. Obama made it clear that he will acknowledge things he agrees with and change the things that need changing. He's already announced sweeping changes and you folks screamed about that, no he comtemplates keeping something are you're still crying. Obama will do what needs doing. The one thing I'm learning quickly is that Obama will definitely be Commander in Cheif.
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