Government spying under the Republicans: Bush pushes for telecom immunity.

Bush pushes for telecom immunity.

WASHINGTON — President Bush warned on Wednesday that a bill making its way through Congress to extend the government's surveillance authority would "take us backward" and that he would not sign it in its present form.

Bush said any bill must grant retroactive immunity to U.S. telecommunications companies that allegedly helped conduct electronic surveillance without court orders.

Senate Joins House in Caving to White House Immunity Demands.

Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Senate this afternoon passed the FISA Amendments Act, broadly expanding the president's warrantless surveillance authority and unconstitutionally granting retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that participated in the president's illegal domestic wiretapping program.

At-least the Republicans were better about protecting our civil liberties, our Constitutionally protected rights, correct? No.

They all work for the same masters.

With the possible exceptions of say a Ron Paul, Rand Paul and a couple of others, its time to start voting 3rd Party.

If we dont learn from our (recent) past, we're destined to repeat the same mistakes.

I'd put this together last night to little notice...

NSA spying back and before the Vietnam War

Did you know the first 'technical' casualty of the Vietnam War was an NSA Agent outside Phu Bai? That was news to me.

It's a little out of place, I think, to even mention political party on this as we're discovering more. People have wanted to know for years who "TPTB" are ABOVE Presidents and ABOVE party politics? Well, the NSA may not BE 'TPTB' but they are who those people call when they need a report on someone or something. They're the ears of the 1% and above. I don't think they really care either way but for the B.S. of budgets and money skirmishes for what party has control.

Just my two cents and general thoughts.

Originally posted by gladtobehere
its time to start voting 3rd Party.

If we dont learn from our (recent) past, we're destined to repeat the same mistakes.

Sorry to say it, but you're still not seeing the gravity of the situation in the US right now.

How do you know that those you are voting for are not controlled? Why would it make any difference at all who you vote for? The NSA can watch, intercept, discredit and control to such an extent that no person you could possibly elect can be guaranteed to be working for the public.

One little leak of a secret, or even a lie, can destroy a political career overnight. Can't get something on the candidate? Get something on an assistant, or a speech writer, or a family member. Can't dig up anything? Hack their computer and load it up with illegal material.

You're not getting it. The military/intelligence/industrial complex has taken over. Your vote is meaningless in a nation where unelected and unaccountable hidden hands have such power. Whether it's being used in that way or not makes no difference. You must assume that it is until your democratic security can be guaranteed.

You've already lost.

I was watching Dick Chaney on Fox Sunday a little while ago it was hilarious seeing him try to damn Obama while not trying to damn himself, on prosecuting reporters for reporting on NSA overreach.

I also found it interesting that both republicans and democrats on the show, were backing sending weapons to the FSA , and using the words Hezbollah when referring to Assad forces, but never using the word al Qaeda when referring to the FSA....hmmm

We need to consider that 'ol Bush had a gun to his head in 2007 when the Democrat controlled Congress presented this. The Republicans just got creamed in the 2006 elections. Bush's power structure was severely weakened.

The Harry Reid - Nancy Pelosi steam engine was just firing up.

They may have purposely omitted some specific language to get Bush to take the bait and ask for what THEY really wanted in the first place.

Perfect tactic to cover the blame if and when it all fell apart. ......................

All that aside however, we have been taken over by the shadow government that has been residing in the intelligence departments for decades.

Obama promised to stop it, but has failed.

It must be the unelected shadow government hierarchy.

This is silly, the telecoms had their hands tied the moment they opened up for business.
No telecom can operate in the US without the FCC approval, therefore they have to do what they are told by any and all government entities when the time arises. The telecoms are just tools that provide a function, and the government can use it however it wishes. People need to get over it.