You are currently browsing the daily archive for June 20, 2008.
The FISA “compromise” is being pushed hard and may pass shortly in the Senate. It has already passed in the house thanks to the capitulations of Nancy Pelosi.
Many of the Senate Democrats are wavering, though some like Obama are trying to get the retroactive amnesty for telecommunications companies who may have violated your privacy out of the bill. Some Democrats are holding strong.
Boxer is also reportedly wavering. From a poster at Calitics:
I got this from one of our ACLU affiliates, if any of you are considering
writing up a post on FISA and the senate vote.Boxer’s staff is asking for letters / emails. Boxer is considering her
position NOW and, we are told, is still wavering. The best way to reach her
on this issue is to send a letter attached to an email to Dan Hammer at
dan_hammer@boxer.senate.gov. Boxer has not heard from her constituents on
the Hoyer/Bush deal. Her staffer told me that we were her first customer!
I don’t know where Feinstein stands, but she’s probably a lost cause. I’ll post her contact information if anybody wants it.
It’s very important that companies to whom you must provide personal information do not violate your privacy against the law simply because rogue governmental authorities ask them to do so. They should be charged with a fiduciary responsibility to safeguard your rights when it comes to the privacy you have placed into their hands. If they violated the law simply because they were following not even orders then they should pay the piper so that it doesn’t happen in the future.
In the meantime, demand to know what your telephone service providers’ policies have been and switch to those who refused cooperation without actual warrants. Think Working Assets.
Addendum: From Down With Tyanny:
The disgraceful piece of legislation known as the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 just passed 293-129. Although most Democrats (128) voted against it, 105, including Pelosi, stuck with Hoyer and Bush. Hoyer no longer represents a majority of Democrats in the House. He should hand in his resignation today. Only one Republican stood up for the Constitution (Ron Paul ducked the vote): Tim Johnson of Illinois. Here’s the whole list of who voted which way.
Thompson voted nay!
Second addendum: Boxer’s phone number is 202-224-4264. Feinstein’s is (202) 224-3841
Third addendum: How I learned to stop worrying and love the FISA bill.
Fourth addendum: “Nancy Pelosi thinks you’re stupid.”
Practically a holiday around here.
I don’t know what there is to celebrate. As of tomorrow the days get darker and it’s all down hill from here.
The Celestial Sphere image comes from this University of Oregon site.
Somebody just drew my attention to this early S&G video. Simon looks like he’s trying to pump himself up to stay awake. Garfunkel has his hands in his pockets and looks like he’s dying of boredom. The audience looks catatonic. Don’t get me wrong. I think it’s one of the most beautiful songs ever written. But they ought to at least look like they’re having a good time.
Reminds me of that scene in Blow Up where the Yardbirds are singing Stroll On to an audience just glaring at them without so much as tapping toes, except for one colorfully dressed couple, before Jeff Beck breaks his guitar. Let’s see if I can find that on Youtube.
Yeah, here it is. Never understood how that scene figured into the plot. Then again, I never understood how the plot figured into the plot.
I saw the film for the second time a couple of years ago and I wondered if maybe Pete Townsend had stolen the idea of breaking his guitar from the movie. But the movie is dated 1966, whereas Townsend actually broke his first guitar in 1964. Apparently it was an accident the first time.
Okay, I got bored waiting for a phone call which I guess isn’t coming. Time to go home for dinner.
Recent Comments