OBAMA may well lose the Presidency because of his FISA vote.

Haven't you noticed the deflation? The fire gone from the Obama campaign? Sure, some money's coming in, but the flow has slowed a bit, hasn't it? All that support he was getting from folks like us is now gone. In other words, all the support frome people on this site who REALLY DO PAY ATTENTION, folks who will eagerly voice their heartfelt views and can move and influence many, less aware others — all that support and money, all that magic of a campaign that was just going to be HONEST and bring us out of these dark ages with a clarity of vision that says NO NO NO to the destruction of the constitution, NO NO NO to the old ways of political maneuvering — NO NO NO to the INSANITY of the past 7 years — all that IS NOW GONE! Gone with one fatal, assinine vote. And my friends, make no mistake, it is gone for good. Why? Because the second Obama cast that vote in favor of the FISA bill he ceased to be a legitemate public servant. By voting to end the 4th amendment, he is now necessarily, by-definition, part of and and accomplice to the crimes of the very outlaw regime that we must today throw off to if we are to survive as a Democracy. Obama has now thrown in with bandits of the right, who would steal many more rights from if –god forbid– there were another attack on American soil. How can folks like us be excited anymore about this campaign? We can't, quite simply. It is basically over for us. There just are some things ONE CANNOT COMPROMISE. And everyone who really knows what is going on understands what I am talking about.

So the Obama campaign was apparently outraised by the McCain campaign this past month. What do you suppose is the reason? I say it is the FISA vote. What Obama failed to understand is that the magical internet money machine that he had tapped into –that seemingly endless flow of small contributions from small donors that led him to forego public financing — was a collective THANK YOU for finally saying the things that needed to be said. ALL that energy and enthusiasm and the money that went with it was for what WE THOUGHT was going to be Obama's heroic efforts to filibuster the FISA bill. Now I watch sadly as the MAGIC of Barack Obama just fades into our memories, as slowly but surely, one by one, we disengage from him and write him off as 'just like the rest of em'. Oh, Obama may be able to woo a certian number of less-aware voters and get them to cough up a contribution or two with a good speech here and there. But I predict the Automatic Money Machine is no longer going to run as well as it did. I also predict that he won't fill that stadium. That's what happens when you step on the rights of true patiots for some stupid triangulation stategy, that will NEVER win in the end. Indeed, I beleive that in this vote, we have just witnessed the blunder that will cost Obama the presidency….

more @ http://hatingitmagazine.com

Ooops, ignore please

Um sewol, that was exactly my point. I was stating what Obama said during the primaries to show that he has now completely flip-flopped and sold us out.

This latest take over of Democracy is the most depressing bit of news since Bush took office. This is a great loss to freedom of the press, freedom of speech,and freedom to keep one's house (private affairs) beyond the scrutiny of bureacrats, the FBI, Cia, et. al. Go for the lawsuit, ACLU. The ACLU needs to broadcast this latest development with incidents of invasion of privacy. If the average American just knew how much of their private affairs are spread all over,they would react. Another development that will take Americans by surprise is the use of the RIFD that is being imbedded into your credit cards. Big Brother has taken over with a vengeance.

rduke: If obama opposeses this bill so strongly why did he cave and vote for immunity for the telecoms and criminal felon Bush? The fact is Obama voted to give George Bush exactly what he wanted immunity to save his sorry ass and Obama has no excuse for that he is a flip flopper who when a state Rep in Illinois voted PRESENT 130 times which meant he stood for nothing then and he still doesn't he is an emptysuit who read's a good speech.

I thought it was a woman's perrogative to change her mind. Guess that distinction was considered too sexist by politicians of any stripe. They all reserve the right to say one thing and then do another. It's called trending toward the "middle" if you're running for office, or in other words, blowing with the wind. WHATEVER!!!!

Remember this Obama? Where did he go?

On October 24, 2007, campaign spokesman
Bill Burton announced,
"To be clear: Barack will support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies."

The position was elaborated in another statement December 17, 2007:
"Senator Obama unequivocally opposes giving retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies and has cosponsored Senator Dodd's efforts to remove that provision from the FISA bill. Granting such immunity undermines the constitutional protections Americans trust the Congress to protect. Senator Obama supports a filibuster of this bill, and strongly urges others to do the same."

I'm sending you money.

Probably not necessary to point out to most CD readers, but...the part of the Fourth Amendment "...no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized" is relevant because there are all kinds of ways to gut the Fourth.

Warrantless surveillance is one way. Another would be to issue vague "authorizations" which get around the "describing the place to be searched", etc. Another way would be to drag out the warrant process so long that it is meaningless. All of these are specifically designed to make the Fourth Amendment meaningless and they are all being used.

Basically, what the FISA bill does is carry out the intent and methods of the USA"PATRIOT" Act, including effectively hiding what is actually being done.

Cannuckistani_Joe July 12th, 2008 2:16 pm

"No compromises.

Impeach Bush
Dump Obama
Hilary for President"

Are you Pluckistani_Pete shill?

Hi Veracity: nice synchronicity there....

The call to a true STATESMAN, one who thinks of the good of the republic, not just his personal ambition or those beneficial to a small circle of friends. Alas, DAVE DUBYA... a letter that would and should touch Obama's soul, sort of the advise a genuinely spiritual teacher would give to the neophyte on the eve of his stage performance.

I hope he reads it! Great job!

… … … … … … … ☆_STAR_★ ◎F THE ♪♫_SEA_♪♫ … … … … … … …

Reminiscing w/ U N _ C O M M O N _ D R E A M S ___ & ___ S I O U X R O S E

Namaste « Presence »

All of my usually rational-minded so-called liberal friends have lost their minds. When I heard that Obama voted yea on FISA, I was furious and told several people I couldn't possibly vote for him now. One staunch Obama supporter who refuses to see anything negative about him says surely I can't vote for McCain. I say no, I'm not voting for either one. He answered angrily, "Fine, throw your vote away!" When I talked to a co-worker (fellow Democrat) about this, her response was, "Well, you can't get upset about one issue." I said, "One issue? This is a major one. The Constitution is at stake!"
I also suggested that the Democratic party change its symbol from the donkey to the opossum, since they've become so good at rolling over and playing dead.
I emailed NM Rep. Tom Udall (who's running for Senate) and thanked him for voting nay on HR 6304. I expressed my disappointment in the Democratic party and said I was glad someone was still standing up for the American people and doing what was right. I emailed NM Senator Bingaman, another nay voter, as well.
I will NOT be voting for Obama.

Little Brother---what an apt analogy---I love the dice one!
Please keep posting---you are always lucid and fresh in your comments. I scroll through looking for them.

Dear Senator Obama,

Thank you for wanting to protect our lives and liberty. As far as your support for the FISA bill is concerned, let me just say you've done a "heck of a job".

There is nothing in the new FISA law that stops Bush from continuing everything he has been doing. It allows illegally obtained surveillance to be used as evidence against American citizens.

What you are saying is "Trust them. They will monitor themselves by their hand picked Inspectors". Yeah, that's the ticket.

Just like the Office of Professional Responsibility in the Justice Department has yet to catch one errant lawyer. And if it did find any misconduct, it would, of course, be their little secret. And their required annual report has just come for fiscal year 2005.

Yes, we can trust them... to do what they do.

And you are also saying "Trust me, I'll take care of the secret operation later as I see fit...if I am elected"

I have another idea. Let's trust the Bill of Rights.

Senator, few would argue that you are not a brilliant man. Voting for the FISA bill was a reasoned calculation and an intelligent political move. I think I understand the motivations for your vote. What I do not see is the wisdom of it.

You have allowed them to get away with crimes! Any time they, and you, Senator, speak of the rule of law; you will be tainted by the hypocrisy of your elitist double standards. No one else in America has the luxury of bending the law to fit their wrongful behavior.

Sadly, you have also lost the opportunity for desperately needed leadership in defending our Constitution.

The day will come when you may find yourself sharing the same sense of shame as Colin Powell feels for his pre-invasion war mongering at the UN. You will share the disgrace of abetting the crimes and rogue presidency of George W. Bush.

I had wished that you would not be reduced to selling your soul for the job you seek. I had once, briefly, held onto the hope that you would keep it.

You probably know that having a soul, or a conscience, is not necessary to be president. The current gang in the White House has proven that, at all our expense.

Undermining the Fourth Amendment is the kind of change George Bush believes in.

Removing the corporate foxes from the public's henhouse is the kind of change most Americans believe in.

I continue to hope that it is your desire and goal that the United States will once again have a government of laws and not of men

Hopefully yours,

Dave Dubya

""No cause of action shall lie in any court against any electronic communication service provider." Or individual recruited to the cause for that matter."

Of course, that in itself is illegal. What thugs corporatism and classism engender.

Oh, just until 2012. By then, I'm sure, the fascist government, corporations, and recipients of MIC largess will have rediscovered the Constitution. Not.

KingSoze -- Gag. Enough with the sugar coating. Who said we loved the old FISA? Anybody here love the old FISA?

Anyone who votes for warrantless surveillance is voting against the Fourth Amendment. (Please read the relevant sections again if you don't think this allows for warrantless spying.) Mealy mouth stuff about "necessary compromise" is just babbling coming from the mouths of frogs in the pot who don't know the water is boiling yet. I'm afraid you are already well-done.

The courts can review immunity, but are required to grant immunity. That has kind of a Stalinist color to it.

"No cause of action shall lie in any court against any electronic communication service provider." Or individual recruited to the cause for that matter. As Matthew Rothschild says, "That's the kicker". Don't go talking about the other provisions and ignoring the "kicker".

Remember what happened to the natives of this place, when they refused to leave their land?

A thought on legalizing surveillance and apologies to anyone who may have mentioned this first.
The expressed justification of FISA is nothing but the usual Bush red herring. Spies don't communicate by US Mail. They don't communicate by e-mail. They don't telephone each other and discuss spy stuff. They use couriers. Always have. Always will.
The final mud pie in the faces of Americans:
In Bush's public response to the Senate's cavein on FISA, on July 9, amid all the grotesque simian grimacing, came that split second triumphant monkey smirk and telltale sidelong flicker-Bush's gotcha tell-that showed unmistakeably that what he wanted and achieved in no way coincides with the stated purpose of his spying program.
PS To Frank 1569, writing and speaking in code is a really, really bad idea.

No compromises.

Impeach Bush
Dump Obama
Hilary for President

So I take it everyone was happy about the old FISA?

Bush (well the administration, rather) found a way around FISA, to spy on anyone that communicates overseas. This Terrorist Surveillance Program would probably include anything internet related.

This new FISA bill allows the FISC to regulate the Terrorist Surveillance Program. Basically, if they intercept a phone call or an e-mail involving an American, the agency involved must get a warrant from a judge if the person is of interest or take steps to erase that person's name from any report.

While the full FISC court itself only decides on procedure, INDIVIDUAL WARRANTS must still be approved by a judge. Apparently Mr. Hedges deliberately misread the bill or was confused by legal jargon.

So it's mostly the same FISA as before but it now covers all electronic surveillance by the government on ALL AMERICAN CITIZENS, it prevents indirect surveillance of American citizens, and (unfortunately) it shields communication companies from being sued as long as they have a "Get out of suit free" card from the government.

Sorry it had to be a compromise to pass...

Also this is probably one of the better articles I've read on this issue:
http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/07/10/opinion/edcollins.php

Rich Griffin,

Thanks for asking about the Google contact. Anyone who would like to demand that Google include Ralph Nader in their September YouTube debate can write (a real letter ... e-mail can be ignored, but it's hard to look past a big pile of snail mail) to:

Eric Schmidt, CEO
and
Ginny Hunt, Elections Program Manager
Google, Inc.
1600 Ampitheatre Parkway
Mountain View CA 94043

The phone number, if you're up for that task, is 650.253.0000

In response to kitty_tc's comment yesterday, directed to Rich M, when she asked:
"Can you give me a list of the accomplishments made by Green Party Representatives and Senators? The bills vetoed or signed into law by President Nader?"

Ralph Nader, in a fifty year career as a citizen activist, has done more for progressive causes than any American, past or present. We owe our body of consumer protection law (at least, what's left of it) to Ralph Nader. He has been instrumental in the founding and organization of dozens of groups that continue to struggle for economic and political justice in this country. For a partial list, click here:

http://www.votenader.org/about/

And when you're done reading, click the Contribute tab at the left side of the page, and drop $20 on the latest fundraiser to support ballot access drives around the country.

Obama, it is Audacity to Hope. When the man promised to filibuster and then voted FOR the FISA bill.....well, he surely lost my vote in November. I had great hopes for Clinton too...on the evening of his first inaugrial when he climbed on the stage with his sax, I thought perhaps this country had some hope. Silly me.

Veteran '66-68

There is the old joke, famously recounted by Woody Allen in "Annie Hall", and here paraphrased because I don't feel like Googling it:

I mentioned to my psychiatrist, "You know, my brother thinks he's a chicken."

The psychiatrist said, "Oh? Well, why don't you bring him in to see me?"

I said, "Well, I would, but... we need the eggs."

-------------------------------------------------

That's not only the story of Alvy Singer and Annie Hall, it's the story of progressive America and the Democratic Party. A tragicomedy of Lesser-Evilism collapsing in on itself into a singularity.

We indeed need the eggs, but we don't need rotten eggs.
________________________________________________

The clumsy, low-grade (and yes, shrill) sarcasm and bankrupt logic habitually wielded by kitty, ezeflyer, elderlady and others-- not merely loyal Democrats, but defenders of the corrupt duopoly within which the Democrats and their anointed candidates are permanently deemed the Last, Best Hope for Mankind worthy of unconditional support-- is founded on a principle exactly equivalent to "Well, I would, but... we need the eggs".

Another analogy occurs to me: the Party of Cain (R) and the Party of Judas (D) are like a pair of dice. The Democratic apologists acknowledge that We the People have been suffering a run of incredibly bad luck this century. They correctly believe that the Cain die is loaded. And admit that, to some extent, this has also caused the Judas die to become unacceptably skewed.

But they also firmly believe that the ONLY solution is to hang tough, and pragmatically keep rolling those dice! They believe that this brand of loaded dice is actually SELF-CORRECTING, and that the mature, constructive tactic of patiently and hopefully rolling the dice over and over will overcome the defects in the dice.

Like any gambler with a "system", the rollers find abundant evidence that they're on the right track, and that more of the same is sure to bring them to a tipping point and the express road to decisively beating the house. Look, I rolled X three times in a row! Now tell me how YOU expect to do better if you won't even ROLL these dice! Meanwhile, the dealer is raking back one stack of chips after the other.

No WONDER these hapless addicts start clutching bystanders and snarling that it's useless kibbitzers like THEM who are bringing them bad luck.

In fact, BOTH dice are loaded. There are abundant analyses and arguments for how each got that way. And (Google "nine-dot problem") the solution can only come from going outside the rigged system. The Judas die will not self-correct incrementally by dint of an infinite series of modest rolls. One way or another, those dice must be shattered, and replaced or rebuilt.

Baby needs a new pair of shoes.

"Explain the difference, in practical terms, between a vote for a third party and a vote for mickey mouse, and how either of those is functionally different from a vote for Republicans. I'm still waiting for that answer."

Oh, that's simple. If I vote for Mickey Mouse the number of votes McCain gets will not increase by a single vote and the number of votes Obama gets will not decrease by a single vote. Unless, of course, Diebold adds one to McCain or subtracts one from Obama. And they may just do that if I vote for Obama anyway.

It's basic math, really.

It appears that the Obama campaign is already reaping some backlash from his pathetic refusal to lead. According to the most recent poll of potential voters by the same polling organization his percentage shrunk from 51% to 44%. Interestingly, McCain's remained at 41%. Obama's loss is therefore not due to defection of voters to McCain's camp but either to "undecided" or to "other candidates". That is an ominous sign of weakness.
Given the demand by the Iraq government that ALL foreign troops must leave the country together and the sooner the better, why is Obama still pushing his potentially dangerous "combat units" first plan which leaves Iraq occupied? Furthermore, his plan indirectly supports President Bush and McCain who concede to the Iraqis that there may have to be substantial troop reduction in the near future , but, please Mr. Maliki, not ALL and NO timeline (YET).

Hooray for Kitty!

I would not vote for a lying, scheming, polluting, superstitious, fear-mongering, murdering, deceitful, greedy, racist, misogynist, war-profiteering, stupid right wing hick son of the conservative Republican oligarchy ever. But maybe it's just me...and Kitty.

Sons and daughters of Mammon, Republican strategists turn around and accuse Democrats of all the evil they do as they steal, inherit and concentrate power and the root of all evil.

With few exceptions, the more money they have, the more Republican, conservative and evil they are. Their almost total control of the courts, media, religion, military and financial apparatus ensures the loyalty of stupid right wing hicks who do their dirty work. They are all regressives and there is no such thing as a liberal Republican.

The strategy of paid Republican shills here is transparent: Blame Democrats for Bush/McCain corporate scorched earth policies. Keep people from voting, don't vote, vote for third parties so McCain will win. Some here have even come right out and said "vote for McCain".

Mine is one vote Republicans will never get.

RichM, I want to thank you for your intelligent posts. You are absolutely correct about the failure of our two party system.

I am 42 years old and this will be my first time not voting for Democrats. FISA was the last straw.

We've all been had. We gave the Dems a majority in 2006 and they have only helped Bush cover his crimes. They took impeachment off the table immediately and now they are increasing presidential powers.

I'm done with the Dems. They are just as corporate owned as the Repugs. I did send Feingold money yesterday as thank you for standing up to the constitution. But I'm leaving the Dem party for good.

I joined the ACLU and will continue giving money to them to challenge this travesty.

I am now in the process of trying to figure out if I want to vote Green or Libertarian.

Kitty is ruled by fear, but RichM, you are thinking rationally and logically. I thank you for that. I will no longer have the mindset that Kitty has. That is the real problem. She's let the two party system convince her to vote against her own best interests. It's sad really.

Nice to see Chris Hedges put away his rant machine and stick to rational and factual arguments. Bravo to the ACLU for getting on this matter immediately.

GwNorth July 12th, 2008 1:48 am

You hit the nail right on the head. The point you made so well is what the Kitty's of the world don't see or maybe don't want others to see.

Lobo Gris

oh yeah... ahem... it was reported that two wall street insider traders were heard to say - "When I grow up (out in under two from a three to five sentence) ...I want to start a data mining firm."

With data mining and this basically unlimited surveilance...um?

Are we there yet?

Privatised surveillance. Corporatized constitution? It will result in society wide self censorship.

Who watches the watchers or sees what it is they watch? Them...and oh yes...there is someone else. Your telephone man. HE (telecom employees) can watch you too.

So evidently the constitution is not applicable to the corporation? We are being handed this as if what Americans wish is not important and only the wishes of the elite in wash and corporate headquarters are.

When over the years a select group of government insiders 'in the know' and curiously enough, a large number of telecom employees 'in the know', in ten or twenty years a secretive surveilance community, much of it composed of people outside of government control, will begin perpetuating itself with family members and selected other insiders, 'to keep it in the family.

This makes mockery of a free society and our constitutional PROTECTIONS.

We set the foundation for a society in which a fearful self censorship will be the norm... as it is in any society where people feel watched by a priviledged group who exercises control.

200 years and counting from George to George... and then we stopped?

Hard to believe we really would or ever could. Other Americans would say no! Seems we take much for granted...

... as it gets taken away.

We make an America our children will be afraid of... they will not be equal...

someday only the watchers will feel equal.

Self Censorship... rah rah... wave the flag and forget the constitution?

This brave new America... new and improved... artificial constitution and coloring added. No trans fat.

criticalthinktank be careful of what yoou wish for. Government is not the problem. Who controls it is. Government is necessary to protect the citizen against the wealthy and powerful. It fails a democracy when we let it fall into the hands of a powerful few. Excessive wealth is the usual villain. In a capitalist democracy capital must be regulated, otherwise wealth's superior ability to gather more wealth will inevitably produce a rich/poor society in which a democracy cannot exist. Remember, it was Ronald Reagn that said he would get government off our backs. What he meant was he would get government of of the backs of the corporations. We are living with the results.

Bob Newhard

Ah, the kitty's of the world are so confused. They criticize those who criticize the Demorats as being sellouts and commie reds who are intent on splitting the left.

But the kitty's of the world should look at how the Demorats have consistently voted to realize that they are n othing more than Reublithugs Lite.

But they can'td see the forest for the trees poor darlin's.

The fact of the matter is that with this latest vote by the Demorats to support the new FISA bll, Obama included, they have had a hand in moving the country that much closer to a Nazi state or the wahy the Zionists, back in the 30's began to monitor and documentd every aspect of Palestinian life. Like the Nazi's, the Zionists used the intelligence they gathered to persecute the Palestinians.

But the kitty's of the world can't see the bigt picture. All they can do is whine about green fairys and those who follow their consciences as losers and spoilers.

Vote with integrity. Vote Green/Independent/Progressive but don't pin hyour hopes on the Demorats.

In Canada, the NDP party has never taken power Federally. Yet many of the programs they advocated were adopted by the majority Liberal Governments of the day.

Had people taken the attitude that a vote for the NDP was a vote wasted as they would never gain power and such vote splitting would put the "even worse" Conservatives in power, we would very likely not have universal health care.

The reason a vote for a third party is more powerful, is that it FORCES change. If the democrats continue to bleed votes to third parties and continue to lose seats in each subsequent election , then they will have to change or perish.

This is exactly what happened to our own Progressive Conservative party when Reform was formed. For better or worse, fiscal conservatives left the PC party to vote Reform, bleeding away votes and ensuring the Liberals remained in power. This forced the old PC party to a radical change in its direction.

As long as the democrats feel they can count on the progressive vote because Americans really have no other choice, there will never BE another choice, and Republican and Democrat will be joined at the hip as they both chase after the swing voter .

I think it in fact worse to vote the lessor of two evils. You must have the courage of your convictions and if you compromise your vote just to ensure the Democrats achieve power, then it inevitable the democrats will compromise their policies to remain in power.

Why should your Democratic Senator or Congressmen pay any attentions to ideals and values when the very people that vote for them will not?

PK

kitty_tc writes to me: (12:01 am) "...It's really hard to believe that in this day and age anyone can still trot out the old "no difference" canard ... but here you are in 2008 still pimping that lie."

- I never said there was "no difference." There is a difference between the lead gunmen in a bank robbery, and their auxiliary henchmen. The Democrats are the henchmen.

Great comments. More and more people waking up to the fact that our two party system is broken and realizing their enemies are not on the other side of the aisle, but those that push those two cookie cutter candidates towards us during the primaries.

Well, since kitty won't respond to your points Rich, I will try my best.

Since 2000, the Democrats have passed the authorization of military force against Iraq
They voted for the Patriot Act almost unanimously
They voted to renew the Patriot Act
They voted for the Military Commissions Act
They voted for every single Iraq War funding bill -- and even after getting control, continued to offer it
They have taken Impeachment off the Table, in direct violation of their constitutional oaths
They just voted FISA with retroactive immunity to the corporations
They voted to continue the WTO, twice
They have passed Free Trade Agreements with Peru, Oman, and others
I believe they confirmed some nasty appointments by the Criminal in Chief as well

This is off the top of my head, I am sure I could do better with research

And could Nader get elected? It is possible. Let him debate. Maybe he will, probably he won't. One thing is for sure, as long as the liberal intellectuals out there let the corporate media decide who is viable, the game is over.

Lets talk of Instant Run Off Voting, Proportional Representation -- that is my goal. Perhaps if the Dems NEED that stuff to get elected, (breaking their current monopoly), they may actually THINK about supporting it. However, we all know Democrats supporting advancements in democracy is a stretch.

If Dems were really concerned about 3rd parties spoiling the election, they would have made a push for IRV during their current power in congress. But they do not, because they know that would instantly make 3rd parties "viable". Then again, people like me still may not vote for a hawk and fraud of a constitutional scholar like Obama, with his racist Father's Day speech (Black fathers are actually better than white fathers at staying in touch with kids they are separated from), and his economic policies that mirror Republicans. The way to win my vote is not by running for "Bush's Third Term" (Wall Street Journal). For more, check out this nice piece of work..

http://www.counterpunch.org/whitney07112008.html

RichM:

It's really hard to believe that in this day and age anyone can still trot out the old "no difference" canard. It's amazing to think that anyone can have witnessed the last 8 years of Republican dominance and still hold on to that delusion, but here you are in 2008 still pimping that lie. Unbelievable.

You haven't refuted a single argument I've made. Not one. Explain the difference, in practical terms, between a vote for a third party and a vote for mickey mouse, and how either of those is functionally different from a vote for Republicans. I'm still waiting for that answer.

While you're at it, you might want to answer whether or not you actually think that Nader, the Green party, or any third party is going to gain national office at any point in the forseeable future. And if you don't, what exactly is your plan? What is your goal?

From where I'm siting, it looks like your goal is elect Republicans. And if it's not, you certainly manage to do a good job of it anyhow.

The Republican shills here have convinced me. I'm voting for McCain. Mission accomplished! Now you can all go home.

Its not the only warrantless phone taps Stupid.
Its 24/7 warrant less surveillance by community watch and law enforcement.

If I told that thousands of Americans have been subjected to Gang stalking torture all over this country over the last 5 years what would you say?????

Organized torture by community watch groups , IAFF, CIA, FBI.

What would you say?

The iceberg under the tip that the new immunity Fisa bill hides. What they don't want you too know.
Building the nations spy network, by introducing suspects in each community.

Gang Stalking slander techniques creates suspects, suspects creates community fear, fear creates larger community participation.

Terrorists suspects brings DHS money to the community.

Perverts, sex offenders and Terrorists, Oh MY!

Law enforcement and the International association of Firefighters are reaping major benefits from all this activity, Their power grows in each community.

Did you think Terrorist only use phones, they are Mobile.
You need a foot patrol surveillance army to follow these guys.

They follow targets 24/7, conduct noise campaigns and harassment campaigns, drive their suspects crazy all the while training their surveillance teams.

These are very sick twisted power freaks destroying Americans lives for the sake of growing their staffs and gaining power.

Torture, greed , power, ICEBURG !!!!!!

Gang Stalking is Torture.They destroy your life.
People in your community, bankers, church going folks , women , men, police, firefighters, lawyers , city employees, ambulance drivers, get the picture, they destroy your LIFE.

Torture, Nation wide.

Government sanctioned by the DHS. Google Markus Wolfe.Ex- East German Stasi Police chief hired by Homeland Security.
Do you think a guy like this gives a crap about the Constitution, or your religious freedoms.

We need to know who is ordering the warrantless taps and for what reason, and then sue the crap out of the bastards if they have no grounds for invading privacy.

NO Immunity.

Its not just Verizon ass I want, I want the power freaks pulling the strings to go to JAIL for providing information to torture freaks. And I want the torture freaks to go to JAIL.

Read and you will be enlightened.

BornFreeMem

Mr. Chris Hedges, you don't seem to get it, either. The people running our government are psychopathic criminals.

The know they are above the law and special humans. Why in the world would they want to be "monitored" by a free press?

Sorry guys, I don't think the problem is the 2 party system per se, but rather the 1 president system. We should have 2 presidents, and 2 vice presidents, each set from the two parties getting the most popular votes. And then a 3rd set of Presidential Advisors from the 3rd place party. Nothing gets passed without agreement from both presidential sets, and without proof that the advisors provided advice (whether or not it was taken).

Fear not, the only thing we have to fear ---- is who gets elected.

Obama will save us.

Obama will save us

Obamam will save us.

frank1569: You're even more correct than you think. I support the lawsuit as well, and am sending an extra donation to the ACLU, but all the suit will accomplish is a little consciousness-raising. The suit will be immediately rejected by the courts.

Why? Because nobody has standing to challenge the law. Only those who can prove they were harmed by the law have standing, and since nobody except the gumshoes and their bosses has access to wiretap information, nobody can prove they were harmed by the law.

Neat little Catch-22, don't you think?

JH,

I think you've hit on something. Suppose we all just put words like "bombing in America" and let's say we talk about "using terrorism in New York" or "can we get ahold of nuclear material" and see what floats to the top.

Is it time to "compromise" the system since they have been lying through their teeth for the past 8 years? I say they get back what they have dished out. These people have no compunction to play fair. Why should we?

Kitty,
The system is rigged. Correct. Which is all the more reason to vote outside the two parties. At my age I have always believed my vote needed to count. Now I see that nothing but the same status quo will be visited again and again by trying to use the system. This isn't about voting for a third party candidate to win. This is about teaching the American people a lesson.

At this point all of America deserves to suffer at the hands of either of these corporate shills. Americans have gotten fat, lazy and self absorbed. Only the rising price of gas has gotten them semi motivated and for that they want drilling.

This is as much about the American public wanting to continue an unsustainable way of life and both mainstream candidates are willing to lie to them to make them believe they can still have it. It's disgusting.

Anyone reading this thread who'd like some light entertainment might want to look at the altercation between Ms kitty_tc (3:53 & 6:50) and myself (4:26).

Basically, kitty_tc is a typical Dem Party apologist who offered a lame bit of sarcasm at 3:53. Her point amounted to the not-terribly-novel "We gotta vote for Dems, otherwise Repubs will win." I responded to that point with this challenge: "(W)hy don't you tell us in what specific ways we've benefited from all the Democrats elected to Congress since 2000? "

Kitty's response is at 6:50. Though she was able to tell me to "get my head out of my ass" (this being the wittiest of her comments, sort of the "high water mark" of her prose, if you will), readers will note that she was unable to name a single way that we've benefited from Democrats in Congress since 2000. She didn't even attempt to make a positive case for Democrats. Instead, her whole post consisted of points like "Nader won't win the election." (I never even mentioned Nader, nor did I claim he'd win the election.)

Instead of saying anything positive about Democrats, kitty_tc asked "Can you give me a list of the accomplishments made by Green Party Representatives and Senators? ...Oh, wait, there aren't any." But if this is supposed to prove some deficiency of Nader or the Greens, it doesn't begin to compare to what the failure of the Democrats proves. Our present political setup is defined by the fact that the 2 big parties collude with one another to make sure that no one else (Nader, Greens, socialists, etc) can compete. So, no recent legislative accomplishments for Nader (& Greens & socialists) does not have the same meaning as the zero accomplishments for Democrats.

Here you have a setup where the Democrats collude with known criminals & gangsters, to block everyone else from having a fair chance at holding power. And DESPITE this immense (and corrupt, and antidemocratic) advantage, they STILL have no positive accomplishments! The D's have done no more for us in the last 8 years than Greens, socialists & Nader -- despite their colluding with Republicans to block everyone else from holding office.

jlocke:

Am I speaking Swahili here? Klingon? I have given you the rationale. It's called basic Civics. The system is rigged against third parties, period. The only way to change that is to alter the voting system, and you have to have a majority in power to do that. There's no such thing as a national ballot initiative, our system doesn't allow for that kind of direct democracy.

No one who advocates third party ascension has demonstrated how that's even possible, let alone a plan for getting there. They just say things like "it's the only way!" and flame people who don't go along with the non-plan.

I still don't see anyone taking me up on my bet.

racom40 July 11th, 2008 7:40 pm:

"Obama is an exceedingly intelligent person, I'm not sure of his vision of where to take this country."

This is honestly the best defence of Obama I have ever heard.

Obama is smart and that is a good thing. The trouble is with your follow up "not sure of his vision". That's the sticky bit isn't it?

If Obama is a smart person but he is against you, the multitude of Americans, and he's with the few thousand elite people that don't want single payer health care or an end to perpetual war, that's not so good.

Can you think of any American public figures who, as well as being intelligent, have consistently shown that they will fight for your interests? Now if only some of them were running for office…

Lot of anger expressed here, rightfully so. Many blame the repugs, others blame the dems and some just want to opt out. The bitter truth is, this nation, under our elected representatives from both major parties has been led into fascism and it matters only so much who gets elected. Even though Obama voted for this tyrannical bill he still would be far better than McCain in command. Another 4 years of continued insanity is more than any of us can stand. If Obama is elected I believe many things in this country will begin to recover.
Contemplating the monumental problems bush has caused McCain would not have a clue where to start. If he can't bomb it he is lost! Obama is an exceedingly intelligent person, I'm not sure of his vision of where to take this country. I am quite sure of McCain and am totally against that.

jlocke123,

You are welcome. The problem is even if the Congressional approval rating was 2% they would not care. Your process makes more sense, and I wish we could sweep both of these parties out of Congress, but unfortunately we are stuck with this system.

Really? A lawsuit? Are you f**king kidding? Against the administration that ignores all laws, the Congress, the Supreme Court, and reality in general?

Good f**king luck. Meanwhile, start writing and speaking in code.

Stop it? Hah.

I would like to see a mass spam email go out from all corners of the globe using the probable key-words that would trip the capture and review of the communications. Imagine millions of messages clogging their net, all of them irrelevant verbal garbage -- just random words, half of them ones likely to be attention worthy. The other half benign words that they aren't looking for: "love", "peace", "compassion", "tolerance", "knowledge" etc. etc. Would that foul up their system? I don't know, but it could prove to be annoying.

Bastille Day July 14

"We announce to the world the true principles of our actions. We wish an order of things where all low and cruel passions are enchained by the laws; all beneficent and generous feelings awakened; where distinctions arise only from equality itself; where the citizen is subject to the magistrate; the magistrate to the people, the people to justice. Where industry is an adornment to the liberty that ennobles it and commerce the source of public wealth, not simply of monstrous riches for a few families. We wish to substitute in our country morality for egoism, probity for a mere sense of honor, principle for habit, duty for etiquette, the empire of reason for the tyranny of custom, contempt for vice for contempt for misfortune; the grandeur of man for the triviality of grand society. We wish, in a word, to fulfill the course of nature, to absolve providence from the long reign of tyranny and crime."

Maximilien Robespierre

RichM July 11th, 2008 2:28 pm: "Every day we have indoctrinated fools here saying, "Well, since the only VIABLE candidates are Obama & McCain"

Yeah I see what you mean. kitty_tc is pretty much the typical response whenever I try to get Democratic or Republican supporters to tell me why they do what they do. I'd really like to hear a rationale that is at least internally consistent.

Claudius, thanks for the up to date numbers. Its odd seeing polls for measuring "confidence" in congress. In multiparty countries, we measure usually the popularity of the distinct parties. When one goes down, others of course go up and in an election if the ruling parties fall to the numbers you cited, they would be completely swept out of office. In America, inexplicably, no matter how low the incumbents fall in the polls, they remain where they are, with a trickle of new Democrats and Republicans replacing retirees or those kicked upstairs to the lobbying firms.

Every Democrat who voted for this must be voted out of office. Beware of crypto-Republicans pretending to be Democrats when you consider their replacement. If they do the dodge and shuffle on impeachment, FISA, 9/11, then they are pretenders. Support only those who talk straight on these issues.

The best thing might be to let the Republicans stay in control. Even the right is losing faith in Republicans. A Democrat in power pursuing the same policies would just galvanize them against the Left and let the Republicans off the hook. When Left and Right unite against the elite, only then will change be possible. Instead, left and right fight each other, and the elites laugh all the way to the bank. Divide and rule is their game. Vote McCain (if for no other reason than the elite want Obama-follow the money for proof).

RichM:

Can you give me a list of the accomplishments made by Green Party Representatives and Senators? The bills vetoed or signed into law by President Nader?

Oh, wait, there aren't any. They do not and can not win elections in this rigged system. Get your head out of your ass. Anyone with the slightest shred of political knowledge knows as an unequivocal FACT that under our voting system third parties ONLY split votes away from their nearest ideological rival, benefiting the party most opposed to them both. People who don't know this need to be hit upside the head with a civics textbook until they learn.

There will never be a Ralph Nader presidency. Do you understand that? You might as well write in my name, I have the same practical chance of winning, which is zero. It's just not going to happen. All the wishing and hoping and pretending in the world won't change that.

Don't believe me? Put your money where your mouth is. Let's make a bet, say, $1,000? $10,000? more? I bet that come December we will have a Democratic or a Republican President-Elect and that neither Ralph Nader nor a Green Party candidate will be anywhere near holding even a sizable minority let alone a functional power-wielding majority in Congress. In fact it's overwhelmingly likely they won't even have a minority of one. How much do you want to bet? Come on, you're not scared are you? You wouldn't be suggesting voting for them if you didn't think they'd win would you?

Come on, any amount of money you want to name, that Ralph Nader or a Green Party candidate will not be President. You're sure this strategy of yours will work, come on, back it up.

You really -do- believe they can win right? You're not just blowing smoke up our asses knowing that nothing will ever come of it, are you? You wouldn't do that to us... right?

Phone everyone you know who is in a foreign country on a regular basis.

jlocke123,

The last information I reviewed, the Congress had a "confidence" rating of 9% and an overall "approval" rating of 14%. Either way, these are the lowest ratings in the history of Congressional polls (I believe 36 years), and arguably the lowest in Congressional history.

The most accurate reading I could get on the Village-Idiot-In-Chief was a 27% (taking an average of all of the polls)approval rating. Some polls indicated 30% but I talked to some colleagues and we all seem to agree that statistic is unrealistic. The lowest I saw was 24%. Either way Shrub is in Nixon territory.

The worst terrorist threatening the world is George Bush, and this only enables his activities - let's lose this FISA thing fast, guys; our president is killing us and the Constitution by inches.

Fourth Amendment gone. Just Two and Ten. Handguns and a mob, justifiable removal of the current renter's @ 1600.
I do so hate guns, though. I know hunter's that are REAL Hunters, they use the entire, screaming aloud, animal. I still hate it all. Where my stupid ass house is with right wing Fucks that are cowards and slash tires while in Europe because my bumper stickers don't comply with their rhetoric, except 2 homes where they are okay. Please someone buy this, I need to leave this country, NOW.
My Senator, Casey Jr., GD imbecile, responds to my last email re;FISA. He is going on how no this is true, that isn't. I'm only used to receiving auto-generated emails from that putz. When I called to fire him, I told the intern that Mr. Robert Casey, Jr. was wrong and should actually read the text of the bill before he votes. Of course they'll be able to still tap my phone, SEC.703. and SEC.704 of TITLE VII. re;spying on US citizens in and outside of the US. Daughter and husband left for our house in Turkey today for 7 weeks, I suppose I'll be hearing that cross-talk and odd beepy sounds again.
No one ever mentions the physical searches. TITLE I. SEC.7., so here we go with this, "What's that inside your car, house, person. Sorry gotta search 'ya." Fuck that. I need a new country, I don't want to live in Turkey 24/7 husband would be there at the same time, nuh-uh, France is cool, I like Dusseldorf. I don't know, Namaste?

`

want to do something about it? send money to Cindy Sheehan, or just send a note of encouragement, and send the party hacks a message.

cindyforcongress.com

Obama's slide from 'Harbinger of Hope' to 'scumbag du jour' was breathtakingly fast. I think anybody who votes for Obama after this is delusional if they think he'll be anything other than a trained seal for the power elite. Man, I am depressed. Thanks fer nuthin', Obama. Heckuva job.

I bid a job with an out of state company that wanted to email me a file to burn onto a memory stick to operate a CNC robotic machine and make their part out here in the country. When they found out that all I had for an internet hook up was Verizon DSL they canceled the job. They would not send proprietary software knowing that Verizon has already been splitting off information and giving it to the gov. Just as easily they can steal your software or other information and sell it. This law prevents me or you from suing should you find someone else making your product with your software.

I guess only the rich can get to compete globally.Obama for voting for this you can kiss my ass along with your democratic buddies.

David Holmquist, can you please give more information on how we can go about demanding that Google/YouTube include Nader in the September debate? Thanks in advance!! (:

RichM---extremely well said. I am getting sick and tired of the same old same old from the Dems apologists. It's like watching the vitriole unleashed against Ralph Nader in An Unreasonable Man, over and over. It makes me physically ill these days. My party right or wrong!!! That is what their mantra is. UGH!!!!

It is nobody else's business, the government included, what I say or do in my home or in private telephone conversations. The spying on me indicates an accusation. The Constitution and the Bill of Rights rightly assumes that I am innocent and requires some evidence before I am accused.

The kind of people who think everybody is committing crimes and breaking laws are paranoid or guilty due to their own activities.

Have any FISA jusdges resigned over this travesty?
Oh, I forgot ...
They all have mortgages, kids' tuition bills, and home equity loans to pay.
They can't afford to make any waves.
Or ... umm ... defend the Constitution.

This argument over whether or not to vote for Democrats is truly silly. I'd venture a guess that 90 percent of those who post here are unequivocally AGAINST the war in Iraq, IN FAVOR OF single-payer national health care (don't even utter the word "ins------"), and DISGUSTED with the corporate domination of our politics, media, economy and culture. How could anyone with those views even consider voting for a Democrat? Even Sherrod Brown, the great progressive hope of 2006, has given in to the panic of his constituents.

There is, however, a candidate who steadfastly supports these views. Vote for Ralph Nader for President. He will be on the ballot in 45 states in November, including the key swing states where he was illegally denied ballot access in 2004. And if you think that's hyperbole, check www.votenader.org to read about the indictments handed down in Pennsylvania today, against Democratic officials who misused staff and public money to sabotage his 2004 ballot access drive.

With 45 ballot lines, Ralph Nader is easily electable. Don't buy the Democrats' "Spoiler" excuse. They've given away two presidential elections in the past eight years, and have the unbelievable chutzpa to blame Ralph ... if you let them get away with it, then you deserve the fate you're foisting on the rest of us.

Get some guts.

Demand that Google/YouTube include him in their September debate. Boycott the corrupt Commission on Presidential Debates (wholly owned by the DNC and RNC) and their mainstream-media-staged excuse for presidential debates.

Vote Nader. Vote Independent. Vote Green. Be Progressive. Reject the Democrats.

kitty_tc - Your attempts at sarcasm are feeble & pathetic. 99% of Democrats are nothing but Republicans with nicer smiles. Like all Dem Party apologists, you neglected to deal with that unpleasant reality in your ignorant tirade.

Actually, though you meant it sarcastically, it's true that not voting for Democrats is a necessary step in defeating Republicans, at least in the longer run. As long as there are Democrats around, they will protect Republicans, as Pelosi has done. They will refuse to expose Republican crimes, and they will collaborate with Republicans on all their crimes -- as virtually all of them have done, with only a tiny handful of honorable exceptions.

Since you have such a big mouth & such strong feelings on the topic, why don't you tell us in what specific ways we've benefited from all the Democrats elected to Congress since 2000? And most especially since they won back both houses 2006?

I think I will continue supporting the Democrats. Both my Senators, Murray and Cantwell, voted against this atrocity.

Yes, the way to stop Republicans is to NOT VOTE DEMOCRAT! Stay home, or write in Kermit the Frog! Light a candle and wave a magic wand and make the Green Fairy appear and become president! You're not clapping hard enough! You have to wish harder!

Ignore all those people who say that 19% of the vote is as good as 0%, or that third parties have never ever ever done more than that or that without the other 32% the Republicans win. That's just Lesseroftwoevilism (tm) and you can't let that get in the way! It doesn't matter if Republicans know that votes for Green candidates elect Red ones, and that they even give money and support to Greens to help split the left wing vote. Ignore all that! Don't look behind the curtain! Democrats are the enemy! They don't do a good enough job stopping Republicans, so we have to make sure less Democrats get into office by taking votes away from them, don't you see? When Greens and Democrats lose elections, just because the Republicans win doesn't mean we should stop. This is a crusade, a mission! Our march away from the levers of power and into irrelevance can not be stopped by a few practical-minded realpolitik promoters!

Oh, don't forget, while you're sabotaging elections for Democrats, to get rid of all your guns and encourage all your left wing friends to do the same! You don't need them, all you'll do with them is defend yourself or intimidate tyrannical forces, who wants to do that? Remember, we must be as weak, fractured and contentious as possible! WE CAN DO IT!

kivals (3:15) - That's exactly right. The WSWS (among others) has been making that very point for years.

ezeflyer (3:08) - There's basically no such thing as "Progressive Dems." That's an illusory mental construct, for people who just can't let go of believing in Democrats. Maybe if you restricted the group to Kucinich & Feingold, & maybe 3 or 4 others, you could claim there was such a thing. Outside of that, you're just kidding yourself.

And it's unhelpful to keep ranting about "Repugs." The problem is not "Republicans." The problem is both parties, and how they collaborate, working as a single unified mechanism.

criticalthinktank,

It is my guess that part of the reason the new FISA bill was passed was to stop a revolution. Bush's handlers know a depression is likely and that great turmoil will follow. That is why they are determined to put into place new devices to spy on the citizens and new technologies for crowd control (note the CD article yesterday about stink bombs -- "US Weapons Research Smells Like Hypocrisy"). They are putting up their defenses, and they are making them formidable, because they expect many or even most of us to be really upset. That can't be good.

Vote strategically. Greens and Progressive Dems. But anyone here that would put McCain/Bush/Repugs back into power is either a shill, a masochist or an idiot.

jlocke (2:08 pm) writes, "Samson July 11th, 2008 1:49 pm: "The key is to STOP VOTING DEMOCRAT!" ...It amazes me that this needs to be said..... And yet… the vast majority of the low number of Americans who vote will vote for a republican or a democrat. To me, it's like Americans treat their affiliation with one of these parties as they would a membership in a religious denomination ..."

- This precise mechanism is intensely reflected on CD every day, as you well know. It corresponds to what Chomsky calls "the intellectual culture," which he describes as the well-educated & professionally-successful types, who are an unusually indoctrinated section of the population, precisely because they are the intended audience (& largest consumers) of mainstream journals, like the NYT, WSJ, PBS, or WaPo etc.

Every day we have indoctrinated fools here saying, "Well, since the only VIABLE candidates are Obama & McCain, and McCain seems crazy,... [insert banal pre-fabbed conformist conclusion here]." These people are not conscious that they're using this word "viable" to basically mean, "I will allow the MSM to tell me what the limits are, on the range of acceptable political opinion. I will choose only from those possibilities that the MSM tells me are acceptable. I will forget that anything else could even possibly exist..."

For now, all we can do is increase the voting percentages of dissent for alternative parties. Habitual voting for the two mainstream parties is really difficult to disengage in. I started in 1996 and haven't voted for any Democrats since 2000 - in ALL elections! The place to start is in disengaging from all mainsteam media outlets. We have to be brave enough to say: "I'm not putting up with this horrible system anymore -I will ONLY vote for alternative parties" - to everyone who will listen (even those who won't!)

Samson July 11th, 2008 1:49 pm: "The key is to STOP VOTING DEMOCRAT!"

It amazes me that this needs to be said.
Quality posts lately, Samson, by the way. Can I put a question out there to you or anyone who dares?

I hear numbers tossed around: "approval rate of congress – 9%, approval rate of president – 30 %, (I'm just making up numbers here, I'm not sure what the real ones are). And yet…and yet, the vast majority of the low number of Americans who vote will vote for a republican or a democrat. To me, it's like Americans treat their affiliation with one of these parties as they would a membership in a religious denomination ex: "we've always voted republican", "my parents were lifelong democrats". Do you see what I'm driving at?

On mainstream media, other parties get no play so is there any way to judge how close or how far America is from multiparty democracy and is there any movement in either direction?

Maybe it is time for a revolution. According to John Locke's principals, that our founding fathers based our country on, we are there. Please read this site and all that is said. A man of the enlightenment and a man for the power of the individual and not government.

http://www.blupete.com/Literature/Biographies/Philosophy/Locke.htm#Extent

http://www.iep.utm.edu/l/locke-po.htm

After this horrible FISA passage, it is time for the people to read the founding fathers basis for their philosophy.

Samson wrote:

"The Nation is funny in their article. They emphasize blaming Bush for all of this, and manage to never mention the word "Democrats'. No surprise, The Nation always becomes an organ of the Democratic Party during election cycles. And this is typical Democrat bull, trying to blame Bush for policies that the Democrats are equally responsible for."

Hear hear!!!

Nader used a metaphor describing Katrina as a cow with a ring in her nose: she can be lead anywhere...

I love the idea of electing Cindy to Congrees. But remember that by herself she's just 1 of 435. What we need is Greens or Independents or even Libertarians elected from ALL of the districts. So, who's running in your area?

The Nation is funny in their article. They emphasize blaming Bush for all of this, and manage to never mention the word "Democrats'. No surprise, The Nation always becomes an organ of the Democratic Party during election cycles. And this is typical Democrat bull, trying to blame Bush for policies that the Democrats are equally responsible for.

yet another poignant piece by Mr. Hedges! this new law is a tyranical travesty indeed! VOTE THIRD PARTY! LETS GET CINDY SHEEHAN ELECTED INTO CONGRESS!

People who 'have nothing to hide' have long put their letters into sealed envelopes.

Don't know about a 'recall', but in a few months we have the ability to replace the entire House of Representatives and 1/3rd of the Senate and also to elect a new President. We can choose not to support the corporate parties who keep doing this to us and we can choose to elect new representatives from Independent campaigns or '3rd parties' that would not sell off our rights like this.

The key is to STOP VOTING DEMOCRAT!

Impeach or recall all those that voted for or did not stop this tyranical travesty.

This is all part of the Orwellian Powers That Be laying the groundwork to locate and silence all dissenters should dissent ever begin to become effective. It sets a precedent. It confers upon the self-styled commanders in chief authority to declare who is a "threat" and do something about it.

That's us if we ever find a way to become effective.

This article makes a good point. Even if YOU have nothing to hide, the value of the constitutional protections being violated here is that journalists, academics and others need them in order to provide you with the information you need as a citizen.

And, as another article by Matthew Rothschild further down points out, this new law approves of things like your landlord helping the police break into your flat, without a probable cause or a warrant. I think it is worth repeating.

-Check out Title VIII: "Protection of Persons Assisting the Government." A "person" is defined as "an electronic communication service provider" or "a landlord, custodian, or other person who may be authorized or required to furnish assistance. . . ." Note how wide open is the category of "other person."

-And "assistance" is defined as "the provision of, or the provision of access to, information (including communication contents, communications records, or other information relation to a customer or communication), facilities, or another form of assistance." Notice how wide open is the category of "another form of assistance."

Too bad this comes too late for Nixon's "plumbers". For a glimpse of your future, check out what journalists and democracy activists use in China; Its called Gpass. It anonamyzes and encrypts internet communication. They use it to get around the "golden shield" firewall being built for the Chinese government by Cisco Systems.

Hey Chris,

How come some intrepid Congressperson doesnt come out and say the obvious: "Mr. President, another reason we dont want such a law is because we think unscrupulous people such as yourself will use it against political rivals or people in the government - Congresspeople - who oppose their drive for absolute executive power, and who would also use it for blackmail."

Tell me Chris - why hasnt ONE reporter ever said this on a cable news program? BTW, liked your book on christian fascism - it's a story I have been following since the book "Holy Terror" published in the early 1980's.