Last night the US Senate put another nail into the coffin of the Constitution. The Senate voted 68-29 to reauthorize giving the executive branch, the President,increased power to tap our phones,computers, and e-mails WITHOUT obtaining FISO approval, before or even after the fact.
FISO? That was our secret court. The Senate supports providing immunity for telecom companies, especially AT$T,who previously, contrary to law, released our private information for warrantless surveillance programs used by Bush-Cheney. The Senate says that it is an anti-terrorist measure. Bush immediately praised the Democratic Senate for passing a "good bill".
This bill will permit the executive branch, any President, our growing autocracy, to secretly intercept our private communications WITHOUT a court order. FISO has been gutted! NO warrant to a secret court for approval will be needed. Moreover, this is an extension of citizen surveillance as prior to now the calls were for overseas communication. This bill provides for domestic calls as well.
Who wrote the bill? The Democrats, led by John Rockefeller. Rockefeller said: "This is the right way to go." Sure is, if we want an absolutist US Government! In final passage, 16 other Democrats voted "aye". Neither Clinton nor Obama believed it was important to vote.
What does that say?