The bill, which was passed on a 293-129 vote, does more than just protect the telecoms. The update to the 30-year-old Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is an attempt to balance privacy rights with the government’s responsibility to protect the country against attack, taking into account changes in telecommunications technologies.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080620/ap_on_go_co/terrorist_surveillance
:tinfoilhat:
Now how am I supposed to plan my revolution?
We’ll make our own internetz. I have a ton of extra soup cans an like 50000’ of twine. High speed, y0!
Let’s do it. I hear it’s just a series of tubes!
Oh and :tinfoilhat:
MY 2 favorite parts about this act:
1.) Wiretaps won’t be approved by a FISA court, just a normal court order is all that is needed. One that Republican senators are already calling just a “formality”
2.) Regarding the lawsuits currently in progress against the telcos; the Attorney General will gain the power to declare documents “secret”. This declaration seals the papers from the public, and most shockingly the plaintiff.
Thats right, the plaintiff in the lawsuit is NOT allowed to see whatever documents the AG declares secret. The judge is not allowed to reference these papers in his dismissal nor is the judge allowed to give cause as to why the suits are being dismissed.
Constitution is just a piece of paper
:tup:
The bill, which was passed on a 293-129 vote, does more than just protect the telecoms. The update to the 30-year-old Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is an attempt to balance privacy rights with the government’s responsibility to protect the country against attack, taking into account changes in telecommunications technologies.
“This bill, though imperfect, protects both,” said Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., and a former member of the intelligence committee.
When a DEMOCRAT from CALIFORNIA says that, I think you can put your tinfoil hats away.
And I’m glad my republican’s held out for the protections for corporations that went along with the wiretaps. Regardless of how you feel about the wiretaps subjecting a bunch of companies to billions in BS class action lawsuits that will only make a bunch of lawyers rich isn’t going to help anyone and will only raise our phone bills. These companies were just following the orders of the federal government.
But, the federal government did not have the legal right to tell them to wiretap and harvest data from AMERICAN CITIZENS.
I have no problem with an update to wiretapping protocol, but the the protection for the corporations is BS. What they did was illegal, simple as that.
And no, it was no a bunch of lawyers trying to get rich, it was mostly watchdog organizations and universities with the lawsuits.
Open spying on american sounds all good and great until at some point in time when they say make it illegal to like GTO’s. (obviously very exaggerated example)
This is the United States of America, not communist Russia. We have laws here that protect THE PEOPLE from THE GOVERNMENT.
Ok, so the government shows up here where I work, a credit union software company, and tells us we need to modify our code to track fund transfers that go overseas. We check them out, they’re legit feds, they have the paperwork, and if we tell them to fuck off we’ll face charges or at a minimum have our federal certifications pulled. So it’s our responsibility to fight this in court? Hell no, just like it’s not AT&T’s responsibility to fight wiretaps, or the resulting lawsuits if they don’t fight them.
Let the ACLU or other privacy group sue the government, since they’re the ones saying they have legal grounds for the wiretaps, but not the corporations that I just going along with what the government is telling them is legal. That’s total class action lawyer bullshit right there.
The more I read the more I’m starting to love this bill.
Numbers:
Hours given to the House to debate this bill: 1
Hours after its release the bill was voted on: 24
Quotes (NY Times):
With some AT&T and other telecommunications companies now facing some 40 lawsuits over their reported participation in the wiretapping program, Republican leaders described this narrow court review on the immunity question as a mere “formality.”
“The lawsuits will be dismissed,” Representative Roy Blunt of Missouri, the No. 2 Republican in the House, predicted with confidence.
The proposal — particularly the immunity provision — represents a major victory for the White House after months of dispute. “I think the White House got a better deal than they even they had hoped to get,” said Senator Christopher Bond, the Missouri Republican who led the negotiations.
Let’s not forget that the FISA court already found at least part of the wiretapping program to be illegal.
The formality they’re talking, and the dismissals they’re talking about are for all the class action lawsuits the telco’s are facing. They are not talking about getting a wiretap warrant being a formaility.
Do you really think AT&T should be sued for millions, if not billions, for doing what the government told them was legal? I mean come on, we’re not talking black and white herding millions of jews to the gas chambers nuremberg trials here.
Well look at that, JayS, is right. No oversight or approval will be required to wiretap an American. Interesting, nearly every outlet, except the NY Times, is misquoting that article.
Do you really think AT&T should be sued for millions, if not billions, for doing what the government told them was legal?
Yes. You’re driving down the road, there’s a cop in your passenger seat. As you pass the 35mph sign the cop tells you the sign is wrong. Now even though you’ve lived in this town for 30 years, and have always obeyed that sign, this time you hammer the gas. Flashing lights and sirens appear in your rear view. Apparently JayS says you are not responsible to pay that ticket.
:picard:
It’s just not worth it. Have a good weekend.
And this thread is a perfect example of why we have elected officials instead of true majority rules.
because those positions are filled with people of your opinion?
no your opinions are just wrong silly.
Mine too
and the ALCU, EFF, the 100+ house members that voted against it, and anyone who has ever read the constitution and believed it principles.
pssst… see custom title.
These bills mean nothing…
The NSA/CIA does whatever it feels like in the name of national security…
These bills just adjust the what they can publicly use against someone in court.
bump It passed the Senate and you know Bush is going to sign it.
(Fox News link specifically to piss off Matt) 
Oh like your job needed to be easier. :roll2:
