Cross posted from TortDeform.Com

"It is a universal truth that the loss of liberty at home is to be charged to the provisions against danger, real or pretended, from abroad."--James Madison

Senator Dodd read this quote during hearing statements last fall over whether telecommunications companies that illegally spied on the American public should be granted retroactive immunity for violating our constitutional right to privacy. Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee's proposed amendment to the FISA bill, which would have eliminated the option of so-called "liability protection" for telecom law-breakers, was tossed out by a 60-34 vote. Next up was the SSCI bill, which would grant retroactive immunity to telecoms. As Senate considered that bill its supporters--a largely Republican group with a hefty sprinkling of Dems in the mix--made every effort to block any amendments that would have addressed its glaring civil liberties concerns. And on this Monday at 4:30 p.m., the Senate will vote on whether to stop considering amendments to the SSCI bill and just move forward with passing it.

I've ranted about this issue before. But the Administration's apparently increasing gall and contempt for the law notwithstanding, and its undying commitment to shielding corporate friends from the effect of the law aside, let's focus instead on the lie of so-called "liability protection" and what it really means for the public and our civil justice system.

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Reprinted from The Satirical Political Report http://satiricalpolitical.com

Within the past few days, both Vice President Cheney and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales have attacked critics of the Bush Administration's warrantless surveillance program, including a federal judge who ruled last August that the program was unconstitutional.

As Gonzales succinctly said, "we shouldn't let facts like the U.S. Constitution get in the way of our fight to defend freedom."

Gonzales also criticized judges who recognized such facts as the Enlightenment, the Geneva Convention, Congressional statutes, the New Deal, the Great Society and global warming.

Despite the Democrats' midterm election victory, the Attorney General insisted that the Administration would continue to push for federal judges who share the philosophy of a Scalia or Thomas: "We believe that judges should adhere to "original in-tent," that is, the norms of pre-Magna Carta feudal society, when most folks were living in tents."

CONTINUED at: http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=420

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 If you take the time to follow all the links below and think about them critically, the mystery of why the president doesn't believe he's been breaking any laws will reveal itself: he hasn't been, because he's not obligated anymore to follow the Constitution. Believing he still is, is the biggest lie anyone can tell themselves now. I think these are the "executive" powers he used to refer to, that nobody could find in the Constitution. That's because they aren't there. Maybe this is why Senator McCain backed down. Good actors indeed, saying they'll obey the judges, while continuing to do the same thing. They'll do the same with torture, unless you think they've quit spying after being ordered to quit. I can imagine hearing it now, "What happens in Syria, stays in Syria." 

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http://www.aclu.org/safefree/nsaspying/2 6722prs20060913.html

VERY VERY VERY BAD...

"Today, the Senate Judiciary Committee acted as a rubber stamp for the administration's abuse of power," said Caroline Fredrickson, Director of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. "Congress has a right and obligation to conduct meaningful oversight on the unlawful actions of the president. But instead of investigating lawbreaking, the Senate Judiciary Committee wants to make it legal. We urge the full Senate to reject any attempts to ratify this illegal program."

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