Five Myths About the New Wiretapping Law; Why It’s a Lot Worse Than You Think

June 26th, 2008

I almost wonder what the Obama cult members must be thinking right now…

Via: Slate:

Here, then, is the bitter joke of the new legislation: From 2001 to 2007, the NSA engaged in a secret program that was a straightforward violation of America’s wiretapping laws. Since the program was revealed, the administration has succeeded in preventing the judiciary from making a definitive declaration that the wiretapping was a crime. Suits against the government get dismissed on state-secrets grounds, because while the program may have been illegal, it was also so highly classified that its legality can never be litigated in open court. And now suits against the telecoms will by dismissed en masse as well. Meanwhile, the new law moves the goal posts, taking illegal things the administration was doing and making them legal.

Whatever Hoyer and Pelosi—and even Obama—say, this amounts to a retroactive blessing of the illegal program…

4 Responses to “Five Myths About the New Wiretapping Law; Why It’s a Lot Worse Than You Think”

  1. Druff says:

    “I almost wonder what the Obama cult members must be thinking right now…”

    There’s a lot of howling and despair going on at Digby’s, etc., believe it or not. Commenters are starting to disown the Dems for November. Meanwhile, Glenn Greenwald has turned against Keith Olbermann…

    This is probably all talk, though. And I don’t know how representative of Dems in general the Netroots is.

  2. anothernut says:

    The Repubs are evil, but the Dems are so complicit, so weak, I’d have to give the “Most Contemptible” award to the latter. “God forbid we fight for what’s right, for the CONSTITUTION of all things, in an election year.”

    How can anyone with a brain come to any conclusion other than “they don’t give a shit”?

  3. tm says:

    I’ve been pestering people to join me in boycotting the two establishment parties ever since the first presidential election I was eligible for, 1992. I would hope that any thinking would-be voter by now has figured out that the republicrats and democans are equally useless. Its not going to change anything in the short-term, or maybe even in the long-term, but if 3rd party candidates for President managed to combine for 25% of the vote this year (wishful thinking perhaps), it would seriously disturb the shit out of the mainstream political establishment. You’ve got nothing to lose by giving it a shot.

  4. lagavulin says:

    A few months ago, when Obama-mania was riding strong, I knew enough to bite my lip and not say what seemed so obvious: that the 2-party System was going to change Obama, not the other way around. It’s far more difficult to change the System while working within the System.

    I feel America would have had a great shot at a popular, outsider, 3rd-party candidate by 2012. Now I’m sensing that Obama’s nomination has effectively sucked the growingly disenfranchised fringes of the Democratic party back in for yet another “it’s going to be different this time”.

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