The Democrats in the Senate still have the opportunity to be American Patriots and support America'a Constitution and Democracy by filibuster if necessary to let this present bad "Domestic Spying Law" expire Feb. 1. An extension of the present bad law passed in August BASED ON PROVEN FALSE STATEMENTS BY THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION only opens the door for the passage of an even worse law that would include retroactive immunity for the telecommunications companies, a six year longevity that removes criminal liability for the present administration, TIES THE HANDS IF THE NEXT ADMINISTRATION AND CONGRESS and eliminates any effective accountability for the future. THE SENATE HAS A SWORN DUTY TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION.

TELL YOUR SENATORS NO TO ANY EXTENSION AND TO LET THIS BAD LAW EXPIRE. TELL YOUR SENATORS THAT YOU WILL NOT ALLOW FOR SECRET SPYING ON YOUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILREN WITHOUT SAFEGUARDS AND PROTECTIONS FOR THEIR RIGHTS, AND TO CREATE A PROPER BALANCE BETWEEN THEIR RIGHTS AND THE SECURITY NEEDS OF AMERICA.

The "intelligence community" has done such a bang up job so far, why do they need more tools? Good job on 9/11. Good job on Iraq. Good job on capturing Osama bin Laden

Maybe instead of deposing and then killing heads of oil-rich states like Iran or scrutinizing our emails, our country would be better off disbanding our "intelligence community."

Let Exxon pay for their own "intelligence community". They can also pay for their own army instead of subcontracting the US government. They can afford it, thanks to the not-so-patriotic efforts of our "intelligence community" et al.

Allowing the law to expire is fine. Government spy agencies already had the tools to do their job under previous FISA legislation, which struck a very reasonable balance between security concerns and privacy concerns. Warrantless wiretapping was allowed as long as they went to the secret FISA court and applied for warrants after the fact. Bush flouted the previous FISA legislation not because it was necessary but because of his ideological hatred of the rule of law.

Slight tweaks to the old FISA law may be warranted, but it is ridiculous to pretend there is any urgent need for updating, or that any significant changes are really needed. The urgency is being manufactured by the Bush Administration, which broke the FISA law and is now hoping for a rewrite of the law that retroactively redefines his criminal activities as being legal.

The need for FISA expansion has never been justified beyond the "patriotic" expletives. Where's the evidence this expanded surveillance tool has produced ANY real value? Let it die.

Remember when Ted Kennedy's emails were being shared by the Republican caucus during the Nixon years? The possibility of partisan excess is real with hastily passed laws like this. LET IT DIE!

Ted Kennedy was using email during the Nixon administration?

Wow, talk about an early adopter...

Why are Jay Rockefeller, Diane Feinstein, and Harry Reid pimping for the Republicans?

We are asking the 500,000 bloggers whose extraordinary actions have slowed this up to now to help us break out new slogans in the next few days, especially in title lines of e-mail to congress.

The retroactive aspect, while egregious and somehow not a forbidden "ex post facto" law has gotten so much attention that we are conceding too many other essential points.

Bugging the other political party during Watergate needed a physical breakin.

Yes, the technology has changed. Now they don't need to break in, they can do it from the phone company central office. Let's make clear to voters and congresspeople the importance of this issue in terms of domestic political manipulation.

UNSUPERVISED SECRET GOV'T WIRETAPS IN AN ELECTION YEAR ?

RETROACTIVE IMMUNITY FOR NIXON ?

IF SOMEONE IS CALLING AMERICANS AND POLITICALLY OPPOSING THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO LISTEN TO THAT CALL ( AND ALL THEIR STORED CALLS FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS )

Think up more of your own, but lets put the heat on the election year role of these wiretaps. A bill cancelling the ones in progress and not letting them go on into 2008 should be an articulated demand. We are giving up far too much in this debate to concede everything but the retroactive immunity.

Similarly, emphasizing that these are not civilian police wiretaps, but secret military wiretaps on domestic civilians and politicians, a shift in a key foundation of American democracy ( and probable violation of Posse Comitatus Act ) should be brought out.

Lets also be more ready to knock down their fake answers compared to the last round. When they say its OK because the Attorney General now has to get the DNI's signature, is it possible to point out that he is not an impartial requester, he is the Customer. When they say make distinctions based on whether call is routed through US, can we promptly point out that calls can be routed at the phone company and governments whim, with cooperation of friendly intelligence services in other countries exchanging the take.

There is no reason to not hold their feet to the fire on these other important issues, and not let them limit the controversy to retroactive immunity issue.