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Senate Votes on Surveillance Bill
The voting on the lion's share of the amendments to the surveillance bill will take this morning and afternoon in the Senate. We'll keep you updated as the results come in.
The first major vote was on Sen. Dianne Feinstein's (D-CA) amendment to make clear that FISA is the "exclusive means" by which the government could conduct surveillance. As Feinstein said in her pitch, “The President does not have the right to collect the content of Americans’ communications without obeying the governing law -- and that law is FISA. Let there be no doubt: FISA has been – and continues to be – the exclusive means for electronic surveillance in this country. This amendment simply reaffirms and strengthens the existing law.”
Well, Democrats couldn't convince enough Republicans that there should be no doubt. And the doubt will remain. The bill failed 57-41, since it needed 60 votes, according to prior agreement between Republicans and Democrats. Update: Here's the tally for that.
We'll keep you updated as the (probably dismal) results come in.
Josh
Zachary
There's always litigation. I don't see how this is a constitutional bill. It isn't as though we're a European government and can just make s*** up on the fly because we're a "sovereign parliament". But in order for this to actually work, in order to maintain the usefulness of the courts in fulfilling their constitutional role during those recurring times in American history when elected officials are bought, you need a president who will not pack the bench with Federalist Society judges.
February 12, 2008 11:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
This vote was meant to make sure that federal investigators follow the law. It wasn't intended to change any law, just to reinforce the habeus corpus guaranteed me by my Bill of Rights. And it failed. By three votes, the United States Senate decided to ignore the constitution to appease some misguided quest for security at the expense of civil liberty.
"If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy." - James Madison
Also, Clinton? Clinton? Bueller?
February 12, 2008 5:31 PM | Reply | Permalink
JohnStamos alluded to this about Clinton, but let's see the stats:
Repubs voting Yea included Collins (ME), Craig (ID), Hagel (NE), Smith (OR), Snowe (ME), Specter (PA), Sununu (RH), and Voinovich (OH). The Independent Yea vote came from Sanders (VT), and, of course, Lieberman (CT) voted Nay.
But Nelson (D-NE) voted Nay, and Clinton (NY), along with Graham (R-SC) didn't vote. So the Democrat from Nebraska voted Nay while the Republican from Nebraska voted Yea? WTF?
Why do those who voted Nay hate America?
February 12, 2008 10:41 PM | Reply | Permalink
I forgot Murkowski (R-AK). Even SHE voted yea!
February 12, 2008 10:45 PM | Reply | Permalink