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Bush Hearts August FISA Overhaul
Admiral McConnell isn't the only administration figure lukewarm on the Democrats' RESTORE bill. President Bush just issued his first statement on the bill -- sort of.
Unlike McConnell, though, Bush didn't actually mention anything about RESTORE. Instead, he repeatedly praised the Protect America Act, August's FISA revision that RESTORE somewhat scales back. The PAA "strengthened our ability to collect intelligence on terrorists overseas" and "closed a dangerous gap in our intelligence," Bush said. "Keeping this authority is essential to keeping America safe." While he didn't actually criticize RESTORE, the strong implication is that the bill is too restrictive for him, even though its provisions for authorizing surveillance on foreign targets are remarkably similar to those within the PAA.
Could, maybe, politics have something to do with the tepid response the bill is getting from the administration? Here's how a GOP aide outlined the party's strategy to the Baltimore Sun's Siobhan Gorman:
The GOP strategy is to "run out the clock," he said, adding that Republican Senate leaders and the White House are "100 percent on board" with that plan.Republicans, the aide said, "don't mind having this fight." He added, "this is Democrat-on-Democrat violence. The [American Civil Liberties Union] hates it. Most of the members hate it, but they also realize that if they don't do it, they can be blamed in the future" for a terrorist attack.
Comments (7)
Anonymous wrote on October 10, 2007 1:02 PM:The Democrats will be blamed for Bush's veto? Bush has a popularity of 30%. Not one of his current supporters will change his vote to Democratic even if the Democrats supported Republican legislation to burn the constitution in the name of freedom.
The Democrats want the government to have this power and they want the corporations protected. There is absolutely no possibility that the Democrats will protect our rights, but they will even lie about the reason for their betrayal.
RB-Chicago wrote on October 10, 2007 1:25 PM:Welcome to 1984...
Jeff wrote on October 10, 2007 1:30 PM:The Democrats will be blamed regardless of whether they fight, compromise or cave completely to Bush. Listen up Dems, if you're gonna be attacked,no matter what, follow your conscience-- you have nothing to lose except that yellow streak down your back.
Anonymous wrote on October 10, 2007 2:45 PM:The Baltimore Sun's Siobhan Gorman is one of the best reporters on NSA issues.
The Dems should not have passed the earlier bill, but since they did, they really have to put out a good bill and let the President veto it. Then they have to explain why the sentiment expressed above is exactly wrong -- the GOP and the President will be the ones responsible for the next terrorist strike, not the Dems (although the likelihood that preventing a terrorist attack is dependent on the differences between the Protect America Act and the RESTORE Act has got to be infinitesimal).
melior wrote on October 10, 2007 3:08 PM:they can be blamed in the future" for a terrorist attack.
Well, at least that lets gays, atheists, brown people, and liberals off the hook this time.
Helen Rainier wrote on October 11, 2007 9:51 AM:For the love of god -- do these usurpers of the Constitution to believe this is necessary to stop terrorist attacks? How soon they forget that they had specific intel reports from over 50 different intel sources warning of 9-11 and they couldn't connect the dots based on that. And they expect to "connect the dots" by recording thousands upon thousands of phone calls, e-mails, etc.? Please -- give me a freaking break.
Here's a good example of what I mean: After the news broke about the WH "compromising" the SITE Intelligence Group, I did a quick search to find out more about SITE. That, in turn, took me to a site www.rewardsforjustice.net administered by the State Department. They list UBL as wanted for the 9-11 attacks. Yet, you go to the FBI Most Wanted Terrorist List, and there is no mention of UBL being wanted for 9-11. So, why the discrepancy between two federal agencies?
Point is: These idiots aren't even on the same page -- they can't even connect the dots between each other. What a bunch of BS.
This is just another attempt to "control" the population at large -- I think it's also a reason the GOP is so intent on doing away with net neutrality -- the grass roots of the net have threatened their hold on power and exposed their corruption. We also must remember it is the telecoms that oppose net neutrality.
Don't subscribe much to conspiracy theories, but I have to come to lend more credence in them over the past six years.
Jane wrote on October 11, 2007 12:54 PM:The Bush Whitehouse is responsible for the next terrorist attack by spilling the beans that SITE was able to spy on OBL. OBL plugged that set of leaks. It would be both dismaying and astounding if other organizations had not be relying on the same methods. The Republicans are in the posture about complaining about how the bag is made after having let the cat out.
The other reason the Republicans will be responsible for the next terrorist attack is that there is a good probability that the next set of 'terrorist' will be recruited from the relatives of victims of BLACKWATER.