I think we need to stop trying to rationalize why this vote is happening. It appears that it is happening because it is easier than any alternative.
Here is the list of the groups who oppose it strongly:
Coalition Opposes Senator Bond's FISA LegislationWhat the bill will do.
The bill would authorize massive warrantless surveillance.
The bill would require no individualized warrant even when an American’s communications clearly are of interest to the government.
The bill would curtail effective judicial review of surveillance.
The bill would grant retroactive immunity for wrongdoing.
The bill would not provide a reasonable sunset.
The list of groups which oppose the bill is most impressive.
The proposed bill would grant unnecessary and unconstitutional powers to the Executive Branch. We urge you oppose it, and to vote against any legislation that contains the defects described above.
Thank you for considering our views.
American Civil Liberties Union
American Library Association
Arab-America Anti-Discrimination Committee
Association of Research Libraries
Bill of Rights Defense Committee
Center for American Progress Action Fund
Center for Democracy & Technology
Center for National Security Studies
Congressman Bob Barr, Liberty Strategies
Defending Dissent Foundation
Doug Bandow, Vice President for Policy, Citizen Outreach Project
DownsizeDC.org, Inc.
Electronic Frontier Foundation
Fairfax County Privacy Council
Friends Committee on National Legislation
League of Women Voters of the United States
Liberty Coalition
MAS Freedom
OMB Watch
Open Society Policy Center
OpenTheGovernment.org
People For the American Way
Privacy Lives
Republican Liberty Caucus
The Multiracial Activist
United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society
U.S. Bill of Rights Foundation
Our party is doing the wrong thing. They know they are doing it, because Steny Hoyer even admitted they brought it to a vote to keep
the Blue Dogs from voting on something worse.How very sad, how very pathetic.
That is what we have come to as a party.
I compare this to the vote to invade and occupy Iraq. It was the easiest thing to do at the time.
How tragic. How sad.
