NationStates Jolt Archive

Playing chicken: House rejects 21-day wiretap extension

February 14, 2008 -- The Bush administration and the House of Representatives are locked into a game of chicken over surveillance reform, and the White House has just torn off its steering wheel.

Earlier this week, the Senate passed White House-approved legislation that would expand intelligence agencies' power to acquire communications between Americans and persons overseas without warrants. It would also grant telecom firms immunity from civil suits stemming from their cooperation with the program of warrantless wiretaps approved by President George W. Bush shortly after September 11, 2001.

House Republicans are also playing hardball, hoping to force Democrats to either deliver a bill that meets White House specifications or face accusations of weakening national security.
http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080214-playing-chicken-house-rejects-21-day-wiretap-extension.html

So the Senate Democrats have already bended over to Bush -again-... and Bush is now asking the House Democrats to bend over too.

I wonder if they will.

Interesting conundrum with an election in less than 9 months.

I don't think the Democrats will alienate INDEPENDENTS by not passing this bill. By now, the only ones that believe Bush are wing-nuts.

Bush, Democrats in showdown over wiretaps

Feb 14, 10:17 PM ET WASHINGTON (AFP) - US President George W. Bush and Democratic lawmakers dug in their heels in a high-stakes showdown over a controversial wiretap law that is set to expire on Friday.

Bush warned the Democratic-led House of Representatives on Thursday that he was ready to delay his trip to Africa on Friday to ensure the bill, which he considers a crucial weapon against terrorism, passes the lower chamber.

But House Democrats have refused to rubber stamp a version of the bill that passed the Senate on Tuesday and would both make the law permanent and provide legal immunity to telecommunication firms who assist in the wiretaps, which critics say go against US privacy laws.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080215/pl_afp/uscongressbushpoliticsintelligence_080215030402;_ylt=AuaXNG897mYzvYtUletzNeWs0NUEso far so good.

Bush says Congress putting US in danger

1 hour, 20 minutes ago-- WASHINGTON - President Bush said Friday that "our country is in more danger of an attack" because of Congress' failure to extend a law that makes it easier for the government to spy on foreign phone calls and e-mails that pass through the United States.
...
"By blocking this piece of legislation, our country is more in danger of an attack," he said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi maintains the congressional majority is simply trying to balance concerns about civil liberties against the government's spy powers, and needs time to do it.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080215/ap_on_go_co/terrorist_surveillance;_ylt=AjoNbCys.Js9U2k_AIZDipSs0NUEThe empire strikes back :D

*gets more popcorn*

The empire strikes back :D

*gets more popcorn*

Pass me some of that, would you? This looks interesting.

There was a resolution to stall FISA on Wednesday: To recognize the people of Washington State for recognizing their veterans. It made my day.

Mmmmm..... Chicken.