So, with Sen. Jim Webb’s vote, the Senate passed a measure that “broaden[s] the ability to eavesdrop without warrants on communications that are primarily “foreign†in nature, even if they may touch on Americans’ phone calls and e-mail.” In doing so, they capitulated to a President who has shown, over and over again, that he cannot be trusted to respect American’s most basic rights.
I know that Sen. Webb knows that Bush can’t be trusted. I also know that he’s not stupid enough to be bamboozled by the sky-is-falling act the Administration goes through every time it wants something. What I don’t know is what in the world would move Webb to give more power to a President and Attorney General who have absolutely no respect for the law.
So what your problem, Jim Webb? Do you think that your constituents are so stupid that they’ll demand that you give Bush everything he wants? Do you just not give a damn about the Constitution? Or was it just easier for you?
I think you owe us an answer.
Background for those who are interested:
Marty Lederman’s analysis of the bill
The Director of National Intelligence and Dems agreed on a bill, Bush threw a fit, Dems capitulated.
Update: Here’s Webb’s statement on the matter. It’s as appalling as I expected. And the apologists should really be ashamed, falling all over themselves to make excuses (and what’s really sad is that they sound just like the Republicans they spent so much time and effort berating.
Peej
Oh, freaking fantastic.
Of course, now I am tempted to conduct every single verbal and written correspondence, be it electronic or not, in very loud/obvious Farsi with a few words of Arabic and Turkish thrown in for good measure.
You know, at least back home they had the decency to formally announce that all phone calls and letters (back in the day; now it includes e-mail, too, which is easy since Internet access is state controlled) are subject to scrutiny, with no apologies or trying to frill it up as being for our own good. If you’re going to infringe on my privacy, I’d so much rather you don’t add insult to injury and just say it for what it is.
Bah.
MB
I suppose, at some point in the future, you’ll be able to request a copy of your greatest hits from the NSA.
I keep thinking I’ll be less shocked and outraged, over time. But it doesn’t seem to be fading.