Dodd filibuster of telco immunity....

[Lazarus]

....begins tomorrow ( Monday 17 Dec. ).

It never should have come to this but, thanks to that spineless coward Harry Reid, that will be the only option.

Reid had a choice of which version of S. 2248 he chose to introduce as the starting point; the SIC version which contains immunity for the telcos, or the SJC version which does not.

And , of course, he chose immunity.

But, to cover his ass over not respecting the " hold " which Dodd placed on the SIC bill, Reid will offer as a substitute the SJC bill.

That substitute has no chance in Hell of mustering the 60 votes to overcome the Republican threat of filibuster.

See, when the Repubs threaten a filibuster, Reid pulls the bill.
The same as when a Republican places a " hold ", Reid respects that hold.

Not so when members of his own Party do the same.

Out on the campaign trail, Obama and Clinton both said that they would support this filibuster.
I won't be holding my breath.
Their idea of support will be voting against the SIC version and voting for the SJC version. That is, if they even return from Iowa.

My Senator Feingold will be an integral part of this showdown, as will Senator Kennedy.

It is scheduled as the 1st thing on the days' business.

< my computer is acting up. will continue later. GodDamned AT&T. O.O >

[ViolaLee]

I'll be calling Harry Reid tomorrow morning to tell him he should have respected Dodd's hold. I sure wish we had better leaders in the House and Senate. I'd like Dodd, or Feingold instead of Reid. He's such a wimp.

In any case, if both bills are filibustered, neither one will get 60 votes to pass. It's the Senate Intelligence Committee (for immunity) vs the Senate Judiciary Committee (against immunity).

Reid's office was reportedly inundated with phone calls and messages from citizens who did not want Congress to allow immunity to telecoms, before their actions have even been detailed in a court of law.

The heat seemed to have stirred Reid, who later in the day indicated that he would actually bring both versions of the FISA bill up for a vote.

Reid said that he personally opposed the concept of retroactive immunity in the Intelligence Committee bill, and favored many additional protections that were included in the Judiciary Committee's bill.

Nonetheless, Reid said that because there was overwhelming support on the Intelligence Committee for its approach, and after discussion with Committee chairmen Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., he decided that he would move forward with both bills.

“I have determined that in this situation, it would be wrong of me to simply choose one committee’s bill over the other," Reid said in a statement.

Since the Intelligence Committee's bill was voted out first, that will be the base text; the Judiciary Committee's bill would be pending as a substitute amendment.

Reid appeared to address the concerns of critics of immunity by stating his own opposition to blocking court cases in warrantless wiretaps, saying, "In one way or another, we must ensure that President Bush is held accountable for his actions."

But both bills coming up appears to presage a showdown: a promised Democratic filibuster to keep the telcom immunity provision out, versus an apparent Republican filibuster to keep it in.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/12/15/politics/main3622108.shtml

Call your Senators and ask them honor their oath and protect the constitution.

[Drocket]

See, when the Repubs threaten a filibuster, Reid pulls the bill. The same as when a Republican places a " hold ", Reid respects that hold.

Not so when members of his own Party do the same.

Yep. I remember just a few months ago, Reid got some criticism for letting a couple of Republicans put a hold on some bills that would have been popular (even among other Republicans.) He explained that it was the way the system worked, it was necessary to respect his co-legislator's perogatives to get anything done, yadda, yadda, yadda. Ok, fine - but then why did he chose to override Dodd's hold? After his talk of respecting his fellow Congressmen, this can't be seen as anything other than a deliberate attack on Dodd.

I've been getting more and more annoyed with Reid for months now. Up until now, I've at least been willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but this goes beyond even what can be explained by incompetence and cowardice. This is a backstab of his own party.

Dodd, however, deserves congratulations and support for standing up for what's right. Hopefully Clinton and Obama will do the right thing as well.

[ViolaLee]

Phone calls to Reid's office tomorrow. I'll be calling Feinstein and Boxer too. Feinstein was waffling on the issue and then finally decided against immunity. I'm sure Boxer will vote the right way. She always does. :)

[ViolaLee]

Well they voted to advance the immunity bill.

Leahy's version hasn't been voted on yet.

By 76 to 10, with Democrats divided, the Senate voted to advance the bill for consideration. A measure to block it, which was led by Senator Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut fell short, as those who wanted the bill to reach the floor got 16 votes more than the 60 needed to achieve that goal.

In addition to Mr. Dodd and Mr. Feingold, the senators who voted against advancing the immunization measure were Barbara Boxer of California, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Maria Cantwell of Washington, Benjamin L. Cardin of Maryland, Tom Harkin of Iowa, John Kerry of Massachusetts, Robert Menendez of New Jersey, and Ron Wyden of Oregon, all Democrats http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/17/washington/17cnd-nsa.html?ref=business

[Truth_and_Power]

Yeah I would love feingold over reid from what i have seen.

NO IMMUNITY! Break the law, pay the price. If I have to go to jail for smoking a joint then the CEO's and the President can go to jail for breaking american laws as well.

[ViolaLee]

I call Boxer to thank her for voting against it and Feinstein to tell her I don't understand her vote for it. She said she was against it and here she goes voting for the bill to go forward! I told her to read the oath she vowed to protect the constitution and to start doing so instead of helping Bush to keep violating it.

I tried to call Harry Reid's office but it was after hours and his answering machine was full. Hopefully a lot of people called him to complain that he didn't honor Dodd's hold. I'll call again tomorrow.

Here's the number to the capitol switchboard.

800-828-0498

You can get to any of them, from there.

[Lazarus]

It is amazing what having a backbone can accomplish.

Democrats delay vote on Immunity for wiretaps (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/18/washington/18nsa.html?ex=1355634000&en=35beed8b9731ece4&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss)

Time for me to write another check to Dodds' campaign - this action he took today should be heavily rewarded by all who value the Constitution and their right to privacy.

Today was a good day.

[ViolaLee]

Yeah, I have to say, Chris Dodd would be the best President when it comes to protecting the constitution, and at this point, I'm not sure what's more important.

“Today we have scored a victory for American civil liberties and sent a message to President Bush that we will not tolerate his abuse of power and veil of secrecy,” Mr. Dodd said in a statement.

“The president should not be above the rule of law, nor should the telecom companies who supported his quest to spy on American citizens,” he said. “I thank all my colleagues who joined me in fighting and winning a stay in the rush to grant retroactive immunity to the telecommunications companies who may have violated the privacy rights of millions of Americans.”

:clapper:

[ECW]

Where was Obama? Where was Hillary? Where was Joe? In Iowa.

Chris Dodd won a lot of respect from me today. I may be changing my vote.

[PatrickHenry]

Anyone in politics who honors the Constitution is worthy of our support.

Retroactive immunity? A tool of empire, not a republic.

Listen, that document the president called a "g*ddamn piece of paper" is the only authorization for the Feds to stick a gun in our chests and demand our money. If they won't honor it, why should we pay up? These guys are just shakedown artists.