MyDD :: Do You Trust George Bush?

Do You Trust George Bush?

by Matt Stoller, Mon Jul 24, 2006 at 10:43:53 AM EST

The issue with NSA spying and the FISA court is very simple. Do you trust Bush? If so, then let Arlen Specter's bill (S2453) empower him with limitless authority to spy on you and your family. The FISA legislation Specter authored completely neuters any oversight the courts have over wiretapping.

If you don't trust Bush, call the Senators on the Judiciary Committee and ask them to vote against Specter's proposed legislation on FISA. Here are the phone numbers for the Judiciary Committee.

Senators aren't expecting a lot of feedback on this bill, since it's a hot July and few people are paying attention. Well-placed phone calls can matter here. The House will take up the bill eventually as well, so we'll have to go to the House if we can't stop it in the Senate.

Oh, and candidates that are challenging incumbents - now's a good time to go on the record about this legislation.

Arlen Specter, Chairman - Pennsylvania - Fax (202) 228-1229
Orrin G. Hatch - Utah - Fax (202) 224-6331
Patrick J. Leahy - Vermont - Fax (202) 224-3479
Charles E. Grassley - Iowa - Fax (515) 288-5097
Edward M. Kennedy - Massachusetts - Fax (202) 224-2417
Jon Kyl - Arizona - Fax (202) 224-2207
Joseph R. Biden, Jr. - Delaware - Fax (202) 224-0139
Mike DeWine - Ohio - Fax (202) 224-6519
Herbert Kohl - Wisconsin - Fax (202) 224-9787
Jeff Sessions - Alabama - Fax (202) 224-3149
Dianne Feinstein - California - Fax (202) 228-3954
Lindsey Graham - South Carolina - Fax (864) 250-4322
Russell D. Feingold - Wisconsin - Fax (202) 224-2725
John Cornyn - Texas - Fax (972) 239-2110
Charles E. Schumer - New York - Fax (202) 228-3027
Sam Brownback - Kansas - Fax (202) 228-1265
Richard J. Durbin - Illinois - Fax (202) 228-0400
Tom Coburn - Oklahoma - Fax (202) 224-6008

Tags: George Bush, FISA, Arlen Specter (all tags)

Permalink :: 10 Comments :: Post a Comment

Re: Do You Trust George Bush? (3.00 / 1)

Even if you trust Bush for some bizarre reason, can you trust his successor? How about the one after that?

Matt Flynn

by Flynnieous on Mon Jul 24, 2006 at 11:02:50 AM EST

Re: Do You Trust George Bush? (none / 0)

This is the real issue and Stoller knows it. But perhaps it's easier to get people's attention tying it to Bush? Dunno.

by Lucas O'Connor on Mon Jul 24, 2006 at 11:21:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Do You Trust George Bush? (none / 0)

Yes, it does tend to be easier to address the here and now -- especially when the guy who initiated this egregious power grab is the one to whom it applies in the here and now.

But for our more conservative friends, a hypothetical may be more persuasive. The real issue is taking action, and I sure hope you know that.

Tim Wolfe

by bruorton on Mon Jul 24, 2006 at 01:35:01 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Do You Trust George Bush? (none / 0)

well sure. i wasn't knocking Stoller on this, I think that probably tying it to Bush is the best way to sell it right now to most people. Whether it has legs long term, I don't know.

by Lucas O'Connor on Mon Jul 24, 2006 at 02:02:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Do You Trust George Bush? (none / 0)

Right. Ask any conservative who supports it: would you trust Hillary Clinton with this authority? They may change their mind on this issue right then...

by slb36cornell on Mon Jul 24, 2006 at 12:22:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Do You Trust George Bush? (none / 0)

Perfect pitch for the more rightward-leaning (-galloping?) members of the committee:

Would you trust Hillary Clinton with these powers?

by craverguy on Mon Jul 24, 2006 at 03:09:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

thanks for the link (none / 0)

We really appreciate it, Matt. This is a big one. Atrios has chimed in, too.

by Pachacutec on Mon Jul 24, 2006 at 11:39:01 AM EST

Why fax numbers on the main page? (none / 0)

How about regular phone numbers?

Get a Vegetarian Starter Kit and a Dem. Party Mastercard

by Go Vegetarian on Mon Jul 24, 2006 at 12:24:51 PM EST

Re: Do You Trust George Bush? (none / 0)

I disagree this is about trust. Even if this was Gore or someone I really trusted it it would still be wrong to not have the appropriate checks and balances.

by Mark Matson on Mon Jul 24, 2006 at 01:29:54 PM EST

Re: Do You Trust George Bush? (none / 0)

Democrats should be focused on the essentially creepy nature of this issue even more than the legality. Well, that's not really true; both have their place. But the Democrats seem focused exclusively on the legality of it without getting across the creepiness of it. I hate to say it, but if the GOP were in opposition, people would be having a serious case of the heebie-jeebies over the whole thing by now. They're pretty good at that.

Oh, and candidates that are challenging incumbents - now's a good time to go on the record about this legislation.

The candidate in my district, Bob Johnson (full disclosure ... I work for him), is very strongly against this program. He was put on the no-fly list (no reason given, of course), so he feels the whole issue of government power pretty viscerally.

He's about to start airing an ad just to stir the pot a bit (YouTube posting of the ad here) ... Democrats can't wait for everyone else to make the case against this. They need to lead.

by BriVT on Mon Jul 24, 2006 at 04:31:55 PM EST

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