It Will, At The Family's Request, Be A Closed Casket

Bye Bye Life
Bye Bye Happiness
Hello Lonliness ...
I think I am gonna die
I think I am gonna die ...

That is the tune the 4th Amendment will be singing later today, as the 110th Congress - the Senate, in particular - completes their cowardly cave-in to the Court-Appointed President (H/T Barry Crimmins), when they vote for the latest FISA Bill, which expands the Bush Grindhouse's powers to illegal spying, and grants their crony telecom companies immunity, for conducting the illegal spying.

(The Senate has begun voting on the bill this morning, the various amendments to it, and will complete their capitulation later this afternoon; Check out Glenn Greenwald for a rundown on all this).

Do not, repeat, do not buy into Obama's, and others, mealy-mouthed bullshit that this is a compromise.

(There was a good rip on Obama yesterday, by Lawrence Lessig, his "Self-Swiftboating" and, to give you an indication of just how bad it can get, Lanny Davis actually endorses Obama's cave-in)

It is an outright sell out of the Rule of Law, kissing our rights away, the gutting of the 4th Amendment, and holding those responsible accountable.

Last evening, on 'Countdown, sub Rachel Maddow and Law Professor Jonathan Turley laid it all out.




And this, from Scarecrow's "The FISA Cavein Is Congress’ Shame", over on Firedoglake;

The excuse these “leaders” offer for their craven refusal to uphold the Constitution and the rule of law is that we face unprecedented threats from terrorists. They are so afraid that they’re willing to give up our rights against a powerful government if the government will only protect them. But the Constitution does not give Congress the power to make this compromise; their oaths compel them to uphold the Constitution.

The nation’s founders were not such frightened people. Those who signed the Declaration of Independence pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor in open defiance of the world’s most powerful empire, a regime that would certainly have hanged them if they failed in their efforts to become free men. Now our Congress cowers because they fear a President with 25 percent approval ratings and a Republican Party that the electorate can’t wait to throw out of office. Pathetic.

Other suggested reading;

Glenn Greenwald: Aug. 8, 1974 vs. July 9, 2008

Timothy B. Lee: The new FISA compromise: it's worse than you think

Hopefully, and not those just in the grassroots, will come to realize the full implications of today, and what the Senate votes, and it will be remembered, hard.

And every single Senator who votes in favor of this FISA Bill, gets targeted, and drummed out of office at the earliest, and next opportunity.

The 4th Amendment dies today, and not anywhere near as glorious as this;

Bye Bye Life - "All That Jazz" 1979