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

What Better Way To Capture The Essence of the Day

...no country can be well governed unless its citizens as a body keep religiously before their minds that they are the guardians of the law and that the law officers are only the machinery for its execution, nothing more.

Mark Twain, The Gilded Age

Ahhh ... July 4th ... The jingoist of holidays!

March in a parade of flags ... Wave a flag ... Oou-and-Ahh over firework displays of flags ...

Have Flag/Am Patriotic

Well, we don't need to discourse on what a flag is (Barry Crimmins has a "Holiday Salute" today).

Or, that, while everyone has unfurled their flags over the past seven years, the Bush Grindhouse has waived goodbye to the rule of law, and our civil liberties

Jane Hamsher, over on Firedoglake, has a good civic exercise, very much in the spirit of the above-mentioned Twain quote, you can engage in today;

"But Christy was dogged, and thanks to her efforts (and those of our fabulous readers) we now have almost 40 events set up across the country where you can join together with fellow like-minded FISA buffs and tell your member of Congress in person exactly what you think of the upcoming capitulation they plan."

SAMPLE QUESTIONS

* The Senate will soon be considering immunity for companies that helped President Bush illegally spy on Americans. Do you think the President should be able to collude with corporations to cover-up his crimes—does our constitution allow the president to be above the law?

* Will you join Senators Feingold and Dodd in standing up for our constitution by filibustering any legislation that lets president Bush and the phone companies off the hook for wiretapping American citizens without a warrant?

* Alternative phrasing of the second bullet: We need you to show backbone and not help Bush's cover-up. If these lawsuits get thrown out of court, Americans may never know how far Bush went in breaking the law by spying on innocent Americans. Will you join Senator Russ Feingold's filibuster of any bill that gives retroactive immunity to phone companies that helped Bush break the law and spy on Americans?

Check out Jane's FISA: Whip It Good!

Now, with or without a flag in your hand, how much more can you be a good American patriot, then by holding your elected representative accountable for the welfare of our country?

Bonus Bonus

Eddie Izzard - Do you have a flag?

Top Ten Cloves: Things Overheard In House Secret Session Last Evening

News Item: The Secret Is Out: There Was No Big Secret

10. Hey, Steve King, why don't you do a little of the Islamist dancing in the aisles for us ...

9. Did you hear about Tucker Carlson being fired?

8. I hope we can wrap this up by 9:00 ... The Big East tourney is on tonight

7. That 'Green, Green, Grass' song Bush sang the other night, it that some new Global Warming tune, or something?

6. I hope, if I run for president, and I get the nomination, and I get invited to the White House for lunch, whoever is President won't serve fucking hot dogs to me!

5. I've said it for years, that Hillary is a monster...

4. Can you believe Karl Rove is getting $40,000 a pop, out on the circuit?

3. I heard they called for a Secret Session, for no other reason that they hope Saturday Night Live does a skit about it

2. Billy Crystal is on the phone ... He wants to know if he can be a Congressman for a day ...

1. Okay, since we're in secret session, and off-the-record, everyone can throw their Emperor Club cards in here and we'll burn them


Secret Bonus Riffs

Closed sessions of the United States House of Representatives

James Oliphant: FISA infinitum: Debate rolls on and on

Jane Hamsher: Telecom Immunity Removed From House Bill

Paul Kiel: TOP SECRET

Minced Garlic - New Keith Olbermann Special Comment: To Bush - "You're A Fascist! ... You're A Liar"

Another strong - even very animated - Special Comment last evening from MSNBC Countdown host, Keith Olbermann, which had him leaning into the camera to call The Commander Guy a "Fascist" and "A Liar".




Olbermann also presented this Special Comment in a slightly different format.









Rather than his customary last segment of the program, Olbermann segued from the #3 story on 'Countdown', "On FISA and telecom immunity", introducing the recent Bush Grindhouse's efforts to play the Fear Card, and of, perhaps the most startling event of the day - The House Democrats showing a stiff spine and the House Republicans showing they care more about politics than the their own chamber, not to mention the rule-of-law, the Constitution, et all.

Rather than bring up the FISA Bill and give The Bush Grindhouse their most cherished Telcom Immunity (about the only reason they're - once again - beefing up the FISA Bill ... The Protect America Act really should be retitled to Protect The Telecommunication Companies Act ... Read Glenn Greenwald's FISA 101 for an excellent overview of it).

Instead, the House Leadership decided to remind its' members that two of the Bush Henchmen and Henchwoman have thumbed their noses at Congress, so the matter of declaring Harriet Meirs and Josh Bolten in Contempt of Congress was on the agenda, so John "Cry Baby" Boehner led a walkout of the Republicans (this after they busted the Dem's balls, by playing procedural games, interrupting a memorial service for Rep. Tom Lantos, who passed away earlier this week).

The Contempt measures were passed and, as of midnight tomorrow evening, the FISA Bill extension will expire, which has lead the Bush Grindhouse to go to great lengths this past week, to browbeat the Congress into giving the Telcom Immunity, otherwise, the intelligence-gathering program comes to a halt (it doesn’t) and that the dreaded terrorist will soon be invading our country to kill us all.

So, in essence, other than the new component of the Telcom Immunity, it has been business-as-usual for the Bush Grindhouse and the Republicans.

Play the Fear Card, overstate and outright lie about the threats and then turn around and label anyone that questions them as traitors, terrorist appeasers and people who would rather see the terrorists win.

Much like many of us, we had enough of this, and Olbermann teed off on it in his Special Comment.

"You have subjected us, your citizens, to that greater danger! This, Mr. Bush, is simple enough for even you to understand.

For the moment, at least, thanks to some true patriots in the House, and your own stubbornness, you have tabled telecom immunity, and the FISA act.

You. By your own terms and your definitions, you have just sided with the terrorists. You’ve got to have this law, or we’re all going to die. But, practically speaking, you vetoed this law.

It is bad enough, sir, that you were demanding an ex post facto law that could still clear the AT&Ts and the Verizons from responsibility for their systematic, aggressive and blatant collaboration with your illegal and unjustified spying on Americans under this flimsy guise of looking for any terrorists who are stupid enough to make a collect call or send a mass e-mail.

But when you demanded it again during the State of the Union address, you wouldn’t even confirm that they actually did anything for which they deserved to be cleared.

“The Congress must pass liability protection for companies believed to have assisted in the efforts to defend America.”

Believed? Don’t you know? Don’t you even have the guts Dick Cheney showed in admitting they did collaborate with you? Does this endless presidency of loopholes and fine print extend even here? If you believe in the seamless mutuality of government and big business, come out and say it! There is a dictionary definition, one word that describes that toxic blend.

You’re a fascist — get them to print you a T-shirt with fascist on it! What else is this but fascism? ..."

And before a strong, flourishing finish, Olbermann laid these down;

"And if there’s one thing we know about Big Brother, Mr. Bush, it is that he is — you are — a liar."

"This is crap. And you sling it with an audacity and a speed unrivaled by even the greatest political felons of our history."

"You are a liar, Mr. Bush. And after showing some skill at it, you have ceased to even be a very good liar."

Check out and read Keith Olbermann's Special Comment "A veto of the FISA bill endangers Americans"

Watch The Video of it Here


Bonus Links

dday at Hullabaloo: Wahhhh, Wahhhh, Wahhhh

Atrios: They Write Letters - Congressman Reyes writes to President Bush

Scarecrow at Firedoglake: We Need a Constitutional Democratic Party

FISA Update #4 - Don't Let the Fat Lady - Or The Fat Corporate Cats - Sing!

Hey, Dems, Let'em Veto It! ... Here's All The Ammunition You Need!

There is a small, but fascinating. drama that is to play out in the nation's capital today.

Before sunset, the Senate resumes its' debate, and possible vote, on the Protect America Act, the FISA Bill that the Bush Grindhouse wants, the one that will give immunity to the telecommunications companies that went along with them in breaking the law.

After sunset, the Lame Duck Commander Guy will take to the podium, before a joint session of Congress, and deliver his final (Thank God!) State of the Union address.

Whether he crows, or carps, all depends on what happens in the Senate.

No doubt the Stepford Republicans will continue to block, and otherwise attempt to bully through what the Bush Grindhouse wants.

They, along with the Bush Grindhouse will be laying down the vibe - as they have all along - of fearmongering, claiming the Democrats will get us killed while they, thumping their chests, are the protectors.

Trust us, we'll take care of you ...

Fat chance.

So, Harry Reid, and all you other Democrats, here's your ammunition.

Bush Lied!

Over 935 times (and that's just a couple of years) on the threats to the country, to justify his preemptive, colossal mistake, in taking us into Iraq.

While we have all known this, it was documented last week... And with a searchable database, in case you want to cherry pick some of the juicy lies.

But wait, there's more bullets.

Why not force the Stepford Republican to explain, and justify, The Commander Guy's giving up on capturing Osama bin Laden?

Have them explain the need to continue this illegal wiretapping program, and the need to give immunity, because, if the bill isn't passed, the terrorists are going to come and get us.

Have him explain how his illegal wiretapping is only capturing the conversation of terrorists, and not American citizens.

Point out, that their fearless leader has already given up ... That he's content to pass it along to the next president, the justice due Osama bin Laden.

So much for the Republican being our protectors.

The Commander Guy has indicated he will veto the bill, if it is not exactly how it wants it.

Fine.

Let'em veto it! ... Let'em go out, and continue his lying, for he is the Emperor with no clothes! ...

Perhaps, someone, like Senator Feingold, or Senator Whitehouse, can read into the record the Bush Lying Report.

Let's have Senator Kennedy, or Senator Boxer read into the record the interview in which The Commander Guy says he's passing Osama bin Laden onto the next administration.

Let's hear from Lawrence Wright, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Looming Tower, on how he was wiretapped, and threatened.

The New England Patriots landed in Arizona last night, to fight for the Super Bowl.

It long past due that few patriots stand up and fight in Congress.

For all you Senators, vote against the bill, deny the immunity and let The Commander Guy piss-and-moan his way out the door in less than a year!

Protect America ... Yes, indeed ... Protect us, please!


Bonus Must Reads

Glenn Greenwald: What's at stake today in the Senate's FISA filibuster vote

Paul Kiel/TPMmuckracker: Today's Must Read