Open Revolt At BarackObama.com over FISA

[nimue77]

<table><tbody><tr><td width="56">
</td><td valign="top">Open Revolt at BarackObama.com Takes Top Position

Filed under Activism, Barack Obama, Democrats, Election 2008, Homeland Insecurity, Legislation, Liberty, Politics by jclifford at 7:24 pm
</td></tr></tbody></table> Earlier today, I was surprised to see that the grassroots group at BarackObama.com that opposes the FISA Amendments Act had reached ten thousand members. I didn’t imagine at the time what is about to happen. By the time we wake up tomorrow morning, this insurgent group of Obama activists who are now opposing Barack Obama’s embrace of the FISA Amendments Act will be the largest grassroots group on BarackObama.com.
This group is in open rebellion against Barack Obama’s campaign leadership. They’re not just following along like good little sheep. They’re talking back, loudly, to power.
I wonder if Barack Obama is listening, or if he has merely decided to push the earplugs in a little deeper.
Here’s a chart showing the latest numbers:

 

[nimue77]

Wall Street Journal: Paul Camp, Liberals Unite On Spy Bill

WASHINGTON -- The fight over immunity for telecom companies in domestic-spying legislation is creating an unexpected side effect: unity among liberal bloggers and Ron Paul supporters.
Liberal activists and supporters of the Texas Republican and former presidential candidate plan to join forces Thursday and begin a "money bomb" protest of lawmakers who support telecom immunity in the Foreign Surveillance Intelligence Act. During a "money bomb," grassroots activists donate money during a short period of time -- usually a day -- to create buzz and raise money for their candidate.
The effort is timed to coincide with a planned Senate vote on the bill. Libertarians and liberal activists have blasted Democratic lawmakers, including presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, for supporting the legislation.
Both groups are upset about a provision in the bill that would provide retroactive immunity from civil actions for telecom companies alleged to have provided information to the government as part of its secret, warrantless wiretapping program. The House passed the legislation on June 20 and a Senate vote could come as soon as Thursday.
"There's entrenched power in Washington that protects itself and there are people on both sides who don't feel like they're having their rights protected," says Jane Hamsher, one of the organizers behind the effort and founder of the popular Democratic blog Firedoglake. "It's really about right and left coming together to fight the entrenched power and take their power away."
The fund-raiser represents a novel partnership between the two groups, which have separately proven themselves adept at organizing activists and readers to take action. If it goes well, organizers say it could mark the beginning of a more far-reaching partnership between the two groups, which agree on issues from ending the Iraq war to protection of civil liberties.
"For us, it's a natural alliance," says Trevor Lyman of BreaktheMatrix.com, and one of the organizers behind the famous Ron Paul "money bombs" which stunned the political establishment by raising about $14 million total for the Texas congressman's now-suspended presidential campaign.
"When it comes to civil liberties, we're absolutely aligned" with liberal activists, he says, although he notes the two groups remain far apart on other matters such as economic issues. "We stand so closely on this issue."
Mr. Paul missed the recent House vote on the domestic-spying legislation but later released a statement that he "strongly opposed every previous FISA overhaul attempt and I certainly would have voted against this one as well."
Discussions between the liberal bloggers and Mr. Paul's supporters for a joint venture only began about a week ago, but took off as anger about the telecom immunity increased in both communities. The two groups agreed to form a bipartisan political action committee, Accountability Now, and to use the Democratic fund-raising site ActBlue.com to handle the paperwork involved in legally processing political donations.
Beginning Thursday, blogs associated with both groups plan to begin plugging the joint-fundraising effort, asking their readers to pledge donations for the "money bomb" event.
Organizers say they'd like to raise "as much as possible," perhaps several million dollars, during their one-day "money bomb," which is likely to be held in August. They say they're not yet sure what they'd do with proceeds from the fund-raiser. Most likely it will be used to fund advertisements against Democratic and Republican lawmakers who supported the warrantless wiretapping legislation. It would also likely be used to fund ads supporting congressional challengers who are against the bill.

 

[mamatried]

Most of these folks won't be happy until we're attacked again.

 

[nimue77]

Most of these folks won't be happy until we're attacked again.

Most of you people won't be happy until the bill of rights is completely eviscerated.

 

[docmercer--banned]

MaMa:

get some new "talking pts" from Malkin ...

 

[mamatried]

Most of you people won't be happy until the bill of rights is completely eviscerated.

The Constitution is not a suicide pact. The FISA laws haven't made a dent in our freedoms. Throughout history, we've had to take measures to mitigate some rights in the name of public safety. The Founding Fathers made it pretty clear in the Declaration of Independence that we have the right to "LIFE, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" - LIFE being primary.

Most of the people who oppose these measures are either naive idiots, terrorist sympathizers, or anti-Government types who are itching for a showdown.

 

[TheRightSide]

I have never been taped howabout not being a terrorist and it shouldn't be a problem. We need to get all the bad guys. Oh yeah you guys don't think they even exist. LOL Funny shit there.

 

[DeathEatsaCracker]

Bob Barr is looking better every day.

 

[gtc08]

just because they disagree with him on something dont mean they wont vote for him.

 

[eek.]

I think that people trusted governments more in the past, our objectives were reasonably parallel.

Nowadays we are threatened bullied and robbed by self serving dogma driven assholes who couldn't be trusted to run a corner sweet shop.

 

[mamatried]

I think that people trusted governments more in the past, our objectives were reasonably parallel.

Nowadays we are threatened bullied and robbed by self serving dogma driven assholes who couldn't be trusted to run a corner sweet shop.

There's definitely something to that, Eek. But when the choice is between the self serving dogma driven assholes (at least the ones we currently have) and the terrorists, I'll go with the assholes every time.

 

[jambolaya1]

There's definitely something to that, Eek. But when the choice is between the self serving dogma driven assholes (at least the ones we currently have) and the terrorists, I'll go with the assholes every time.

Then i wonder why you complain when the same assholes try to take away our guns!!!

The constitution is the constitution. If you dont like it then move. If you bitch and cry about how your guns are protected by the constitution, then shut the hell up when true americans demand the same protections for our privacy!!!

 

[mamatried]

Then i wonder why you complain when the same assholes try to take away our guns!!!

The constitution is the constitution. If you dont like it then move. If you bitch and cry about how your guns are protected by the constitution, then shut the hell up when true americans demand the same protections for our privacy!!!

Your capacity for nuance is underwhelming. But that's typical of the dogmatic left.

BTW - I don't support unrestricted gun ownership. Don't know where you got that from.

 

[jambolaya1]

Your capacity for nuance is underwhelming. But that's typical of the dogmatic left.

BTW - I don't support unrestricted gun ownership. Don't know where you got that from.

Nice attempt at side stepping the issue!!! But i think it would be more important to understand the meaning of words before you use them to post completely empty and worthless retorts.

(i wonder what made you think that pathetic crap would fly!!!)


You dont support unrestricted gun ownership, well bugger me...I dont friggin support unrestricted government wire taps!!!

Go f@#king figure!!!!:shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked:

 

[mamatried]

Nice attempt at side stepping the issue!!! But i think it would be more important to understand the meaning of words before you use them to post completely empty and worthless retorts.

(i wonder what made you think that pathetic crap would fly!!!)


You dont support unrestricted gun ownership, well bugger me...I dont friggin support unrestricted government wire taps!!!

Go f@#king figure!!!!:shocked::shocked::shocked::shocked:

Oh, I understand the meaning of every word I use. And I also understand the meaning of the FISAAA. The issue, catfish breath, is that the Constitution is a living document that has been and continues to be interpreted and reinterpreted to adjust for a social and political environment that is constantly changing. The Founding Fathers knew this, and that's why they established a Judicial Branch.

As for "unrestricted wiretaps", there is nothing in the FISAAA that allows for that and you know it. Permission is still required by the FISA court - the Attorney General can only legally authorize such action without a warrant if there is imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm.