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Location: Strategy and priorities
Discussion: Get FISA Right's focus is on the future, not the past
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Posted Anonymously |
Get FISA Right's focus is on the future, not the past
Dec 10 2008, 11:08 PM EST
I was unable to make the conference call but just listened to the audio and wanted to address this point. In general I agree, but I am concerned about the possibility of the Bush illegal wiretapping recurring--if not with Obama then with successive administrations. Legislative action is certainly necessary and my sense is that this group is committed to it; I also agree that legal action is best left to groups like the ACLU and EFF. But I'm not sure that Obama agreeing to relinquish certain presidential powers will result in any lasting change (I think you need legislation or legal precedents for that). I'm also concerned about that the objectivity of the Inspectors Generals and how much we can rely on their work. I think government oversight is best performed by those outside government. These are just a couple of thoughts I had. I don't them to be negative in any way-just my 2-cents worth. Patrick (log in problems) 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
JonPincus |
1. Excellent points ...
Dec 11 2008, 10:55 PM EST
Totally agree that legislative action is vital and we're committed to it. However, nobody I've talked to thinks that Congress will act on this in the first 100 days: the amount of work on the economy, health care, energy, the war, etc., is so staggering (and contentious) that they'll concentrate on that. So in the short term there may well be more leverage with Obama. If he relinquishes these powers, even though it's not binding on future presidents, that'll make a huge difference in the interim until Congress acts.Point taken about the Inspectors General report. It's a natural trigger to focus on because it was included in FAA, and the timing makes sense in terms of the flow for the year, but there's no guarantee how deeply they'll dig. There are other investigations going on as well so we might want to think more broadly about this. Do you find this valuable? |
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Patrick01 |
2. RE: Excellent points ...
Dec 13 2008, 4:55 PM EST
Great points, Jon.I guess the thing that has been nagging at me is the feeling that 'the people' need to hold Bush accountable for his abuses of authority and violations of our rights--not for punitive reasons, but in preventing this from happening again. (Among other things, this may not be a realistic goal.) I agree with you, Jon, as well as with what I heard in the last conference call. I also agree with the strategy and priorities for Get FISA Right. Do you find this valuable? |
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Sallijane |
3. Excellent points. . . What now?
Oct 12 2009, 10:19 AM EDT
I've come back to this page to check current actions against past thoughts—and find that Obama hasn't even relinquished powers that we expected him to, let alone future administrations! I really urge that we use whatever campaign clout we had with the administration now that Obama has won the Nobel Peace Prize—we could even run another "congratulations" ad, although I don't feel much like congratulating today; it would almost have to be ironic or challenging: take back the identity that won you this prize—become the president the candidate promised us, and turn the direction of this country toward peace and civil liberties as the world, as exemplified by the Nobel committee, expects.
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