I guess the reason that Obama voted for most of the parts of the bill after doing the "flilibuster" two step is that if the Chimp provides/allows an "October" surprise that kills people,Obama won't have to defend against taunts about being soft on terrorism.

To vote against the wiretap bill would be a vote against growing government, and Democrats are not for limiting the power of government - they are for growing government.

As are many "Republicans".

I wish we could change the voting scheme, and introduce the Ralph Nader suggested "None-of-the-Above," get out of jail card. If None-of-the-Above receives a majority of votes, nobody gets the job who was running and they must drop out and a new election held. Sounds attractive to me given the current situation where Nobama wants to Lord over us like a dictator, and McCain is a sorry excuse for a Republican. And locally in PDX, the progressives take every chance they get to invent new taxes and fees to generate revenues for their coffers. Praying for gridlock.

If someone would have told me the day after 9/11 that we would soon become a torture state that secretly monitors communications I would have thought they were crazy. Well, we are crazy--this is sick and wrong.

Don't forget the prison camp in CUBA. Un-effin'-believable.

But how do we know who's conversation they are listening to? And how do we prove anything? Its all secret right?
Do we know if they are listening to every single conversation in the country?

Just select individuals they suspect of wrongdoing?

Just calls to suspect countries?

And the topping on the cake of all this...they gave immunity to the telcoms.

Plainly, "our pitiful Congress" is not ours -- as 75% polled say Bring it back, Out of Iraq -- and, by a process of elimination, while Congress is not for us, then it is looking out for Number 1: itself. And We, the People, in their view, are not behind them in support, but instead in front of them in threat. Sorta gives new meaning to the expression, Public: Enemy Number 1.

And yes, the terrorists win, if you say 'Kafka' and I say 'Stasi' ( The New Snoops: Terrorism Liaison Officers, Some from Private Sector, By Matthew Rothschild, July 2, 2008
... one to come to my attention is the dispatching of police officers, firefighters, paramedics, and utility workers as so-called “terrorism liaison officers” ....

They are entrusted with hunting for “suspicious activity,” and then they report their findings, which end up in secret government databases.

What constitutes “suspicious activity,” of course, is in the eye of the beholder. But a draft Justice Department memo on the subject says that such things as “taking photos of no apparent aesthetic value” or “making notes” could constitute suspicious activity ....

Or, there is calling radio talk shows from your(?) home phone number.

Or, blogging. That's suspicious.

What's the government pay grade for Snoops and Snitches, anyway? Do you get a percentage of the profit for really juicy gossip ... a commission? a bounty?

Maybe 'libs' and 'cons' can make common cause now, to downsize government (to zero) by eliminating taxation -- end the double-dipping police, firefighters, paramedics, utility workers (meter readers?), package delivery drivers? ... teachers? elected officials -- Wyden, Obama, Smith -- out in public snooping up sleeves while shaking hands?

"Maybe 'libs' and 'cons' can make common cause now, to downsize government (to zero) by eliminating taxation -- end the double-dipping police, firefighters, paramedics, utility workers (meter readers?), package delivery drivers? ... teachers? elected officials -- Wyden, Obama, Smith -- out in public snooping up sleeves while shaking hands?"

Wowie, Tenskwatawa...for once, you and I agree!

Big government is completely out of control, and the cops are the standing army that our Founding Fathers feared. I fear for the future of our republic.

With todays technologies, all phone communications are recorded.

9/11 is a false flag

9/11 is an inside job

the more you research 9/11, the more convinced you become.