Senate Votes To Expand Warrantless Surveillance White House Applauds; Changes Are Temporary By Joby Warrick and Ellen Nakashima - Washington Post Staff Writers Saturday, August 4, 2007 The Senate bowed to White House pressure last night and passed a Republican plan for overhauling the federal government's terrorist surveillance laws, approving changes that would temporarily give U.S. spy agencies expanded power to eavesdrop on foreign suspects without a court order. The 60 to 28 vote, which was quickly denounced by civil rights and privacy advocates, came after Democrats in the House failed to win support for more modest changes that would have required closer court supervision of government surveillance. Earlier in the day, President Bush threatened to hold Congress in session into its scheduled summer recess if it did not approve the changes he wanted. (Ed. Note: Perish the thought that they delay their vacation to actually accomplish something for the American people. Does the Iraqi parliament summer recess come to mind, folks??)
Democrats "have a Pavlovian reaction: Whenever the president says the word 'terrorism,' they roll over and play dead," said Caroline Fredrickson, Washington legislative director of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Democrats take home few victories Margaret Talev | McClatchy Newspapers - last updated: August 04, 2007 08:39:33 AM
WASHINGTON — Democrats promised voters a lot in exchange for winning back the majority in Congress this year: a change of course in Iraq, a return to old-school bipartisanship and a broad domestic agenda. Seven months later, however, as lawmakers prepare to return to their home states for their first major break — the annual August recess — the results are mixed.People who thought the Democrats taking over both houses of Congress in last year's elections would be the panacea for the troubles in the US need to think again.
Canadian Permanent Residency status can't come soon enough . . . .
No comments:
Post a Comment