Blue Collar Muse

Cross-Posted from The Tennessee ConserVOLiance.

[UPDATE 3/5/8 @ 13:10] - I spoke to AG Cooper’s office a few moments ago and was informed that General Cooper is not in town today. The lady I spoke with helpfully gave me General Cooper’s email address and connected me to his voice mail. I’ve left him a message and am sending him a link to the post so that he may respond. It will be at least tomorrow, however, before he does. ~Blue

The House Republican Conference released a statement detailing that on March 4th, the Attorneys General of 25 states issued a bi-partisan appeal to Nancy Pelosi and the House of Representatives to pass the FISA bill a bipartisan US Senate vote sent them over two weeks ago. The text of the letter, signed by 16 Republicans and 9 Democrats reads:

We urge the House of Representatives to schedule a vote and pass S. 2248, the FISA Amendments Act of 2007. This bipartisan legislation is critical to the national security of the United States. Once passed, S. 2248 will ensure intelligence officials have the ability to collect vitally important information about foreign terrorists operating overseas.

Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman John D. Rockefeller (D-WV) authored S. 2248 to solve a critical problem that arose when the Protect America Act was allowed to lapse on February 16, 2008. The root of the problem stems from a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (”FISA”) Court order that jeopardizes America’s national security efforts. Under that decision, U.S. intelligence agencies must obtain a FISA warrant before initiating surveillance involving suspected foreign terrorists located outside the United States.

The FISA Court’s decision hinged on the fact that those entirely foreign communications are frequently routed through telecommunications facilities that happen to be located in the United States. Because modern global communications networks routinely route data through numerous facilities in a myriad of countries, the nation in which the call originates may be completely unrelated to the nation through which that call is ultimately routed.

A bipartisan majority of the United States Senate recently approved S. 2248. But until it is also passed by the House of Representatives, intelligence officials must obtain FISA warrants every time they attempt to monitor suspected terrorists in overseas countries. Passing S. 2248 would ensure our intelligence experts are once again able to conduct real-time surveillance. As you know, prompt access to intelligence data is critical to the ongoing safety and security of our nation.

As Attorneys General, we are our states’ chief law enforcement officials and therefore responsible for taking whatever action is necessary to keep our citizens safe. With S. 2248 still pending in the House of Representatives, our national security is in jeopardy. We therefore urge the House of Representatives to schedule a vote and pass the FISA Amendments Act of 2007.

Tennessee’s Attorney General, Robert E. Cooper, Jr. was not among the signers. I have no idea why.

So I decided to email and ask him. Wouldn’t you know it, he doesn’t have an email address. The chief law enforcement officer for the State of Tennessee and all he lists is a phone number. I’ll call him a little later this morning and let you know what he says.

Blue

Popularity: 78% [?]

68 Senators voted for it. The President will sign it. Most of the House of Representatives supports it as well. Bi-Partisanship at it’s best is what it sounds like. Except we’re talking about FISA.

And a small group of House Democrats is holding up the process of renewing it. They’re offering little continuances while they debate the validity of extending retroactive immunity to Telecommunication companies for cooperating with the government in matters of Homeland Security.

But Democrats don’t have it in for big business. Democrats are all about supporting bi-partisan legislation. Democrats despise and decry small groups thwarting the will of the majority. Democrats, under Nancy Pelosi, are the best thing that ever happened to the country. We can trust that they’ll do the right thing. We can trust them to watch out for the little guy.

In the face of GOP calls for the House to remain in session to address this issue that many feel is vital to US national security, counter terror efforts and homeland security, Democrats left Washington this afternoon for a week long recess. I suppose they’ll take a look at this again if it seems interesting in a week or so. Did I mention that while they’re out on recess, FISA is set to expire? Hrmmm … Not to worry, though … they’re Democrats, they’re in the charge and they’re tough on terror so we can trust them with Homeland Security! Riiiiiight …

Video of the GOP walkout from useless House proceedings on FISA here.

Actually, I’m being too hard on the Dems.  There are a lot of them, in the House and the Senate, that are on the right side of this vote and I thank them.  But it’s their comrades that are putting political gamesmanship ahead of the country and Constitution they swore to defend.  To label them as despicable would be and affront to the truly despicable.   Perhaps they’ll be able to force their colleagues back to DC to take care of this urgent business.

Blue

Popularity: 40% [?]