Bush: No Compromise On Phone Immunity In Spy Bill

[Purveyor]

Source: Reuters

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush said on Thursday he would not compromise with the Democratic-led Congress on his demand that phone companies that took part in his warrantless domestic spying program be shielded from lawsuits.

Bush has demanded Congress protect companies like AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications from civil lawsuits that accuse them of violating Americans' privacy rights in the administration's anti-terrorism program.

The Senate approved a measure that would grant the companies retroactive immunity but the House of Representatives has opposed it. The surveillance program began in 2001 after the September 11 attacks and some 40 lawsuits are pending.

House and Senate Democrats said they would try to find a compromise even as they said their Republican counterparts refused to permit staff to meet with them on Thursday.

"I would just tell you there's no compromise on whether these phone companies get liability protection," Bush told reporters as he traveled back from a trip to Africa.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN2150511720080221

[Mythsaje]

1. Fuck you, George.

Our representives had better not compromise either.

[bleever]

13. My sentiments exactly.

:toast:

[midnight]

17. Mine too.

[tahoelewis]

15. Phone company immunity

Oh course the Democrats will cave. Pelosi has neither balls nor a spine. (Pelosi should be off the table, not Bush's impeachment.)

[liberal N proud]

2. Did he have sex with a lobbyist too?

[Orsino]

27. Depends on your definition of "did"...

...but * has enjoyed intimacies with the corporations the like of which he's never had with Laura.

[liberal N proud]

28. Oh isn't that the truth

[Purveyor]

3. There isn't a phone that justifyably needs to be tapped that can't be tapped under the current FISA

pissypants just feels its beneath him to have to submit to a judge and justify a warrant.

[ixion]

4. who cares what a fascist war criminal thinks? He is the worst president in US history

why do the print this as though he still has ANY credibility? :grr:

[tom_paine]

5. Like a bank robber trying to get immunity for the teller who helped him with the inside job

The Bushies and by extension the entire Republic Party is a criminal organization.

[Zhade]

6. See, Dems? This is what you get when you to to make nice and let criminals walk.

Fucking TOLD YOU SO, you complicit cowards.

When will you ever learn? How many have to be violated and die before you wake up and do your job to STOP THESE GANGSTERS?

[SpiralHawk]

7. "You are either with the Evil Ones, or you are against us." - Commander AWOL

[santamargarita]

8. Good, let the shit bag sulk!

K&R

[tanstaafl]

9. With a 19% approval rating ...

With a 19% approval rating who gives a sh!t what you think!

[FreepFryer]

10. And who exactly is surprised by this? Wouldn't a Bush offer of compromise surprise us more? (n/t)

[thoughtanarchist]

11. I Agree!

We should not compromise. At all. Let the damn thing rot on the vine now that the sunset provision has passed.

It's beyond me why the leadership gave it any floor time to begin with.

[Canuckistanian]

12. He's soiling himself over this

Which means it's his greatest weakness.

"Telecom immunity" is his kryptonite.

Attack!

[frog92969]

16. You can read him like a book.

He did the same thing over Mukasey, we all know how that worked out.

[Canuckistanian]

18. No kidding

He'll expect the same results, no doubt.

[frog92969]

14. If the civil lawsuits go forward...

those pesky facts will start popping up, like the fact that it started right after shithead took office. And the possibility that he's been spying on government officials for blackmail.

[xxqqqzme]

19. '...after the September 11 attacks...'?

I thought it started right after he took office(sorry day that was).

[badgervan]

20. What a Dick

... just an observation. How many days?

[farmbo]

21. Duh? Of course... Because Telecom immunity = Bush/Rove Immunity

Don't mistake Bush's tantrum as a principled stand.

He knows that if he bullies the Congress into immunizing the Telecoms, he --and Rove and Gonzalez-- will also dodge the bullet on the 42 USC Section 1983 actions which are being prepared against them for violation of our constitutional rights under color of law.

He's desperately trying to save his own neck and passing it off to a gullible media as a patriotic gesture.

:grr:

[habitual]

22. i absolutely agree with you

although i'd add that the telecoms in question have prolly also added pressure on him saying if they didn't get immunity, they'd spill all the beans on him.

he's so screwed if the telecoms don't get immunity, that's why he will NEVER allow while he is in office, guaranteed.

[Triana]

23. Well if Dems have a SPINE there will be NO compromise from them either...

..meaning NO immunity, retroactive or otherwise, for the telcoms.

Let bu$hit sulk and toss a hissy-fit and let him piss and moan.

SEND HIM BACK the same plan over and over - the one that includes NO IMMUNITY for the bastards - and if bu$h won't pass it - FINE!

Then it's HIS fault nothing got done. Because HE isn't cooperating.

[depakid]

30. Dem "leadership" with a spine?

:rofl:

They're just biding their time before rolling over again. Harry & the DINO's went first- now it's Pelosi & the Congress' turn.

In an election year- to Mr. 19% no less!

[HuffleClaw]

24. it is not the phone companies' liability he is worried about of course

but his OWN and that of his evil minions.

[mhatrw]

25. Why don't you veto the entire bill, Mr. 19%? n/t

[hootinholler]

26. "began in 2001 after the September 11 attacks" - DAMN - they were prescient!

Hooking up the machinery 6 months before something nobody could have anticipated happened.

Get it right, Reuters!

-Hoot

[Ganja Ninja]

29. Well for once he's right.

No compromise! Fuck Him!

[Q3JR4]

31. Then the Dem congresspeople shouldn't

give him any legislation at all. Pass the bill once and if he vetoes it, then let the whole thing die. See how he likes that.