Bush calls telecom execs traitors

[kpete]

February 13, 2008
Bush calls telecom execs traitors
From Klaus Marre of The Hill:
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/bush-plays-hardball-on-fisa-legislation-2008-02-13.html

In a move that puts great pressure on the House, President Bush said Wednesday that he would not sign any more temporary extensions to legislation updating the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA).

Bush praised the Senate for passing a long-term FISA fix Tuesday by a “wide, bipartisan” majority. He added that there is “no reason” why the House could not “immediately” pass the same bill.

However, on the contentious issue of retroactive immunity for telecom companies who illegally wiretapped Americans, Bush adopted this unusual position:

A main sticking point is a provision included in the Senate legislation that would provide retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that cooperated with the government. Bush said the companies “won’t help protect America” without such liability protection.

The president stated that terrorists must communicate with each other and exchange information to carry out their plans and argued that enlisting the help of telecommunications companies is crucial in uncovering their activities.

In simplest terms, he’s arguing that innocent Americans must accept a plea bargain. Let the telecom executives go free or they “won’t help protect America.”

So he’s saying if government agents have legal orders to wiretap potential terrorists, the telecom execs will refuse to do so. But they didn’t refuse - except for Qwest - when they were asked to illegally wiretap.

So why do these criminals deserve presidential protection? And when did it become a vital interest of Americans to have their president defend businesspeople who hate America and its laws?

more at:
http://www.reachm.com/amstreet/archives/2008/02/13/bush-calls-telecom-execs-traitors/

[pnwmom]

1. What he's really saying is that he can't get them to break the law again

without liability protection.

Tough.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

2. Please, PLEASE let the representatives reject that Senate bill!

P-L-E-A-S-E!!!

[fed-up]

3. if only we could wiretap the white house we would find the real traitors nt

[L. Coyote]

4. Nationalize the telecoms IF "... the companies “won’t help protect America” without such liability"

That way, in the future, we'll only have one criminal, the government!

[dmosh42]

5. Has anyone heard some story that Dana Perino slipped in a conference....

and mentioned that wiretapping was done pre-911? (yesterday)

[TahitiNut]

6. Human beings can DIE to "defend America" but Corporations can't even be drafted without immunity.

We're deeply and truly "Through The Looking Glass" of morality and ethics when such insanely inverted 'thinking' has become so banal as to pass majority notice. The working poor are coerced into sacrificing ALL but the wealthy profit.

When gross violations of the Constitution and Bill of Rights are nominally "patriotic" we've lost our senses.

We're an outlaw nation comprised of cowards and criminals unless and until those who've committed war crimes and crimes against the Constitution are brought to justice and incarcerated.

[formercia]

7. If we were a just nation

there would be no reason for terrorism. Terrorism results when the oppressed have no other recourse.

A person who has nothing, has nothing to lose.