Editorial help polishing LTTE re FISA please.

[hootinholler]

Before I send this off the the local paper, would you kind DUers please pick it apart?

I wish to congratulate the House of Representatives for the recent stand against retroactive immunity for telecom complicity in the 'Warrantless Wiretap' program. Clearly our Maryland Senators failed us in any pretense of protecting our privacy by voting for this outrage.

If in fact these companies broke the law to help the administration's clearly illegal program, they should be held responsible and punished. These companies were well aware that they have a legal obligation to hold our citizen's communications private which at least two of them did not (AT&T and Verizon), and those who did were punished by having lucrative federal contracts being withdrawn (QWest).

Details of this secret program are hard to find and tidbits that are available are under reported by the press. The whistleblower Mark Klein from AT&T has made public evidence that AT&T began feeding all telephone and internet traffic to the intelligence agencies six months before September 11, 2001! That demonstrates that the purpose of this program was not to track down the terrorists, but had some other purpose.

Even while ignoring when the wires were installed, Keith Olberman pointed out one truth in his commentary on this issue. Speaking to the President: "If you believe in the seamless mutuality of government and big business — come out and say it! There is a dictionary definition, one word that describes that toxic blend. You’re a fascist — get them to print you a t-shirt with “fascist” on it!"

Senators Mikulskey and Cardin voted to move us as a nation closer to the darkness. They voted to plug our collective ears and shout "LA LA LA, I can't hear you" as the stench of the manure of this administration's criminality is piled upon and left to rot our Bill of Rights fills the land. Shame on you Senators! I voted for you to stand up and protect the constitution! Remember your oath and make this right.

To those who would spout the canard that "If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear" I say that those of us who have done nothing wrong have the most to fear. Just ask those investigated by Senator Mr McCarthy how that worked out for them.

aTdHvAaNnKcSe

-Hoot

[ThomWV]

1. OK, here goes

First sentence, after the word 'congratulate" insert the words "Democrats in the". Second sentence, delete the word 'clearly' and substitute the word "Unfortunately".

Second paragraph: You need a sentence to introduce the subject. Try something like this: The telephone companies have apparently been complicit in abeting a lawless Administration. Second sentence, after the words 'These companies' make the word companies possessive and add the words "massive legal departments"

[hootinholler]

2. Thanks! That's much stronger.

I also added "To the telecommunications companies, I ask If you've done nothing wrong, why do you need immunity?" at the very end.

-Hoot

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

3. Your last paragraph was the strongest

I think you should omit the paragraph about Olbermann, because unless someone saw the commentary, it just doesn't flow with the rest of the letter. Important to include the word "fascist" but perhaps just by using the definition of the word and placing this information at the end of the paragraph before.

A powerful letter, and one I hope gets printed.

[hootinholler]

4. Hmmm. The point I'm trying to make is

That even those who are reporting this strongly are not reporting it entirely, and to take the opportunity to call * a fascist.

I have some chin-stroking to do over that.

Thanks!

-Hoot

[hootinholler]

5. Latest version, no other suggestions?

I wish to congratulate Democrats in the House of Representatives for the recent stand against retroactive immunity for telecom complicity in the 'Warrantless Wiretap' program. Unfortunately our Maryland Senators failed us in any pretense of protecting our privacy by voting for this outrage.

Some telephone companies have apparently been complicit in abeting a lawless Administration. If in fact these companies broke the law to help the administration's clearly illegal program, they should be held responsible and punished. These companies' Massive legal departments were well aware that they have a legal obligation to hold our citizen's communications private. At least two of them did not (AT&T and Verizon), and one who did was punished by having lucrative federal contracts being withdrawn (QWest).

Details of this secret program are hard to find and tidbits that are available are under reported by the press. The whistleblower Mark Klein from AT&T has made public evidence that AT&T began feeding all telephone and internet traffic to the intelligence agencies in March 2001, six months before September 11, 2001! That suggests that the purpose of this program was not to track down the terrorists, but had some other purpose.

Senators Mikulskey and Cardin voted to move us as a nation closer to the darkness. They voted to plug our collective ears and shout "LA LA LA, I can't hear you" as the stench of the manure of this administration's criminality is piled upon and left to rot our Bill of Rights fills the land. Shame on you Senators! I voted for you to stand up and protect the constitution! Remember your oath and make this right.

To those who would spout the canard that "If you've done nothing wrong, you have nothing to fear" I say that those of us who have done nothing wrong have the most to fear. Just ask those investigated by Senator McCarthy how that worked out for them. To the telecommunications companies, I ask If you've done nothing wrong, why do you need immunity?