Thanks for posting your opinion on FISA. I certainly don't agree with you, but at least it is an honest disagreement. Major, I've read that, perhaps the first time you posted it, or elsewhere (Obama posted that on 7/03/08). I simply don't buy his explanation. I don't think a lot of other Democrats will buy it, either. How's his fundraising going? Impeach Bush/Cheney.
WHAT? Obama is LEGALIZING BUSH/CHENEY'S CRIMES AGAINST THE CONSTITUTION and you are going to sit back and accept it? You have lost your moral compass. HOPE-NOSIS RUN AMUCK
Hmm - maybe I did post it somewhere else. I thought I did, but it seems like it would have been this thread. I'm not sure about his fundraising - The WSJ reported he raised $30MM in June (a bad month for him, if true), but his camp said their numbers were way off. I don't think they've released the official number - not sure when publication of those numbers happens. (McCain raised $22MM) Separate from the FISA/etc issues, I'm not sure whether to expect June to be a good month or not. On one hand, he clinched the nomination, so you might get a boost from that as well as getting Clinton donors or whatnot on board.. On the other hand, there wasn't a lot going on - big, heavy-coverage elections is what drove donations throughout the primary season (both candidates saw huge bumps in the days after Iowa, New Hampshire, Super Tuesday, etc). And small donors who were on board with Obama probably weren't waiting for him to beat Clinton - they actually donated most after his defeats - plus people are having so many financial difficulties right now, so I'm guessing web donations have slowed. So even ignoring the FISA stuff, my gut says fundraising would be slow until the convention, but I really don't know what drives that stuff.
I am not a liberal by any means, if anything a moderate who is socially liberal and fiscally conservative. On this issue, I see it pitting national security against privacy....and I think when it comes to terrorism and terrorism only, this is one exception that is probably i willing to sacrafice some privacy on. I don't think it tramples on the constitution - simply because you can't legislate a law that does - the courts will throw it out anyway. That's the true test and protection we have. Obama really had to vote for this bill, it was politically a must do. He has to be Bill Clintonish and predict the republican attack which is that he is the most liberal senator on record for the past congress. I feel relieved by a man who is more pragmatic and less idealistic. Bush to me was more idealistic and less pragmatic...had he been the later we wouldn't ever have gone into iraq in the first place. So for me, I don't have a problem here. But I will say this - I'm thankful that folks like yourself our pissed. Because if the left didn't put up a fuss about this sort of stuff, than some politicians might actually be bold enough to go even further. So thanks to you and others like yourself. Your efforts do serve to balance everything, even if I feel in this case I am ok with this bill for the most part. I do think it shoud be revised to give the FISA court more power though.
I think you're right and this is mostly political but I can't help speculating there is more to this. Again its pure speculation on my part I'm just throwing out there for debate.
I think that was posted before already but no big deal. What I got out of that though was Obama saying "National security is important to this election and I don't want to be seen as weak on that issue. I know it pisses off some of my supporters but I'm your best choice. Trust me when I get into office because it will be me handling the executive power as opposed to someone else."
He'd have to have a lot of confidence of victory to pull a stunt around well, i will be the executive anyway, sorta thinking ya know? frankly, i think it was a mistake. his liberal base isn't something to be shunned. being a liberal this election cycle isn't as bad as being a conservative. i think the center of this country is ready to vote for a liberal....so this could back fire in that having his core support shaken may make the center actually think twice - the opposite effect he wanted.
Ummmmmmm WTF? So.... Obama and much of the rest of congress pass a telecom immunity bill granting them carte blanche to snoop in collusion with our homeland security overlords.... Now.... Obama's phone records get snooped on by Verizon employees and... they're fired? The irony here is just sickening.
