"Assholes. The whole lot." - Useless Democrats pass the FISA Bill, Telecom Immunity.

Honestly, why in the fuck did they elect Democrats to oppose Bush's policies if all they end up doing is rubber stamping his bullshit? Spineless, weak, and useless... I swear to god.

Government rules it's legal for government to spy on those not in government - Boing Boing Gadgets:

"Assholes. The whole lot. Mike Masnick reports on the American congress' failure to not only penalize telco giants who allowed warrantless spying on American citizens, but to provide retroactive immunity for any previous crimes. A few hundred corrupt, pissloaf schemers have just made it totally legal for the government to spy on you without any oversight whatsoever."

Crooks and Liars » Mike’s Blog Roundup:

"The White House has declared a “major victory,” thanks to 105 sellout Dems and…(cough) ‘leaders’ Hoyer, Pelosi…and Barack Obama. This is “change you can believe in?” Reprehensible."

Balloon Juice:

"The Democratic Leadership as portrayed in a picture:

House Falls Down on the Job | Electronic Frontier Foundation:

"The House of Representatives today has fallen down on the job. By passing the FISA Amendments Act (293-129, with 105 Democrats in favor), they voted to give this lame duck President an undeserved parting gift by passing immunity for telcoms that helped the President violate the Constitution by participating in the NSA's massive and illegal spying program.

While Speaker Pelosi and President Bush describe it as a "balanced bill" with "bipartisan support," the millions of Americans whose privacy rights have been violated by the President's illegal spying program seem to have been left out of the equation.

Senator Bond's gloating statement to the New York Times showed the true picture: "I think the White House got a better deal than even they had hoped to get." The Washington Post wrote that the bill "hands President Bush one of the last major legislative victories he is likely to achieve." And the San Francisco Chronicle, writing from Speaker Pelosi's home district, called the vote "weak, timid, spineless."

To say that EFF is disappointed in the House Leadership's support for this bill is an understatement. Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer, so vocal in their opposition to telecom immunity last March, capitulated to a dangerous "compromise" that gives the telecoms and the Bush Administration what they have been demanding for over a year: Protection from court cases that threaten to uncover the extent of the President's illegal spying program."

And Obama, the new head of the Democratic Pary? Not much better. Very "not much."

Crooks and Liars » Where is Obama on the FISA fight? Obama responds! UPDATED 1,2, &3:

"..In the past Obama supported Chris Dodd’s filibuster.

...Obama will back a filibuster of any Senate FISA legislation containing telecom immunity, his campaign has just told Election Central. The Obama campaign has just sent over the following statement from spokesman Bill Burton:

“To be clear: Barack will support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies.”

That was huge at the time.

UPDATED 1: Obama has come out with a statement via Glenn Greenwald:

Given the grave threats that we face, our national security agencies must have the capability to gather intelligence and track down terrorists before they strike, while respecting the rule of law and the privacy and civil liberties of the American people. . . .

After months of negotiation, the House today passed a compromise that, while far from perfect, is a marked improvement over last year’s Protect America Act. . . It does, however, grant retroactive immunity, and I will work in the Senate to remove this provision so that we can seek full accountability for past offenses.

It is not all that I would want. But given the legitimate threats we face, providing effective intelligence collection tools with appropriate safeguards is too important to delay. So I support the compromise, but do so with a firm pledge that as President, I will carefully monitor the program, review the report by the Inspectors General, and work with the Congress to take any additional steps I deem necessary to protect the lives -– and the liberty –- of the American people."

You suck.