And If You Believe This, There's A Bridge For Sale

In the news today, cause for more Bushwacked Propaganda:








Bush Compromises On Spying Program
Senate Bill Would Permit Court Review

But not, your Demon Princess notes, REQUIRE it.

Poor Arlen. He tries, but between Bush, Cheney & Gonzales, he's been effectively neutered.

And all he has to show for it is this crummy piece of proposed legislation which, if you'll permit me, I hereby parse for you:

Bushco in no way changes his position that he has, by virtue of being President, authority to spy on anyone he wishes, without a warrant.

Bushco may, but is not required to, submit his spying program to the FISA court for a determination of Constitutionality, BUT:

No one knows whether that means once in a blue moon or what program(s) apply, since we don't know about all of them yet, OR:

Whether the decisons will be made public. (IMO, recipe for a kangaroo court.)

All private legal suits so far brought will be consolidated & brought in a court widely known to be friendly to Bushco.

And tucked away in there is a provision that would increase penalties to officials who leak "knowingly leak foreign intelligence information"--like, say, Russ Tice, first to go public with embarrassing info about the CIA, or informers who let the press know about spying programs that Bushco doesn't that the general public to know?

Don't forget this tidbit: "If Congress amends the bill in any way that Bush disapproves, he will not be obligated to submit the wiretap program to the FISA court for review, Specter said."

As if that weren't enough, the bill repeals FISA as the exclusive arbiter of Constitutionality & substitutes Busho's inherent power to do whatever the hell he wants.

And other precious tidbits I'll leave you here with the WaPo article to peruse, if you're so inclined.

The White House Spin Machine was right on it (everything is a victory for & re-affirmation of the Unitary Executive's Rightful Arrogation of All Government Powers & Divine Omnipotence, which Demon Princess never tires of pointing out sounds like something from Communist Russia or China), as below.

"'The bill recognizes the president's constitutional authority and modernizes FISA to meet the threats we face from an enemy that kills with abandon and hides as they plot attacks,' said spokeswoman Dana M. Perino." [emphasis mine] Wave that fear card, Dana!

Democratic Representative Jane Harman seems to be the only person here who's still in her right mind. "The Specter bill is an end run around the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and provides the president a blank check to conduct warrantless surveillance of Americans,' said Rep. Jane Harman (Calif.), ranking Democrat on the House intelligence committee."

Demon Princess minces no words in her estimation of the bill. It's a ludicrous piece of garbage & a really sorry substitute for actual Congressional oversight.

Why not crown him King & put everyone who disagrees in jail forever, right now? I'm damned tired of watching my country's democratic government disintegrate before my very eyes.