One of the biggest disappointments of last night's debate for me was Senator Chris Dodd's refusal to discuss (sure Russert and Williams were not going to ask about it, but so what, thrust the issue into the debate) the raison de etre for his candidacy – restoration of the Constitution ad the rule of law. And today, as Glenn Greenwald discusses, Senator Jay Rockefeller reaches a new disgraceful low, as he argues for total disrespect for the rule of law:
Today there is significant debate about whether the underlying program — the president's warrantless surveillance plan — was legal or violated constitutional rights. That is an important debate, and those questions must be answered.
In the meantime, however, these companies are being sued, which is unfair and unwise. As the operational details of the program remain highly classified, the companies are prevented from defending themselves in court. And if we require them to face a mountain of lawsuits, we risk losing their support in the future.
What drivel. Losing their support in what? Breaking the law? What in blazes is rockefeller talking about? The telcos will not honor duly issued warrants because they are being sued? Ah, there's the rub. Rockefeller does not believe in the NEED for the government and telcos to follow the law. What's the rule of law to Rockefeller? Nothing at all. He is a disgrace. More.
Rockefeller fills his column with a pack of lies misinformation:
Let's be clear. First, there is no automatic amnesty. All Americans, including corporate citizens, must follow the law and be held accountable for their actions. The bill authorizes case-by-case review in the courts only when the attorney general certifies that a company's actions were based on assurances of legality, and the court is specifically required to determine whether the attorney general abused his discretion before immunity can be granted.
No law is needed to provide this defense to the telcos. It exists under existing law. As Greenwald notes:
FISA and other laws already contain amnesty if telecoms can show they acted in good faith. When telecoms comply with the law, they don't get sued. They get sued only when they violate their legal duties to their customers and the country by engaging in exactly the behavior which the American people, through their Congress, decided to prohibit in the form of our “laws.”
In sum, Rockefeller has expressed his contempt for the rule of law. As Greenwald says:
Rockefeller's bill rewards deliberate lawbreaking. His amnesty gift further bolsters the image he and Fred Hiatt and friends have of America whereby our most powerful Beltway officials and our most lobbyist-protected corporations can break laws with total impunity. No matter how many times Rockefeller and Cheney scream “9/11” and “Terrorists!,” the most basic principles of “the rule of law” demand that telecoms and Bush officials — like everyone else — be held accountable when they break the law.
Rockefeller has disgraced himself utterly.
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As if each of these large corporations didn’t have both in-house and large firm representation to tell them what the law is in this area.
You don’t need a stable of high priced legal talent to tell you that the Attorney General has no Constitutional discretion to order companies to evade the law.
Heck, even a first year Con Law student knows that simply because the Attorney General calls any activity ‘legal’ doesn’t necessarily make it so.
Think JR cares about anything in WV, or America? Take a look at the environmental crimes at
http://ilovemountain…
“And if we require them to face a mountain of lawsuits, we risk losing their support in the future.”
In other words “the Telco corporations are already more powerful than the law.”
Rockefeller and Pelosi were privy to the program? Is he really afraid of the Telco’s or afraid of the law himself?
Rockefeller just ceaded his legislative authority to corporations. What is the word for that?
you never had any honor to begin with. It’s not possible to feel shame or regret when you have no basic human decency either. Probably makes it a lot easier to fall asleep at night though….
This is a fascist state, America. Corporations rule. Citizens are objects to be manipulated by the media which the corporations own and their representative, the politicians who represent the corporations.
It’s over. Why is this a surprise to you Armando…I mean it’s been over for quite a few years…it’s evolving…but it’s been over for quite some time.
The voting population is seen as objects for manipulation. They are not considered real or important outside of identifying “them” in groups.
It’s like a rock group (the government) that works the crowd into a frenzy (the voters)….they are not individual people…they are “fans” of the government. The government tells them what the government has programmed them to want to hear.
There is no humanity in a fascist state. That’s why we have this absurd war in Iraq that benefits no one in the long run…not even Blackwater will benefit…because it may be making some people feel good (Like a good fix for a herion addict) but you are and this county is going to have to crash from these self destructive acts.
This nation is self destructive. I used to focus on Bush as being suicidal….and he is….but he’s not alone …a large segment of the American population is suicidal….they use religion as a cover for what is simply a desire to die….lots of people want to die…..
Just look at these blogs…they are filled with posters who are or have been suicidal…..
Onward…right off the cliff…Christian and Jewish soldiers….
The Nation has a death wish.
to be around at the disintegration of our democracy? We get to watch it first-hand! It won’t be taught here for hundreds of years or however long it takes for the country to collapse and replaced by a better society so we’re the only ones (for a long, long time) who’ll really understand just how sick it is! Aren’t we lucky?
That the Republics have done an excellent job of selling the meme to the American people that the POTUS is responsible for protecting us.
The POTUS took an oath to protect the Constitution and has failed miserably. What he hasn’t failed at is his campaign to instil fear in America. This telco crap is deeply intertwined – if Dubya and his minions can’t listen in on our conversations we might get attacked!
Bullshit.
I don’t go to bed at night worried about Iran or Osama; I go to bed at night worried about our Constitution.
WTF ever happened to “Home of the brave”? We need to start acting like it by standing up to these douchebags who’d wipe their ass with that “goddamned piece of paper” – the US Constitution.
Have you seen this?
I can’t help but wonder who got to him. I hope the full story of his flip comes out some day. With Senators like him there may be a days ahead where discourse or yellow lined paper or even books are forbidden.
Can’t do much tamping down of that ole “spineless Dems” meme while Rockefeller is aiding and abetting dubya.
Shit, shit, shit.
This is why Chris Dodd has been floundering around 1% — nobody knows why the hell he is running for president. It’s branding 101 — why should I vote for you over the rest of the field? By contrast, Obama, Clinton, and Edwards each have clear and compelling reasons why one should vote for them. Obama offers hope; Clinton would be the first woman ever to be president, and would bring back the Clinton years, and Edwards would end poverty.
Even Kucinich is better at it than Dodd — he is running as a peace candidate.