I admit to a certain amount of idealistic political naivete, but I don't understand for a minute how Congress can consider even a compromise update of FISA.
I know that Representatives and Senators quake at the idea that the administration would portray them as soft on terror, but this is an administration, may I remind them, which has no respect with the majority of Americans. What's to worry about.
Worse still, this is an administration which as late as yesterday, in a letter from the Attorney General, admitted to using "confusing" language in testimony about secret programs to Congress. Confusing as in misleading.
This is the administration, which in the same Attorney General's testimony, it became obvious that the President was actually keeping more secrets than previously admitted.
This is the administration which has abused it's power at every turn, which has invoked executive privilege whenever it would have to admit wrongdoing, which has used fear as a tool to get its way. There is no need to compromise with this administration.
Where is the lesson learned with the passage of the Patriot Act - rushed through unread by most who passed it - when the administration is pushing to pass important legislation in the rushed final days before an August break.
Don't let Congress do it. Call your representatives and tell them to take their extended vacation without doing more damage to our civil liberties.
Next day note: Nice to see the Times feels the same.
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