House approves spy bill protecting phone firms

Reuters ^

[Sub-Driver]

House approves spy bill protecting phone firms Fri Jun 20, 2008 12:52pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill on Friday that could shield phone companies that participated in President George W. Bush's warrantless surveillance program begun after the September 11 attacks from billions of dollars in privacy lawsuits.

[Sub-Driver]

vote was 293-129

[Pharmer]

Watch this be overturned by the SCOTUS!!!

[hsalaw]

House Democratic Leader Steny Hoyer, a chief negotiator, told colleagues: "To be clear, this is not the bill I would have written in an ideal world."

In an ideal world, Steny, you and your moronic pals in Congress, like Pelosi, Boxer, Reid, Murtha, the Swimmer, and Feinstein, wouldn't be anywhere near our government. You'd all be in an old folks' home squabbling over the TV remote.

[massgopguy]

They’re drinkin’ Drano at DU over this.

[moose2004]

Congress, according to Gallup, now has it’s worst rating since they started polling, 12% approval. Looks like Bush is more than twice as popular as Capitol Hill.

http://www.gallup.com

PS: Today’s Gallup Daily Tracking Poll has Obama at 46% and McCain at 44%, now it’s only 2 points, that makes my weekend.

[Southack]

"Watch this be overturned by the SCOTUS!!!"

It doesn't work like that. The "privacy lawsuits" are nuisance court cases designed to eat up phone company legal budgets...and the SCOTUS doesn't have to deal with nuisance cases because it *chooses* which cases it wants to hear.

[hsalaw]

Gallup Daily Tracking Poll has Obama at 46% and McCain at 44%, now it’s only 2 points

I thought it was supposed to be the dems' BIG year - so why isn't BHO at least 20-30 point ahead of McCain?

[moose2004]

What do you think the chances are of Olbermann mentioning this poll tonight?

[Southack]

"I thought it was supposed to be the dems' BIG year - so why isn't BHO at least 20-30 point ahead of McCain?"

Gee, could it be that Obama breaking his public campaign financing promise and opposing oil drilling while being for nuisance lawsuits against phone companies (subject of this thread, really) isn't really so popular?!

[hsalaw]

They’re drinkin’ Drano at DU over this.

Next time you venture over there, and I hope you're wearing full hazmat for it, bring us back a thread.

[hsalaw]

What do you think the chances are of Olbermann mentioning this poll tonight?

My guess would be zero. I know we're five months from the election, but the dems really have to be worried about the lack of "bounce" for BHO when Hillary dropped out, and the fact that BHO is a walking gaffe-machine and just plain stupid when he's off the teleprompter.

[mohresearcher]

It’s about time. God help us from another intelligence failure next time.

[PastorTony]

Watch this be overturned by the SCOTUS!!!

I've read through the bill and I feel it violates the 4th Amendment. The Federal Government doesn't need this much power over the citizens.

What's even more disturbing is to the how many hard left Democrats are allied with supposed conservative Republicans on this issue. It demonstrates how little fundamental difference there is between the two.