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Sunday, February 24, 2008

Boyda speaks out on FISA

In an excellent write-up in the Joplin Globe, Congresswoman Nancy Boyda today laid out exactly why every single member of the House of Representatives should opposed the so-called "compromise" FISA legislation that the Republicans are attempting to force through Congress:

‘Shred the Constitution’

U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, D-Kan, said House Democrats are finally standing up to President George W. Bush. She said the Senate bill would eliminate the oversight and checks and balances provided by the Constitution.

“My No. 1 priority is keeping Americans safe and going after the terrorists,” Boyda said. “You don’t have to shred the Constitution to do it.”

She said there is little judicial or congressional oversight in the bill, giving free reign to the executive branch.

“The Protect America Act does away with court oversight and puts everything in the executive branch,” Boyda said. “People should be horrified of that.”

Boyda said the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act has been amended over the years so that it keeps up with changing technology. While the president has said the House failure to approve the Senate bill is endangering American lives, Boyda said he is engaging in fear-mongering and she expects that tactic to continue.

Boyda also said she doesn’t favor giving immunity to the telephone and communication companies.

“The president will not tell us what he wants immunity from,” Boyda said. “He wants blanket immunity. The American people should be alarmed.”

Today, it's pretty clear that we are absolutely not "less safe" with the expiration of the Protect America Act than we were before. If we were really going to be less safe, how in the world could the Republicans have stood in the way of the 21-day extension they all voted against before the recess? And how in the world could the President have promised to veto any bill that didn't include immunity for the telecoms?

They allowed the bill to lapse, and they refuse to accept a bill that doesn't protect the phone companies because they know we're safe without the bill, and they know they aren't putting a single American life in danger. Otherwise they would never dare play politics.

If the telecoms have helped the Bush Administration violate our Constitutional rights, we should have the right to prosecute them. And the President of the United States, and the Republican members of Congress (and in the Kansas GOP) must stop their fear mongering immediately. It's the very worst of cynical politics, and it's disgusting.

Every Kansan should be proud of the work Congresswoman Nancy Boyda is doing to prevent rank violations of our most fundamental rights, and we should all be proud of the fact she, and the Democratic Majority, are finally standing up to the fear machine that has kept us all from asking the hard questions for the last 7 years.

The FISA courts have granted thousands- literally thousands- of warrants of the years for wiretapping. If it was good enough all those thousands of times, why isn't it good enough for this President?

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

excellent excellent post! i think people are starting to see all the horrible lies this administration is throwing up at people...thank you so much for point this out!

Anonymous said...

Nancy Boyda should dye her hair jet black.

Anonymous said...

Nancy Boyda should also get a nose-ring ... to go with all her tattos

Anonymous said...

I'd to introduce Nancy Boyda to the wonders of scientology

Anonymous said...

people think the patriot act is the worst thing this admin did to us...but, you know, really, it's the warrantless wiretapping.

thanks to congress and boyda for calling them on their shit.

Anonymous said...

This is why I voted for Congresswoman Boyda in 2006. I wanted the Democratic Congress to stand up to the Bush Administration a long time ago, but better late then never. And speaking of never, NO IMMUNITY FOR THE TELECOMS!!! Absolutely none. If they broke the law (and they did), they need to be held accountable. I've finally lost all hope that anyone in this Administration will held accountable for any of their long list of crimes, but somebody needs to pay for this egregious violation of our Constitutional rights.

Anonymous said...

this is great...i don't think i've ever been quite so proud of nancy before...we need more of this!

JOCOeveryman said...

What horrifies me most is how much Boyda is starting to actually look like Nancy Pelosi and what a hypocrite she is on changing Washington.

Anonymous said...

this isn't a "liberal" position...this is the correct position, and you conservatives that are willing to throw away the constitution should be deported. you aren't real americans

Bill W said...

"Defense of Democracies" Attack Ad Against Rep Nancy Boyda
youtube.com/watch?v=a-juyCoTDUM

http://defenseofdemocracies.org/
Terrorist Surveillance Bill Ad
You can view the ad here.


Sourcewatch: Foundation for the Defense of Democracies

The list of "Directors, Fellows, Personnel" of the group is comprised of many PNAC neocons and many Democrats too. Why are Democrats incl, Rep. Eliot Engel (D-NY), Rep. Jim Marshall (D-GA), Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) etc (and Donna Brazile) affiliated with a group running these ads?

Anonymous said...

that's a fantastic question...and this ad is ridiculously off the mark

Anonymous said...

There's a long list of "Democrats" in Washington that I don't trust, and Schumer and Brazile are in the top 10. According to the list of Directors, Fellows, and Personnel, most of the rest of my top 10 are associated with FDD as well.

Anonymous said...

screw these people....boyda and the d's did the exactly right thing when they let the bill lapse...because we AREN'T any less safe, and the bill was bad!

KEEP GOING NANCY!!

Anonymous said...

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Quick correction. SOME Democrats did the right thing and let the bill lapse, but 31 worthless pussies in the Senate voted to pass this abomination (along with two presidential candidate pussies who skipped the vote). Most Democrats in Washington are still as bad as the worst republicans in Washington, but we're slowly but surely replacing those Democrats with good Democrats.

Anonymous said...

ok...good point!

Anonymous said...

Can you imagine how it would be if Ryun was still in Congress? [shivers]

Many thanks to Nancy Boyda. This standing up to King George has been a long time coming.

I am looking forward to seeing the Democratic backbone grow bigger and stronger. It's about time! More and Better Democrats in Congress. Let's make '08 a banner year!

Anonymous said...

This can't be repeated often enough:

"More and Better Democrats in Congress."

Anonymous said...

my friend at a news station in topeka says a brand new poll shows nancy with an approval rating of almost 60%.

i knew this woman was doing something right!

This blog is not affiliated in any way with the Kansas Democratic Party, the Democratic National Committee, Congresswoman Nancy Boyda, the Office of Congresswoman Nancy Boyda, or the campaign to re-elected Congresswoman Nancy Boyda. All commentary herein not directly attributed must be considered the opinion of the authors of this blog and not of any other individual, including Congresswoman Nancy Boyda.