debra lafave: Obama FISA's Out

I understand the betrayal felt by my progressive friends.

I understand the flat disbelief that Barack Obama--and Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer--would support the FISA Amendments Act of 2008, "a Senate bill that would rewrite intelligence laws and effectively grant immunity to telecommunications companies that participated in the Bush administration's warrantless wiretapping program."

But don't say I didn't warn you.

Our government is the same group of characters who support the online posting of the home address of a family who lives in support of a loved one convicted of a sex offense.

But you all stood back and watched.

Family members--private citizens who live in the Land of the Free--face public humiliation every single day because our government obviously feels their privacy rights don't mean so much.

You all stood by and never questioned the loss of their privacy rights... of the privacy rights lost by their children.

You did sit by and let it happen, never doing your homework, swallowing the bait. Hook, line and sinker.

Remember what I've always said. First, the feds begin stripping away the rights of the powerless.

Next on the agenda? Your rights, America.

And once gripped in their hot little hands, just try getting those rights back.

The wolf is now howling at your door, my friends.

As Russ Feingold (D-Wisconsin) recently observed, "Supporters of the bill like to say that we just have to bring FISA up to date with new technology. But if we are going to give the government broad new powers that will lead to the collection of much more information on innocent Americans, we have a duty to protect their privacy as much as we possibly can."

That means all Americans.

Am I disappointed in Obama? You better believe it.

But I'm not surprised.

Politics is about power.

The power to take away the Power of the People.

What are WE going to do about it?

***

"The Internet gives young people a tool to be informed continuously. It gives them an opportunity to speak to each other and mobilize themselves. It gives them the opportunity to hold me accountable when I'm not following through on promises that I've made."

--Barack Obama, Rolling Stone

Call the Obama campaign at 312 819-2008. Ask to speak to the following people. If they are not in, ask for their voicemail and leave a message. Be sure to tell them (or anyone you speak with) that you are an Obama campaign contributer and why you are against the FISA bill:

David Plouffe - Campaign Manager

Steve Hildebrand - Deputy National Campaign Manager

Jon Carson - National Field Director

Juliana Smoot - Finance Director

Joe Rospars - Media Director

Robert Gibbs - Communications Director

Also call Senator Tom Daschle who is a major Obama advisor at 202 756-3156.