So this is me...Ranting.

Ok so the revised version of the Foreign Intelligance Surveillance Act bill was passed in the House with a Senate bill expected to pass in the next few days. Ranting beginning now: This bill a) violates constitutional rights and b) basically cements Bush's abuse of executive power. Under the bill telecommunication companies who participated in Bush's illegal warrantless wiretapping are afforded immunity, meaning they will not be held accountable for their participation in the program. Another provision in the bill states that officials can do warrantless surveillance for up to a week before actually obtaining a warrant as compared to the 48 hrs it was before. AND the government now has the authority, under this bill, to basically spy on people who make phone calls to Europe or the Middle East, WITHOUT a warrant.

So..what do our Presidential candidates say on the issue? Well I can tell you one thing, they BOTH flipped flopped their way over this issue. McCain had said that warrantless surveillance was illegal and had denounced most of the provisions in this bill, now he's saying that it is exactly what needs to be done. Obama said that he would filibuster a bill that would provide full immunity to tellecom companies and any form of "legal" warrantless surveillance, and yet he too has changed his mind and said he will not filibuster the Senate vote.