Apparently, not only is the executive branch so powerful and so omniscient it doesn’t exist, those who used to be known as the members of it – President Bush and Dick Cheney have decided that laws are for other people. Two deals the administration is working on would effectively protect corporate America from any sort of legal redress when they spy on you, or wantonly murder civilians in Iraq, or anywhere else they are providing “security”.
The Bush Administration is trying to move the ball forward on retroactive telecommunications immunity, as well as a deal with the Iraqi government that would give private contractors operating in Iraq immunity from any sort of legal action. It remains unclear whether or not these firms would be subject to US law, but since the Justice department has failed to actively move forward on cases involving these companies, it apparently doesn’t matter.
The Senate in its infinite stupidity, is decidedly bi-polar on these issues. Today the Senate moved forward on allowing telecom immunity, with Harry Reid your favorite sellout and ours at the helm. Prompting Chris Dodd of Connecticut to threaten a filibuster if this goes farther. As we reported Wednesday, Reid’s stance on this issue falls in line with Dick Cheney’s. So much for Congress standing up to the administration.
For those of you playing the home game, the crux of this issue is that the Protect America First act will expire in the next 7 days. The administration is looking to make this law, which allows for warrantless wiretapping to go on permanently as a way to “modernize” the FISA act. One of the multitude of issues with this is a Act is that would allow retroactive legal immunity for telecommunications companies who took part in warrantless wiretapping, and turned over records of their customers usage without notifying those customers, or actually being asked by the administration to do this. The argument from the telco’s is they did this in the immediate aftermath of 9/11 in an effort to aid anti-terrorism efforts. Other companies who did not do this voluntarily were eventually asked, after the administration figured out corporate america is fine with doing this. Some declined, and still more agreed. However, there is no evidence these operations have ceased and the addition of the Protect America First act, is essentially providing at least a marginal shield. The provision, would essentially support the argument from the telco’s and provide a legal shield from people who wish to sue for their records being turned over without their consent. Essentially wiping away any hope of legal redress for violations of rights.
Reid has asked for the White House to help him in supporting a 30 day extension, while he works to pound something out. The Senate is moving closer to this, as Threat Level points out
The Senate Judiciary’s version of the bill was offered as an amendment to the Bush-supported Senate Intelligence Committee bill. Civil libertarians supported the Judiciary bill as the least evil of the two. However, the Intelligence version – which grants wide warrantless wiretapping power to the government — was given the nod as the primary bill by Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada).
As we said, Dodd plans to filibuster anything that moves and the organization Free Press has begun speaking out heavily against the passage of this bill, with the provisos included.
The other side to the immunity for corporations mantra of the Bushies, is the new deal he is currently trying to broker with the Iraqi’s that would allow for immunity for the private corporations on the ground now from Iraqi law, or civilian legal action. The US mandate in Iraq is set to expire in 11 months, which means things would start to get a lot stickier for companies like Blackwater, if they are no longer at least ostensibly associated with the US military and are forced to stand naked and alone as the mercenaries they are. According to the New York Times
However, the American quest for protections for civilian contractors is expected to be particularly vexing, because in no other country are contractors working with the American military granted protection from local laws. Some American officials want contractors to have full immunity from Iraqi law, while others envision less sweeping protections. These officials said the negotiations with the Iraqis, expected to begin next month, would also determine whether the American authority to conduct combat operations in the future would be unilateral, as it is now, or whether it would require consultation with the Iraqis or even Iraqi approval.
We’re just casual observers, but we’re going to guess that even with all the division that exists within the Iraqi government, they’re likely to find new unification in negotiations that are designed to keep troops and mercenaries in full force, with no ability for them to quell their actions in any way. Because that’s always the position a new government wants to have, no position for legal enforcement or even negotiation, when they’re already in a weak state in the court of public opinion.
Congress, is against this measure. They’re arguing that what Bush is doing will essentially if not in reality create a treaty with the Iraqis, and Congress should be allowed input on the conditions. Bush, talking to Congress? Are they new? This is not what he does, unless he needs the Republicans to rubber stamp something. You’ve got to love the balls on this yokel, the mandate is expiring, so we’d like it if you’d just let us operate like the mob indefinitely, cool? Cool. (Cue weird heheheheheh laugh here.)
Apparently the math on this is, he’s sure that the next president of whatever stripe will likely move to pull the US out of Iraq. Which he can’t have, he’s spent the last years setting up a quality puppet government for his shadow economy and if that falls some really rich people who’ve done nothing for anyone, might lose their club memberships. And we can’t have that. Oh, and just in case anyone forgot you might want to have a look at this…
Further:
Lawmakers Criticize Plan for Longer US Presence in Iraq
Advocacy group: No free pass for telecom spying
Senate Gives Bush Initial Victory In Domestic-Wiretapping Program
Phone Firms’ Bid for Immunity in Wiretaps Gains Ground
