Crooks and Liars » Countdown: Senator Chris Dodd On The FISA Victory
Victory is defined as "standing up to leading Democrats to prevent them caving into Bush for the Nth time." Well done. Now, if only the other 80% of Democrats would grow a spine.
The issue: Why should Telecom companies who broke the law, spied on their customers, turned the data over to the government without probable cause, without due process, and without a warrant be granted a free pass to do it again?
If the companies broke the law, they should pay a price. That’s how it works. Will they go to jail? No. Of course not. They’ll pay a fine and have a black mark, and maybe some executive will be fired for being so short-sighted with their investor’s money. Is that the most horrible thing they can imagine? Is that worth Bush vetoing the bill, to save his friends a few million bucks and some job security? Apparently so.
Prediction: This episode will result in the first invocation in the history of the world of Clemency or a Presidential Pardon for a Corporation, a non-living legally fictional entity. Bush will get his way no matter what ridiculous precedent he has to set.
Afterthought: If you watch the video to the end, I’m not sure I like the idea of Chris Dodd and his team giving the poor anchorwoman "a nice ride" on his warm, fun bus. Unintentionally creepy moment of the day.
