FISA lies spread far and wide against Mark Udall

by: Zappatero

11/27/07 @ 10:35:14 AM MST

There are very few tools left in the Republican tool shed box pouch with which they can win the few seats they even have a shot at. Obviously, immigration will be a big issue; but our side can easily be on the winning side by doing the right thing both politically and morally. Social conservatives are also going to try another round of ballot measures in various states giving "personhood" to Blastocyst-Americans. Those extreme measures are most likely headed for failure as well:

"This one is a frontal assault on the right to choose," Eric Sonderman said. "Every poll and analysis I've seen shows this is a pro-choice state. If you go at the very core of the right to choose without any exception, it's going to be a very tough political row to hoe."

Here's the lie: Democrats have voted to give terrorists the same rights as Americans. (No links for right-wing garbage mongering; they're easy enough to find if you want.)

Here's the truth as found in the text of the bill:

'CLARIFICATION OF ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE OF NON-UNITED STATES PERSONS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES'

Sec. 105A. (a) Foreign to Foreign Communications-

(1) IN GENERAL - Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, a court order is not required for electronic surveillance directed at the acquisition of the contents of any communication between persons that are not known to be United States persons and are reasonably believed to be located outside the United States for the purpose of collecting foreign intelligence information, without respect to whether the communication passes through the United States or the surveillance device is located within the United States.

So the FISA lie is not working this time. The Joe Klein clusterf*ck may finally bring to light the machinations of Republicans who use "smear and fear" and are pushing it far and wide. But we can't let the lie persist into election year. We can't let them get away with it one more time. As even Schaffer's website shows, this issue isn't important enough for him to comment on (nor is Iraq, or Osama, or much of anything important enough, for that matter). Though in a fit of honesty he does comment on the failures of his fellow Republicans.

Maybe he won't condone the lies. Maybe he knows how big a victory Udall will have. But he will surely benefit if we don't push back at each and every one of the lies.

Consider this some pushback.

UPDATE: Rush Holt, one of the bill's authors, gives more direct pushback against FISA lies. 

(Crossposted at DKos.)