THE NSA: YR CALL IS IMPORTANT TO US

ITEM [via Threat Level]: Hey, remember when President Bush authorized the NSA to illegally wiretap anyone they want without a warrant? Remember when the Democrat Congress sorted that out by retroactively legalizing the entire program for six months so that no one was accountable, not even the phone companies that willingly complied?

Well, that bill expires at the end of the month, and the new one is up for a vote. And Senator leader Harry Reid (D-NV) wants to put a rush on it. Why? So he and a bunch of other Congresspeoples can go to Davos or party retreats or whatever.

And why not? Because there’s nothing wrong with speed-voting a bill that affects privacy and civil liberties and could easily be used well beyond the scope of its alleged intentions without bothering with stupid debates. What’s the worst that could happen?

Not that anyone cares anymore. I just think it’s amazing that we’re facing a moment where future history might say, “Congress willingly gave the White House (via the NSA) the power to legally spy on whoever it wants with virtually no court oversight or accountability at all – all because Harry Reid was in a hurry to fly to Davos with taxpayer money.”

It might not happen, of course – if Chris Dodd makes good on his filibuster. Still, I thought you should know.

Call me,

This is dF

KING OF PAIN

Went to the dentist again today to get some cavities filled.

It wasn’t quite like this:

But that’s how I feel now that the Novocaine is wearing off.

If you’ve lost count, that’s like seven trips in two months. One for the broken tooth emergency, five more to to the root canal on the same tooth, now this. And I go back next Tuesday for another filling.

Team Def: supporting the dental industry since 1965.

Brush daily,

This is dF