The U.S. Senate has passed an update to the nation's FISA laws by a margin of 69-28, which finally brings the 30-year-old standards for electronic surveillance into the 21st century. See the story at FoxNews.com [2].
The new standards that have passed the House and Senate are now being sent on to President Bush for his impending signature. These updated measures will now give the communications companies - that are a necessity in assisting the government - immunity from being sued by individuals for those efforts to conduct surveillance on foreign terrorists planning to wage war against U.S. citizens within our country and against our troops on foreign soil.
I find it interesting that Barack Obama, in earlier attempts at amending the bill, voted for failed efforts to keep out the immunity for our telecommunications companies. But, when the rubber actually hit the road, this turned out to be just another one of the instances of late where his campaign rhetoric over the past year did not serve his new found political needs to move away from his ultra-liberal views and towards the center. It's basically a case of him being fine with engaging in all of the self-serving, left-wing chatter he can spew out to the liberal masses when he needs them, but when it actually comes down to going along with sound and vital national security policy, the actual right thing to do is as plain as day.
It really makes you wonder how much longer it will be until those at 'MoveOn' & Company go all out in their support for Ralph Nader? Obama is clearly aware of the fact that the fringe left is not going to be able to serve him the presidency on a platter - the Democratic nomination was another story. Their seperation anxiety from Obama must certainly be getting intense right now. The question is if they can hold out until November. It is only after he would be elected that he would surely placate them once again.
