Bouquet of roses, Passy, Paris.
A bouquet of roses for you, with many thanks for your good wishes and encouraging words.
The FISA fight continues
This week the Senate is debating and voting on a bill giving AT&T, Verizon and other telecoms retroactive immunity for their role in cooperating with the Bush administration's warrantless spying on Americans. Chris Dodd, Russ Feingold and 11 other principled senators are trying to strip the immunity clause from the bill.
Please telephone Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid at 202.224.3542 and ask that he pull the FISA "compromise" bill, which will let AT&T and the other telecoms off the hook. The bill also effectively would quash the numerous class action lawsuits currently pending against the telecoms.
Last week Chief Judge Vaughn Walker of the Northern District of California issued an opinion in Al Haramain v. Bush, one of the cases challenging the National Security Agency's warrantless wiretapping program. The court held that FISA preempts the state secrets privilege and that the president's authorities under Article II of the Constitution do not give him the power to overrule FISA. The Electronic Frontier Foundation said the court decision "dramatically undermines key arguments for telecom immunity" on the eve of the Senate vote.
Thank you for the roses, sweetie. They are lovely!
An aside (and not to distract from the seriousness of the topic) but since you mentioned those stupid AP stories, I thought I would recommend a hilarious book by fellow Inner Sunset resident and SF Chronicle cartoonist, Don Asmussen.
It's called Dog vs. Cat: A Nation Divided and it's a very humorous distraction from all of the "real" crap we read about this election. You can see it here on google books:
http://books.google.com/books?id=cxAWzFg6Nl0C&dq=Dog+v+Cat+don+asmussen&pg=PP1&ots=osCscXMvIY&sig=S8queT0V8ZpEHpXNon5iz6KYK4M&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPP1,M1
Can't wait to see you soon!
Posted by: tangobaby | 09 July 2008 at 20:51
Thank you fro bring this to my attention. Yikes! Is it possible I smell your beautiful roses all the way here in WI? I think so :)
Posted by: Christina | 09 July 2008 at 20:26
Hi Tara..I am quickly dropping you a hello before the computer kicks me off! The roses are loverly!
Posted by: pam aries | 09 July 2008 at 18:07
Your roses are just lovely. I can almost feel their smell! Your work Tara is remarkable. All the very best wishes.
Posted by: Philip | 09 July 2008 at 17:37
Keeping my fingers crossed over that FISA deal...
Thanks for the roses - they're lovely, Tara, You deserve all the encouraging words and good wishes, and so much more! ~xOx
Posted by: tinker | 09 July 2008 at 15:33
The FISA mess is wild, I had no idea! I haven't been under a rock, just busy. I find it difficult to keep up with it all. If it weren't for you, I'd know nil about American politics, so thanks for keeping me in the loop. I love reading about it.
Thanks for the roses?! I must go back and read "Leaps", not sure if I missed it? I hope not. I may be back with another comment! Forgive my ignorance!!!!
xoxo
Posted by: Gillian | 09 July 2008 at 02:51
How very lovely! I've thought of you often these past days as we've been watching the Tour de France (over and over, it seems -- when Greg was in surgery we saw day one two and a half times.) I know they are far from you, but I hope you're on the street when they ride into Paris! I really want to see your amazing photos!
Don't even start me on McCain or the campaign. Grrr.
Posted by: jeanie | 09 July 2008 at 01:17