U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein responding to your message
Tuesday, December 18, 2007 1:20:40 PM

Thank you for writing regarding the Bush Administration’s request for legislation that would provide liability relief for telecommunications companies that are alleged to have provided assistance to the National Security Agency after September 11, 2001. I appreciate your thoughts on this topic, and welcome the opportunity to respond.

The Senate Intelligence Committee approved a bill on October 18th amending the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (FISA) by a vote of 13-2. That bill, among many provisions, would provide immunity for such companies if they were specifically requested or directed to provide assistance to the government.

The Intelligence Committee’s report on the bill includes declassified text stating that the Executive branch provided letters to electronic communication service providers at regular intervals. These letters all directed or requested assistance and noted that the assistance was authorized by the President and was legal. The Committee’s report can be found at http://intelligence.senate.gov/071025/report.pdf.

I voted for the FISA legislation that passed out of the Intelligence Committee by a bipartisan vote of 13-2. The Senate Judiciary Committee did not take action on the portions of the bill dealing with immunity. The bill is now scheduled to go to the Senate floor. I am keeping an open mind to whether some other legislative approach besides immunity would be best.

Rest assured that I will make every effort to ensure that new FISA legislation will protect the privacy rights of all Americans without restricting the intelligence community’s ability to protect us from attack.

Sincerely yours,

Dianne Feinstein
United States Senator

Paul krugman: fascist

He also talked about which implants are good, which aren’t, and about those advertised arthritis remedies. And which procedures are proven, and which procedures are currently fashionable, but don’t work as well as others.

What could have happened, because this has happened to me before — GMail saves my e-mails as I’m writing them, and my reply to you could have been one of those where I wrote it, got interrupted, and it got saved as a “Draft” and it never got sent to you. The first few weeks, I had a constant stream of people coming here to help me — there was someone knocking at the door all the time. There were RNs, physical therapists, occupational therapists, people bringing me food, people coming to clean, people delivering groceries, and neighbors checking
on me … all the time! (Which was all essential, and so needed.) And my old chair was too painful to sit on so I didn’t spend much time at the ‘puter, so I had to get another chair, which a good friend helped me do. I’ll have to dig back and look. (I still have 450+ e-mails in my Inbox that I’ve not gotten to, sigh. — pages and pages of them. Ugh. And that doesn’t count all the e-mails I filtered into folders.)

I’m so glad to see you here. You’ve been through a lot, including a big move, and you’re always in my thoughts. One of these days, I’ll be able to get on the ferry and come see you! Woohoo! (Just pray I can do it before I need a passport, since those take forever to get now, and are very expensive.)

Another issue: The PT won’t let me drive yet. Thankfully, ParaTransit will take me to appointments. I can get in my daughter’s car easily. But my car is very low to the ground and even I am apprehensive. One of these days! Wanna go cruisin’ again.

Hope your recent tour went smashingly, Taters, and that you had a chance to get out and about in those great cities you visited. WRITE more for us! We love your posts.

I really like Chris Dodd, and have for some time. Sure wish he could build some traction in the presidential race … he would make a fine president. He not only has the knowledge and so much experience, but he has leadership qualities. I’d support him. Wonder why Iowans haven’t picked up on his qualities.

Noticed a post somewhere yesterday touting him for Majority Leader. That’d be good too.

But what in the hell is wrong with keeping the old one until we can get a president who’ll promote one that doesn’t let the U.S. spy on anyone?

Harkin is another favorite. And Ron Wyden — another worker! (I saw his wife a couple times recently on BookTV — she owns a bookstore in NYC. She said he buys wonk-ish books about health care policy.)

I have sent a few emails to you but as you said in your recent email to me, I must be behind your firewal/filter or something.

Moving on… (Gee I miss Colbert!)

Alternet has a wonderful article on how your mood can affect healing.

http://www.alternet.org/healthwellness/70342/

I wish you best for the holidays – many moments of joy!

Marilyn

I can promise you this..As many times as you want to hug your therapist..you’ll also want to strangle her.. She sounds like she is really pushing you..
When your therapy is all complete and it’s hugs and kisses and many thanks all around..There will still be that little voice in your head going ‘ please god just give me one wack to her legs with a bat’

I’m just play’n..

Susan: I don’t really understand all the implications of the FISA bill and the full extent of the liability issues but I find it hard to believe that the legal dept. signed off on this when the gov’t approached the telecoms. Normally i would think legal would never ever sign off on the snooping of their customer base. Which begs the question, How hard did the gov’t lean on the telecoms?
What tactics and threats were used in the name of national security? Were the arms of the telecoms get twisted to play along or did they help willingly?
Maybe you can help fill in the blanks of this story for me.

I see that my man Feingold came through again!

Susan,

I hope you feel better soon. Also, sorry to hear about your surgeon and I also wish him the best.