October 22, 2007
Haywireless (Bob Franken)
Here's what I want to know about that legislation that would provide telecommunications companies retroactive immunity: Does that legal protection include not just illegal participation in government-intelligence gathering, but also their fraudulent promises, defective products and abusive service?
If so, no way in hell. It's one thing if they violate my privacy and civil liberties, but these dropped calls have got to stop! If they'd only take some of the technicians who were working on the spying gizmos and sent them to my house so they'd actually show up "between noon and five" I'd be willing to consider it.
Actually, it doesn't matter what I think. The companies have made that abundantly clear. And for that matter the Bush administration has also made it clear it couldn't care less about any congressional opposition to the companies' espionage immunity. The Democrats will fold, so why should they give a hoot?
I have to wonder, though, whether the telecom firms are any better at intelligence-gathering than consumer service. If not, we shouldn't sweat any of this.
In fact it is only a matter of time till the government privatizes all this like it has almost everything else. Who needs a National Security Agency or a Central Intelligence Agency or a Federal Bureau of Investigation, any of those guys, when all their duties can be taken over by a single company. How about Blackwater?
You scoff. But think of the advantages. First of all, Blackwater has better equipment. More importantly, no longer would we have to listen to all those whiny politicians. If someone gets in the way, shoot him.
The telecommunications corporations could apply the same techniques to customer problems.
I think I'm on to something here. We really need to do something about this constant complaining. Just think what a different nation we might be if we got rid of those silly citizen protections so they didn't get in the way.
Come to think of it, that's where we seem to be heading. Eventually, we could even change the country's name. How about Myanmar?
6 Comments
»
The Hill welcomes comment from anyone and will almost always post it whether it is favorable or critical, as long as it is substantive and advances debate.
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Yes, really, anyone can see the strict military rule outside. This country has become one big prison (not). These wild exaggerations are meant to create an illusion of a police state where none exists. And why not, fighting a non-existent police state is a no-lose proposition for liberals: they can scream all they want and there is really no police state to punish them. Budhist monks risking their lives they are not. How convenient!
Comment by Igor R. — October 22, 2007 @ 1:41 pm
Bob, to trivialize this is really shameful. Our Right Wing friends, who want government off of their backs will take offense. They are greatly offended by the deprivation of their privacy.
Oops! They don't feel that way. Suddenly privacy and living your life free of surveillance and data mining is ok. It's amazing how these people's ideology makes them switch positions.
When they're lechers and closeted gay men apologize, then they should be given forgiveness. When Bill Clinton apologized though, they are still ragging on him tren years later. Guiliani says that he's not perfect and they cheer, but put the shoe on the other foot and they are screaming bloody murder. They're still yakking about Ted Kennedy thirty five years later.
Comment by Chris Calbi — October 22, 2007 @ 4:00 pm
AT&T, Verizon illegally spied on Americans in violating of the $ Amendment to the Constitution. What is so hard to understand. It is "Illegal" to do so without a warrant signed by a Judge. Taking Bush at his word is the pricve they must pay for breaking the law.
Comment by Mike Coleman — October 22, 2007 @ 5:28 pm
It Should have been 4th instead of $.
Comment by Mike Coleman — October 22, 2007 @ 5:28 pm
You don't apologize for committing a felony and expect it to go away. The apology does not change the fact that you committed a felony. If that's the case, let's just open the prison doors and let everyone apologize and forget they are murderers, rapists, bank robbers and obstructors of justice. If you really feel that way then Scooter Libby should get a pardon and today.
Comment by Robert Rosencrans — October 23, 2007 @ 7:15 pm
Mike, the bigger failing of this Democratic controlled Congress is that they are not acting on the law breaking. It's great to talk about it, but the question begs, what are the consequences.
Karl Rove and Harriet Miers defied subpoenas by the US Senate. They didn't even send attorneys to answer the call. Can you imagine if you or I did that?
So this is the result. The "law and order", "rule of law" people have no regard for the law. Now, no one in America can be held to any standard, when it comes to breaking the law. If the President and his cabinet and advicors can do it, why shouldn't everybody? This President has undermined the rule of law big time, and is the poorest example around to the next generation.
Comment by Chris Calbi — October 23, 2007 @ 8:30 pm