Federal Government Gains Increased Wiretap Authority

Three things will happen if the Federal government grants the telecommunications industry immunity from prosecution.

1. That precedent will mean that you and I won't be able to sue any Federal agency for breach of privacy. We won't be able to contest unfiar search or siezure. Immunity for the telecoms is also immunity for Uncle Sam.

2. Allowing this immunity ensures that we will all one day be under permananet surveillance. We need to understand that "helpful surveilance" also allows the telecoms to gather consumer data without notification, explanation, or justification.

3. Other industries will want legal immunity, too. Suppose Big Pharma goes to D.C. in search of a legal shield against prosecution? In exchange for some sort of cooperation that might help Federal agencies in the "war on drugs," they cold get that immunity.

If you think corporate welfare is bad now...wait until they've got more legal immunity than they already do. Ha!

I'd like to call your attention to the following ATS discussion thread. the implicaitons of telecom immunity are really quite large. We must continue to talk about this.

A few days ago, President Bush got his wish. The Senate passed the upgraded FISA law. Mr. Bush has signed that law in to effect. I'm still trying to get over a stubborn head cold that just won't go away. I've been trying to get well enough to come in here and make this post.

The implications of this law are significant, for all of the reason I've stated in earlier posts. We should expect the next President to be a Democrat. We should expect that President to use their majorities in the House and in teh Senate to increase the scope and scale of "corporate immunity." Now that they know it's for sale, we should expect CEO's from all industries to be looking at how they too can gain immunity from YOUR law suits.

The chances that you might be wrongly arrested, or convicted, have just gone up dramatically.