House to close its doors for spying bill

[grondramb]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080313/...lHyjEBOwqs0NUE

So why do they need privacy unless they have something to hide?

Also there is real irony to sweeping the house for bugs so no one can eaves drop on their discussion of eaves dropping on Americans witrhout warrants.

WASHINGTON - House Democratic leaders agreed Thursday to a rare closed-door session — the first in 25 years — to debate surveillance legislation.


Republicans requested privacy for what they termed "an honest debate" on the new Democratic eavesdropping bill that is opposed by the White House and most Republicans in Congress.

The closed-door debate was scheduled for late Thursday night, after the House chamber could be cleared and swept by security personnel to make sure there are no listening devices.

[JP]

Originally Posted by grondramb

So why do they need privacy unless they have something to hide?

They don't. It's just a stalling tactic, according to House Minority Leader John Boehner's spokesman:

Link

Boehner’s spokesman, Kevin Smith, derided the secret session proposal as a stalling tactic.

“There are clear rules and procedures for how Congress handles classified information,” Smith said. “This nonsense is nothing more than another stalling tactic.

Of course if you click on the link you'll see that's what he was saying three weeks ago when it was the Dems proposing a secret session for the same thing. Further evidence, if any were needed, that many politicians and their mouthpieces have not yet heard of Google.

[aindik]

Originally Posted by JPriller

FYP.

[DMHinCO]

And they ended up approving the Democratic version along party lines, which doesn't match the Senate version in the controversial area.

Bush is likely to veto this if it doesn't contain immunity for the Telcoms.


USA TODAY http://www.usatoday.com/news/washing...e_N.htm?csp=34 states correctly that the FISA courts can compel the telcos with a warrant. So this is merely, IMO, a way for the Bush administration to avoid having their very questionable deeds discovered.

It is unbelievable to me that the Democrats are so ineffective at impeding the Bush Administration in anything. Remarkable, really.

It is also unbelievable that the seldom-used veto pen comes out only to protect Cheney's passion for preserving unchecked Executive Branch power and never to protect the country from profligate spending.

SSDD, I guess.