Nice first post and first comment. Let me give you some advice. Concern trolling is a skill that requires both time and effort. So far, you've put in neither.

You're honestly going to have to step up your game.

Keep working though. Soon enough, you'll be able to get those "McCain '08" golfclubs that you're surely aiming for. Good luck.

This is a troll. And there are fools here taking its advice.

I was originally a huge Kucinich supporter but I really really like Obama and I'm happy with our nominee for the first time in my life. But there's no reason for him to triangulate and we have to put a stop to it. Heck, McCain is triangulating away from the center - can't you see where this dance is leading us? The craziest thing is that upholding the Bill of Rights is about as mainstream as it gets, but this constant rightward shift makes it appear as if we're on the lunatic fringe.

Agree 1000%. Cutting off campaign contributions as protest for FISA sell out would be a classic Democrat self inflicted shotgun in the foot. Grow the F up, people. This is for the future of the country (and the planet). I'm sorry if it offends your delicate sensibilities but presidential candidates need to cover their asses sometimes in the short term to avoid getting kneecapped during an election. Obama will have an opportunity to redress the mess once he's in office via the courts because this legislation is apparently full of legal holes.

Damn, Lamont!

You own that calendar, too?!?!?!

Just so we're all clear here:

Cutting off funds to the Democratic candidate and encouraging others to follow suite lends support to the Republicans. It is one step short of donating to McCain.

Go ahead and vote for McCain, AnitaBee. I won't think any less of you.

One request: when Obama actually gets into office and has the power to rewrite some of these things you're pissing your pants about, don't join the rest of us in the victory parade. Stay in your house with the rest of the Repugs and traitors.

Lamont,

These people are not looking to elect a Democratic President; they are looking for someone to commit political suicide. They are pissed because Senator Obama did not hand McCain a "weak on terror, and security" weapon to beat him over the head with from now until election day.

Since Obama did not fall into their trap, now they want to con donors into cutting of his funding so that McCain will have the airwaves all to himself.

Senator Obama did the right thing. He could not defeat this bill, and in the words of JFK, "politics is the art of the possible".

Half a loaf, and you know the rest of it.

Senator Obama showed sound judgment. I am more impressed with him than ever. He choose to not engage in pointless pandering, knowing full well that he was powerless to stop passage of the bill.

Some people love to be pandered too. Ask them how they are enjoying McCain's gas tax holiday.

Others, are merely Trojan Horse Trolls for the Republicans trying to put a bullet in Obama's cash cow.

A few are sincerely upset, and are easily duped into cutting of their noses to spite their faces, not unlike those Hillary supporters who now claim they are going to campaign and vote for McCain.

That just goes to show that Democrats have not cornered the market on rationality.

Go ahead. And I'll tell you in November what I'm telling you now -- Obama was wrong to support the compromise FISA bill. Not many around here will disagree with me, either.

Wiretapping will make it even easier for you to keep track.

NO, the biggest threat is from our own government. When we're willing to give up, inch by inch, our liberty for protection against perceived threats, then we're on the wrong path.

Remember the frog in the pot of water (Gore featured it in his film)? Same thing. Give a little hear, give a little there, and slowly but surely we end up in hot water, blissfully unaware that we're being cooked. Today, telecoms get immunity if they can demonstrate that the president's top officials told them it was legal. Precedent set. Tomorrow, the government hires private spy firms to collect information illegally (just more privatization of government functions, like Blackwater) which keeps the government's hands clean. Then the government grants the company immunity because they were just doing their jobs: protecting Americans from the "REAL threats"... "people who wish to do us harm and are in the United States". Your chain has been jerked, student.

You may be willing to give up your freedoms to feel safer. But remember this: you're more likely to die choking on a chunk of food or slipping and falling in the shower than being killed by a terrorist. I AM NOT WILLING TO SACRIFICE MY SON'S FUTURE FREEDOMS SO THAT I CAN HAVE THE ILLUSION THAT I AM SAFER.

Or, as Patrick Henry once said: "give me liberty or give me death." (Do they still teach history in schools and colleges these days?)

It's about giving donations to people who actually, you know, make good legislative choices. Why not take a month to support the Democrats who voted against the FISA bill?

Great idea Dijamo!

Dijamo,

I respectfully disagreed with you during the primary, but I agree with you on this one 100%. I have to keep my AT&T cellular service, but I'm cancelling my AT&T house phone and DSL service next month. And I'm sending a letter to AT&T explaining why... Good call.

BTW, I'm sending the money I'll save to the Obama campaign.

EW

Yet the FISA bill ensures that, even if it grants retroactive immunity. Honestly, I think it's also important to make sure that such things don't happen again. Even if the corporations get off (for now), they won't be able to do such wiretapping again.

Let's also not forget (and correct me if I'm wrong), but isn't there a separate vote for the bill and then for the immunity? Doesn't that... kind of change things... somewhat?

There are people on the other side that are saying the first and foremost reason for the government is to protect its citizens. FISA is so troublesome because it pits two of the core reasons for the existence of the US against each other. I too come down on the side of protecting civil liberties even at the risk of sacrificing some degree of protection. But let's not demonize the opposition. I say this as someone who's mother has twice been denied boarding a plane because her name is similar to someone on the no-fly list; as someone with a muslim name who always gets selected for special screening at the airport; as a life long NYer who works blocks from ground zero; as someone who knows the importance of protecting this country but also protecting our way of life. We have to find a way to balance these competing priorities.

My biggest issue with telecom immunity is that there is no punishment for willfully violating the laws. If we need to sacrifice some civil liberties in order to be protected - let's have that conversation. Buy-in of citizens (through their representatives) was necessary to fundamentally change our social contract. Instead our government and these businesses violated our civil liberties in secret. That to me was the biggest outrage of this telecom immunity crap.

Word.

Not to worry, President Obama will support the 99-years in Iraq compromise. Oops, darn. I guess the Republicans came back and asked for 101 years but, breaking news, we WON the vote on 100 years!!! Hooray for our side!!! 100 years in Iraq!!!

You're much too intelligent to be hanging out here.