Today, Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama voted for H.R.6304, which amends the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (F.I.S.A). In doing so he voted to give telecommunication providers immunity against civil damages that they might incur in the course of enabling the government to execute wiretaps and other types of electronic surveillance. He did so, after an amendment to the bill that would have stripped out the immunity provision, S.Amdt. 5064, was defeated 32-66. In voting for the bill, Obama acted in direct contradiction to his earlier statements. In 2007 Bill Burton, an Obama campaign spokesman, said “To be clear: Barack will support a filibuster of any bill that includes retroactive immunity for telecommunications companies.”
The original F.I.S.A statute was passed in 1978 in order to protect civil liberties against overly expansive government surveillance, and had clear penalties of $100 per person, per day, plus punitive damages, for telecommunications companies that conducted electronic surveillance without judicial oversight. Given that each day tens of millions of people have their data go across the networks of some of the larger telcos, the risk that these companies faced by working with the government on extra-judicial wiretaps was extreme. In giving companies that work with the government immunity from these penalties, H.R. 6304, and Barack Obama who voted for it, just took away the only reason stopping AT&T, Verizon, and others from helping the government use extra-judicial wiretaps. In voting for the bill, Obama not only helped the telco’s, but also broke his promise to protect the American people from expansive government surveillance.
The image above was created with this site, which lets you add whatever message you want to Obama’s campaign platform.
Note that TechCrunch endorsed Barack Obama, partially on his policies towards telecommunications companies.
like this is anything new? all libtards are flip flopping faggots
Techcrunch seems to support policies in favor of Osama.
There’s about 30 million liberal bloggers ranting about this non-stop. Do I really have to read about it on techcrunch too?
Dan Kimerling has a few basic (and glaring) questions to address. What was Obama’s reasoning? Why did he vote this way? How was the amendment changed and compromised from where it started?
I know you’re a blogger and all, but this “news” post is crap. Try harder, Dan.
Did TechCrunch just jump the shark?
If Obama didn’t do this, he would have been attacked by the republicans for not keeping america safe by not allowing for wiretaps. It was a wise move.
Jeepers, you admit it yourself: Obama never said he’d vote against the bill. Just that he’d “support” a filibuster in a certain case. He voted three times to remove the provision. If he doesn’t have the votes to filibuster, what’s the point? To make a few of you feel better?
I’M SHOCKED…..I’M SHOCKED!
A politician who SAYS one thing and DOES another!
All you PINHEADS who believe - THERE’S A CHANGE A COMIN’ - Dream On !
This post has done enormous damage to your credibility as a reliable source for upto date tech news! Are you that hungry for traffic?
there is only one party, and when a = b and you really want c, there is no choice
Hopefully the zombies will wake up and realize that democrats are not the future and neither are the republicans.
This is not the man I supported financially and with my voice for the past year. I’m angry, shocked and depressed. I no longer have a candidate.
WTF happened?
Twitter for President
Ben Bakhshi,
Well, maybe one way of working towards peace is realizing that 15 of your neighbor countries that surround you are not all terrorists and “support 9/11″ I mean listen to yourself saying that, really ignorant. I was on a business trip in the Middle East with a group of Israeli and Arab business people who were speaking very civilized talk and accepting each other and proposing great solutions involving business collaboration but we don’t hear about that side of the story, why? You run a blog and should take a positive step promoting peace and since peace is a state of mind like you say, why not share that same peace of mind with other people. One of the most exciting web companies appearing is G.ho.st http://jewschool.com/2008/05/2.....palestine/
it’s a joint collaboration between Israeli and Palestenian programmers who can’t see each other due to a dividing wall, what a sad yet encouraging story full of hope. Did you know that you have the power in your hands to make such difference rather than sit and point the finger at Islamofacists, Israel will be accepted by it’s neighbors and to everyone who believes that peace in the middle east will not be achieved, they’re hopless souls, unlike what most people think this hasn’t been going on for 2000 years, just 60 to be precise, the creation of Israel was a needed matter but also an awkward experience for it’s neighbors and couldve been done in a better way. The bottom line is that the majority of the population would rather have peace and you should be a role model for this if this is really what you want to achieve, not a role model for leaving such a childish comment like the first one. Constructive comments go way further and actually change opinions.
Sorry for turning this into a political blog but I’m quite sure that techcrunch got that snowball rolling started
I think what is happening is that the Bush Administration is making certain senators (especially presidential candidates like Obama) privy to “intelligence briefings” that have stacked “information” designed to scare them into supporting the wiretapping, based on false or trumped-up pretenses (much like the justifications for invading Iraq).
In other words, the Bush Admin. really “needs” Obama to support wiretapping immunity for the telcos, for two reasons:
1) It advances a key Bush Administration policy position (thus undermining citizens’ rights), by scaring Obama into voting to keep the measures in place; and
2) It also, conveniently, makes Obama look like a flip-flopping hypocrite who really doesn’t care about our constitutional rights.
So, it accomplishes two key Bush Administration goals simultaneously… typical Rovian tactic.
Probably what they’ve done is given Obama secret briefings about potential “threats” to US security, including threats of “imminent terrorist incidents”, that have been, or are on the verge of, being thwarted by the warrantless wiretapping, and “evidence” that the warrantless wiretapping must continue in its present (unconstitutional) form in order to continue to thwart those “imminent attacks”.
Of course, the Bushies can manufacture any kind of evidence they want to. Since they are privy to reams and reams of “chatter” and data from intelligence agencies around the world every day, they can easily construct or manufacture a “scenario” which fits those needs, and then feed them to Obama under the guise of an “intelligence briefing”.
And of course, Obama can’t discuss this with the general public, or even other senators who aren’t given the briefings.
Really, the only Senators and House members who are generally given these briefings would probably be those on the select intelligence committees, and probably the House Speaker and majority and minority leaders in both houses.
Nefarious? But of course. But this is precisely the strategy that Rove and Cheney have most likely put into place. Remember Colin Powell’s slide show at the UN. (Most likely, even Powell himself never knew that the “evidence” of WMD was specious.)
LOL. I have been telling all my friends their enthusiasm for Obama is not warrented. He is proving me right even before election.
I’m posting this idea here because it’s a likely spot to see the eyes of an entrepreneur will some time/connections.
Please create a non-profit organization and sell little stickers I can put on my phone, such as:
WARNING: This device may be used to illegally eavesdrop on conversations. Brought to you by a cooperation between AT&T and Richard Burr - R - North Carolina.
Of course, you’ll need a variety of stickers for each member of congress and the telecommunications company.
At a minimum, I’d like it to have an official looking “eagle” like seal. If possible, find a creative way to show how much money has been contributed via opensecrets.org.
All money raised should go to the campaigns of those opposing these members in the next election.
When techcrunch starts covering daily politics and Obama no longer gives a shit about the American people, it’s finally time to pack my bags and move on up to Canada….
Europe is a lot more fun. Most countries’ people understand American English very well, too.
Dan, nice attempt to sound intelligent.
Are you really that naive? Obama is not the messiah some have made him out to be, he’s a politician. He will tell you what you want to hear, or make vague feel good statements like “Change” that allow you to interpret them how you wish. Then he panders to special interests who pay for his campaign so that he can WIN. It is all about WINNING and winning is all about MONEY. Sorry, but that is reality. Obama is no different from any other politician.
Dmitri,
I don’t know where you’re from, but in America it is not considered “unprofessional” to withdraw support from an elected representative when they contradict the values you initially supported them for. Reporting the FACT that Obama was staunchly pro-civil liberties and is now caving in the face of the mere threat of accusations of “un-Americanism” (an accusation which has worn very thin over the last 8 years) by voting for immunity for telcos is relevant to everyone in America who uses a phone or computer. The arguement that “if you haven’t done anything wrong then you have nothing to fear” is flat out contradictory to our Bill of Rights and the principals of freedom and liberty that our nation was founded on. Obviously if I’m being searched or surveilled, I am suspected of SOMETHING. Perhaps you are used to living your life under perpetual suspicion and law enforcement harassment and intimidation, but we in America are not, nor should we be. We like our old liberties, and the threat of another terrorist attack has been blown completely out of proportion. I think that if you actually HAD done the research you’re claiming, you would realize that yes, they will listen to my calls to my mom and girlfriend simply due to the sheer volume of calls and emails they now monitor. Washington is in the process of enlisting one half of the nation to supervise and report the other, and technology is paving the way for Thought Police, which is why this is very alarming.
Thanks for the uninformed comment anyways.
It’s interesting that there’s no mention of McCain’s “flip flops” when he’s been at the heart of countless “flip flops.” So this is the type of articles TC wants to get into? I sure hope not.
On the actual issue: a lot of people appear to be raising hell over this against Obama, despite really considering all sides of the story. It’s as if no one really understands the compromise or the actual issue. Suing some executives of corporations over Bush’s actions and pressure doesn’t solve anything. Getting rid of Bush and his disastrous policies will.
It looks like all the doe-eyed Obama fans got their cherry popped a little bit early. So… surprise! Obama is a politician, and he’s more than willing to betray his principles (or at least his stated principles) if he thinks it will help him get or retain power. His campaign is going to make a marvelous case study for how people can get completely suckered and buy an empty box just on the basis of good branding. It may turn out that Obama wins just because of his choice of the Gotham font and that lovely shade of blue in all his posters. Typography you can believe in.
If this wasn’t enough, one more reason to encrypt your data.
Speaking of personal data and encryption, *TIP* for TC Editors:
“Google has confirmed that personal data of U.S. employees hired prior to 2006 have been stolen in a recent burglary.”
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-1009_22-6243093.html
Guillaume
http://www.cGeep.com
(The simple Way to Encrypt Files and Emails)
What is your point exactly? You want us to vote for McCain?
Newsflash, Politicians are liars, even well educated black politicians.
At least they’re not as bad as Canadians.
Say what you will about McCain, but he is an American Patriot thru and thru. This guy was a prisoner of war for years. When his captors found out that his father and grandfather were both admirals in the US Navy, they wanted to release him. McCain refused the special treatment, and would not leave until the prisoners that arrived before him were released. In other words, he continued to suffer for years at the hands of these psychos because he wanted to protect his countrymen. Maybe he’s crazy, but any man that will take endless beatings and suffer as much as he did for another American that HE DOESN’T EVEN KNOW is a solid individual in my book. That’s exactly the kind of guy that I want leading my country. Talk about integrity…..that pretty much defines it for me.
I agree that Obama is engaging and interesting (because he’s different and not the cookie cutter politician), but his politics are too fickle for me. Plus, the fact that he turned down McCain’s request to have town-hall meetings tells me that he’s not comfortable with the issues and is afraid that he can’t stand toe-to-toe with McCain. I’ll take someone like McCain any day.
I hope all Americans look at these two and think about the issues and not just vote because someone is cool or different. I’d much rather have a President that can find Iran on the map as opposed to one who is cool because he fist-bumps his wife.
Read my lips, no …. new … taxes.
I’m getting a kick that people are surprised.
I’m sorry… I come to this blog for tech news… not politics. If you want to write articles like this, start a political blog.
Sad. Your professionalism stock just dropped in my opinion.
Wow…what a desparate article. How many pageviews did this one generate for you guys?
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/Arti...../20080227/
“Barack Obama has ratcheted up his attacks on NAFTA, but a senior member of his campaign team told a Canadian official not to take his criticisms seriously, CTV News has learned.”
Obama has done this before. He said he would protect the United States against NAFTA and other imbalances, and talked tough, then had his people call Canada and tell them it was only cheap talk.
As somebody who has suffered the Canadian experience, I am certain I would never even think of voting for someone who sympathizes with supporting Canadian socialism/communism over America and Americans.
I don’t care if every factory and worker in Canada goes on employment insurance, and if their govt subsidized softwood lumber rots.
My LLC should have low taxes and I should have ever advantage possible over my Canadian, Indian, Chinese and Mexican counterpart.
I want a president who will give me the America rewards advantage.
The advantage to create a huge company and crush my foreign small business competitors.
That should read “every advantage possible” over my foreign counterparts.
What the hell kind of story is this on TechCrunch? This is garbage and a thinly veiled political post, not a tech post.
I thought this was a great post- especially after TechCrunch endorsed Obama. It’s good to see that a blog follows the news regarding its preferred candidate and I believe it’s relevant due to the technological nature of the bill.
@Brian,
He may be the most patriotic person in the U.S. but that does not necessarily make him the best president. If you look at McCain’s record he has been getting a red carpet treatment since his birth. Free fame based on the hard work his father and grandfather did. Name one important change he did for the U.S. since he has been in the senate…
If TechCrunch wants to have a political voice, then how about creating a new blog for it. This was a blatant political statement clumsily wrapped around a “technology” issue. Very disappointing.
There are some assertions here that range from a little silly to downright ludicrous. In no particular order:
- Obama Flip-Flops: Changing one’s mind or position once is NOT flip flopping. It’s just the “flip” part. By the definition of the word, to flip AND flop, he’d have to change to a new position, or at least to the original position. Please reconsider this term. (I’m not defending the altered position).
- “Please consider voting Mccain everyone. Both Mccain and Obama are drifters to the center, but Mccain is a greater patriot than Osama, I mean Obama. Afterall, who wants a President (with a capital P) whose pastor chants “G-D damn America,” and his cousins are Islamofascists.”: A “greater patriot”? How do you measure this? Please don’t answer. The rest of your post was a waste of bandwidth.
- “Barack Obama is a disgusting piece of shit … What a betrayal of values.”: Argumentum ad hominem. Thank you for not commenting in 50 words. Please, exhale.
- “This is not the man I supported financially and with my voice for the past year. I’m angry, shocked and depressed. I no longer have a candidate.”: I realize it’s an unpopular or distasteful thing to say, but if you liked Obama, you’re going to jump off the ship for 1 thing you disagree with him on? You should stop voting altogether, if that’s the case.
- “I agree that Obama is engaging and interesting … but his politics are too fickle for me”: I am not sure how you can call Obama fickle in your post, but not call McCain fickle. I’m not saying Obama isn’t, but if he is, doesn’t that put McCain even further out on the spectrum of fickleness? Any number of sites will list how often McCain has been ‘fickle’.
- “I’d much rather have a President that can find Iran on a map” (referring to McCain: McCain’s grasp on foreign policy in general, and Middle East politics in particular is tenuous at times. I’m not sure you’ve got the right presidential candidate with that quote.
The problem with American politics isn’t the politicians. It’s us. Get involved. Read. Listen. Think. Understand. Repeat.
How can you tell a politician is lying?
Their lips are moving! heyo…
I’m livid, one wonderful ray of light - listen to this address by Feingold:
http://feingold.senate.gov/~fe.....080709.htm
what a great photoshopped image! classic.
@asiyessema,
I started reading your reply but then I realized I had to wash the dishes. Your reply is longer than the post itself and has a high noise/content ratio.
What really scares the H*ll out of me are all the people who are saying “if you’re not doing anything wrong why should you care?” Sounds a lot like early ’30’s Germany.
If immunity for the telecoms wasn’t enough have you heard about the bill going through congress that has buried stuff in it where Bush is trying to pardon……..himself!?!?! For war crimes. If he didn’t do anything wrong why is he trying to cover his backend???
Technology and Politics are connected and deeply influence each other.
I don’t think Techcrunch will be reporting on political matters that do not bear strongly upon technology, ie. if same-sex marriage should be legalized.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8.....654109039/
Guess who can vote? I am registering at the DMV Monday when I do my road test.
ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080227/dems_nafta_080227/20080227/
“The staff member reassured Wilson that the criticisms would only be campaign rhetoric, and should not be taken at face value.”
I do not want to have to compete with people that make 5 cents an hour in China, I do not want to subsidize Canadian softwood lumber from America. I do not want to give up my sales to Mexicans and hell no Canadians with their commy subsidizations like BDC, softwood lumber and all their other crooked Canadian deeds.
I have spoken my peace on politics. I know Obama and McCain have to be liars to be in politics but please don’t see America short like Bill Gates wants. He could care less, he doesn’t have a small business. He’s super rich. He can sell out America all he wants. I can’t.
If Obama or anybody reads through remember that.
Should read “please don’t sell America short like Bill Gates wants” Bill Gates is leech. He leeched off America, and then he sold it out.
Wow, I’m so glad Techcrunch endorsed this guy. Pathetic.
If Dan’s purpose was to attack Obama, rather than point out what happened, he’d just say this:
“It’s been quite disturbing to watch [Obama supporters] turn on a dime — completely reverse everything they claimed to believe — the minute Obama issued his statement saying that he would support this bill. They actually have the audacity to say that this bill…will increase the civil liberties that Americans enjoy…How completely do you have to relinquish your critical faculties at Barack Obama’s altar in order to get yourself to think that way?” -Glenn Greenwald
http://www.salon.com/opinion/g.....7/09/fisa/
So I’m assuming you’ll be doing a post for every time Bush screwed the country?
I can’t take this ‘if you have nothing to hide, you’re ok’ stuff.
FISA did and does provide for the govenment to do what it needs to do, only it requires judicial oversight. BTW it also provides for emergencies, so the government can take action and get judicial oversight retroactively, but on a case by case basis.
ANYTHING beyond that is unaaceptable.