Maine Owl

Telcos, not voters, dear to U.S. Senate majority leader and most Democrats

This is just a follow-up to the FISA revision/telco immunity legislation delayed this week in the U.S. through action spearheaded by Connecticut senator and presidential candidate Chris Dodd. Glenn Greenwald posts today concerning some statements given to Washington Post Congressional reporter Paul Kane revealing Democratic attitudes, especially those of Harry Reid, towards Senator Dodd and his little FISA revision show against Telco immunity:

Greenwald: Notice, too, who is smearing Dodd's motives here. It isn't Dick Cheney or Mitch McConnell. Instead, it's Harry Reid and anonymous, cowardly Democrats whispering in Paul Kane's ear about Dodd's manipulative "grandstanding" and proclaiming that Dodd will ultimately fail, dismissing the notion that he achieved anything other than delaying their well-laid plan to ensure that the President has everything he wants.

So here we have one of the very few acts of the last year by a Democrat in Congress which has actually engaged and energized people; made them feel as though someone was listening to them and taking a stand for what they believe; something that enables actual citizens to have some influence on the political process; and, most of all, an effort that at least disrupted the relentless Congressional march to capitulate to all of Bush's demands.

And in response, Harry Reid and his mewling anonymous Democratic allies immediately recruit the Washington Post's Congressional reporter to attack what Dodd has achieved, demean his motives with a ferocity that they never display in opposing George W. Bush, and assure everyone that their will to do the President's bidding will be realized despite Dodd's temporary interference.

I don't think this is too hard to understand. Telcos like AT&T and Verizon have a lot to lose here if by some crook the courts hold them responsible for flagrantly violating black letter law prohibiting warrantless surveillance. Harry Reid's personal campaign war chest and those of many other Democrats, not to mention the Republicans, are well stuffed by Telco contributions. Now, partly that's because the media/telco corporate policy and consolidation agenda requires big Congressional guns to do the shooting down of the public interest.

Take John Kerry, for example, who is massively funded by Telco interests and the network of law firms that push their agendas. You've gotta believe that none of these politician-employing folks are very happy with Dodd, and his helpers Feingold and Kennedy, keeping massive Telco liability on the table for one second longer, voters and public be damned.