CAPITAL HILL DEMOCRATS REFUSE FISA, "SPY BILL"

President George W. Bush has an approval rating, between 23%-29%, and the Congress has an approval rating between 19%-23% (both depending on which poll used). The American people are not thrilled, to be kind, about the illegal immigration "situation" and the border fence, the economy, and countless other issues. One issue being the blatant disregard for the welfare of the country, regarding the "wire tap bill," which has been in effect for years now, expired last summer and was extended (with "bipartisan support"), and now Congress will not approve the same bill, it extended just months ago.

In the final bill, being voted on the floor of the Congress, the hang up (no pun intended), is telephone companies are not given security, for letting the government listen in on out of country (to possible in country, with a warrant) calls. This bill will leave the telephone companies, like Verizon, AT& T, Sprint, Cingular, and all of the others, open to millions of dollars in law suits. Last summer, when the bill was passed, with over 80% of bi-partisan support, there was no problem with giving the telephone companies protection, blanket law enforcement security, and no chance at multiple law suits, being brought against the companies being at the government's behest. What has changed, since last summer, for Nancy Pelosi, Harry Ried, and the remainder of the democrats in congress?

The problem is simple, politics as usual, in a presidential election year, period. The political football, on Capitol Hill, is the "wire tap bill," which comes at the expense of the national security of the United States and the safety of it's citizens. The bill and overall phone security plan was in the exact same language, as the summer before. While the Harry Ried and Nancy Pelosi have both said that, "each phone company will stand before a court, if charges are brought against them." With the approval ratings and amount of trust the American people have in Congress, surely they will hand over all wire transfers, calls, and anyone who has a disposable/personal cell phone. Maybe, in the "Land of Oz," but not here in America. After the attacks of 9/11, any sane person would think the Congress of the United States would take every precaution to keep every citizen safe. For the simple reason, no words and policies changed from the summer extension of the "FISA/Phone Tap Act," the Democrats on Capitol Hill must get the original text to the President. This is the only way to insure, the country continues to be attack free, and the safest country in the world.