The left is happy today. For months they've been pushing House Democrats to force a reauthorization of FISA that fails to protect American telecommunication companies for their good-faith cooperation with America's intelligence agencies--and which was doomed to be vetoed by the president. Instead, the House has done them one better: They've passed a bill--by a party-line vote--that's not even going to pass the Senate:
But the bill appeared destined for oblivion. The Senate likely will not accept any of the major House changes to the version it passed Feb. 12, and Bush has vowed to veto the legislation if it should reach his desk.
Debate broke along predictable party lines, with Democrats contending the measure would grant the intelligence community all the authority it needs to spy on foreign terrorism suspects while protecting civil liberties of Americans.
By taking weeks to pass a bill with no chance of enactment, the House is intentionally wasting time in the effort to get a reauthorization of the program signed into law. Why do they want to prolong the period of time that our nation's terrorist surveillance program is weakened? And if they are serious about this law, then why would they drag out the debate with pointless actions such as the one the House took today--particularly when Congress is beginning a two-week recess?
