Insanity reigns

Well it appears that the insanity continues to reign in the Pelosi kingdom, otherwise known as the House.  First there was the refusal to take up the Senate-passed permananent FISA fix, now we have the passing of legislation that has no chance.

The vote was 213-197 in favor of a revision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act bill that was supported by the Democratic leadership.

One member voted present.

The vote came after a secret session Thursday night in the House. It was the first time the House has met in secret since 1983.

The Democratic plan would allow telecommunications companies to be sued for their role in the administration’s much-disputed warrantless surveillance program.

The bill now goes to the Senate, but both the Senate and President Bush have made it clear that they will not support the bill without an immunity provision.

Michelle Malkin had this from Rep. Blunt’s office -

“Even for a Congress with a proven record of over-reaching, the majority’s decision to play politics with critical terrorist surveillance legislation is deeply disappointing. And as they force through another ill-fated and poorly conceived FISA bill today, it’s worth wondering how many intelligence agents would have to testify that vital information is being lost before Democrats hear their message, and finally take up the bipartisan Senate-passed bill.

“Nearly a year has passed since the director of national intelligence identified the need to modernize our outdated surveillance laws, and asked Congress to work with him on finding a workable solution. The Senate has done its part, working with the administration to produce a bill that balances national security with protecting individual rights. But until the House decides to follow suit, our intelligence capabilities will continue to dim – until our agents reach the point where they find themselves completely in the dark.

“It’s my sincere hope the two-week Easter recess imparts in Democrats perspective on this issue they currently do not have. Maybe then they’ll decide to bring forth the bipartisan Senate bill for passage – legislation that arms our intelligence agents with the tools they need to keep us safe, while ensuring the firms that aided our country in the days following September 11th aren’t rewarded for their patriotism with a lawsuit.”

In addition there’s this from Rep. Boehner’s office that shows the real truth - (H/T - Michelle Malkin)

Lest anyone believe that today’s House vote on new Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) legislation is about anything other than politics, this morning’s CongressDaily AM makes the point crystal clear: even Democratic aides admit the bill – which is only being offered to give Democratic Members something to talk about in their districts – will never become law:
 

“Democratic leadership aides said the House bill has no real chance of Senate passage.  They said it ensures liberal Democrats will have a chance to throw their support behind FISA reform legislation.”

At midnight on Saturday, our nation will begin its fifth week of being left more vulnerable to terrorist attack because House Democratic leaders continue to block the bipartisan Senate-passed FISA modernization bill.  And because the leadership is prepared to send Congress on a nearly three-week Spring Break recess after today’s vote on the sham FISA bill, it’s going to be weeks – at least – before our intelligence officials will have all the tools they need to protect the American people.  

…

With the secret session now behind them, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) have apparently decided to continue placing politics above national security by forcing a vote on today’s bogus bill.  Not only would the measure require prior court approval to gather foreign intelligence from foreign targets located overseas, but it also defies the will of at least 21 Blue Dog Democrats who wrote to Speaker Pelosi earlier this year, demanding a vote on the Senate-passed bill.  The Blue Dogs – and a bipartisan majority in the Senate – insist that any FISA bill arriving at the President’s desk protect patriotic third parties who assisted our government after 9/11 from unfettered and costly lawsuits.  But today’s flawed bill includes no such protections.  In fact, it leaves these firms completely exposed to endless and frivolous lawsuits at the hands of the Democratic leadership’s trial lawyer allies, who – according to the Center for Responsive Politics – contributed $85 million to Democratic candidates in the 2006 election cycle.  See a connection? 

Congress is just hours away from leaving town for another lengthy recess without giving our intelligence officials the tools they need to fight al Qaeda.  And Democratic leaders, who could bring the Senate-passed FISA bill to the floor today and let a bipartisan majority in the House works it by sending the legislation to the President’s desk, are apparently prepared to do nothing about it.  Indeed, the House Democratic leadership is taking a Spring Break, even though al Qaeda won’t. 

It is simply mind-boggling why the Pelosi and her sidekicks continue to play games while putting our citizens at risk.  Then again as Wake Up America points out -

The silver lining in all this, is Pelosi’s Congress is doing everything perfectly to see to it that the Democrats get portrayed and continue to have the stigma they have held for decades.

Weak on National Security.

During a presidential election year no less.

Just a reminder here, yesterday the news came out that the majority, 62 percent to be exact, credit George Bush and his anti-terror policies for the fact that we have not had an attack since 9/11 on American soil.

I guess that is 62 percent of America that Pelosi and Company do not mind throwing away at this next election by hindering Bush’s ability to keep America safe now.

So will Pelosi and company pull the same stunts after the Senate re-inserts the immunity? Perhaps it would be wise to contact your Representatives over the next two weeks and tell them to pass the bill next time.