WOW-MUST READ: FISA Fight Creates Coalition Of Liberal Blogs, Paul Voters

I emailed'em myself and used Downsize DC... [ http://www.downsizedc.org... ]

Senator Dodd Speaks in Opposition to FISA Bill on Floor of U.S. Senate
[Click image to play video] > http://dodd.senate.gov/

He might be a liberal, but I liked this :-) I watched this on C-spam live...

American Freedom Campaign - http://www.americanfreedo... Is the liberal(progressive) front for the American Freedom Agenda - http://www.americanfreedo...

The American Freedom Agenda’s (AFA) mission is twofold: the enactment of a cluster of statutes that would restore the Constitution’s checks and balances as enshrined by the Founding Fathers; and, making the subject a staple of political campaigns and of foremost concern to Members of Congress and to voters and educators. Especially since 9/11, the executive branch has chronically usurped legislative or judicial power, and has repeatedly claimed that the President is the law. The constitutional grievances against the White House are chilling, reminiscent of the kingly abuses that provoked the Declaration of Independence.

The 10-point American Freedom Agenda would work to restore the roles of Congress and the federal judiciary to prevent such abuses of power and protect against injustices that are the signature of civilized nations. In particular, the American Freedom Agenda would:

* Prohibit military commissions whose verdicts are suspect except in places of active hostilities where a battlefield tribunal is necessary to obtain fresh testimony or to prevent anarchy;
* Prohibit the use of secret evidence or evidence obtained by torture or coercion in military or civilian tribunals;
* Prohibit the detention of American citizens as unlawful enemy combatants without proof of criminal activity on the President’s say-so;
* Restore habeas corpus for alleged alien enemy combatants, i.e., non-citizens who have allegedly participated in active hostilities against the United States, to protect the innocent;
* Prohibit the National Security Agency from intercepting phone conversations or emails or breaking and entering homes on the President’s say-so in violation of federal law;
* Empower the House of Representatives and the Senate collectively to challenge in the Supreme Court the constitutionality of signing statements that declare the intent of the President to disregard duly enacted provisions of bills he has signed into law because he maintains they are unconstitutional;
* Prohibit the executive from invoking the state secrets privilege to deny justice to victims of constitutional violations perpetrated by government officers or agents; and, establish legislative-executive committees in the House and Senate to adjudicate the withholding of information from Congress based on executive privilege that obstructs oversight and government in the sunshine;
* Prohibit the President from kidnapping, detaining, and torturing persons abroad in collaboration with foreign governments;
* Amend the Espionage Act to permit journalists to report on classified national security matters without fear of prosecution; and;
* Prohibit the listing of individuals or organizations with a presence in the United States as global terrorists or global terrorist organizations based on secret evidence.

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Conservatives Challenge Presidential Power Grab, Demand Reforms to Restore Checks and Balances, Protect Civil Liberties
Conservative Leaders Outline Legislative Package, Unveil Presidential Signing Pledge to Hold Presidential Candidates Accountable

WASHINGTON– An alliance of prominent national conservatives today announced the formation of the American Freedom Agenda (AFA), a campaign to restore governmental checks and balances and civil liberties protections under assault by the current Administration.

The AFA’s mission is to reign in abuses of executive power that reach into three primary realms of our national foundation of government that have the greatest likelihood of adversely affecting personal liberties without appropriate checks and balances: the judicial and criminal justice system; national security; and the proper role of congressional oversight.

The launch of the AFA, and its mission to restore executive accountability, Tuesday coincided on the same day that the Justice Department’s Inspector General testified before Congress on his findings regarding DOJ’s misuse of its power to use warrantless searches to secretly go through people’s financial, Internet and other records. In addition to these hearings, the introduction of the AFA occurred in a week where Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez is facing calls for his resignation from some Members of Congress in light of a series of revelations over the abuse of executive power ranging from the FBI’s exploitation of national security letters of inquiry to controversy over misleading statements by DOJ and White House officials regarding the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys.

“The controversy with the Attorney General is symptomatic of a more serious illness within this Administration – which is the desire for unchecked power,” said AFA Chairman Bruce Fein. “As fellow conservatives, we believe we have a greater responsibility than most to stand up to this particular Administration and demand that it respect the checks and balances established by the Founding Fathers. Absolute power corrupts absolutely, regardless of party affiliation, and we can no more remain silent to the abuses occurring under President Bush than we could if a President Clinton were in office. In advancing the American Freedom Agenda, we are all Conservatives, we are all Liberals, we are all Republicans, we are all Democrats. We are above all Americans who cherish the Constitution more than partisan advantage.”

Fein, a constitutional scholar and former Associate Deputy Attorney General under President Reagan, was joined at the launch of the AFA by David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union, the nation’s oldest and largest grassroots conservative lobbying organization; Richard Viguerie, a writer and political activist who is considered one of the main architects of the conservative grassroots movement over the past quarter century; and Bob Barr, a former Member of Congress who served as an impeachment manager of President Clinton.

At its launch, the AFA outlined a legislative package that would bind the current and all future occupants of the White House, irrespective of party affiliation, to restore congressional oversight, personal civil liberties, and governmental checks and balances through the following:

* Restore habeas corpus to prevent the illegal imprisonment of American citizens;
* Prohibit torture and extraordinary rendition;
* Prohibit unconstitutional wiretaps, email and mail openings via warrantless searches;
* Protect journalists from prosecution under the Espionage Act for reporting on stories on national significance that do not reveal troop locations;
* Prohibit Presidential Signing Statements that allow the President to sign into law legislation passed by Congress while rejecting line-item aspects of that same law;
* Reform the ability of the federal government to win dismissal of constitutional grievances by private parties by claiming state secrets;
* Reform executive privilege by creating legislative-executive committees to arbitrate disputes.

“We do not favor a crippled Executive,” said Congressman Barr, who will work with his former colleagues to seek passage of the AFA’s legislative package. “Rather, it is our belief that in times of danger, checks and balances will make for a stronger – not weaker – government because the people will more readily accept a muscular Executive if barriers against abuses are strong. We want to ensure that no man is above the law.”

Keene and Viguerie, two of the most active conservatives in working to build a national grassroots conservative movement during the past decades, noted that one of the key objectives of the AFA would be to create a national grassroots network of support for the effort to return to basic conservative values that cherish individual liberty over excessive governmental power.

“We’ve spent the greater part of our lives working to build a national network of like-minded conservatives who remain true to the founding principles of our country, outlined in our Constitution, and we do not believe that any President– Republican or Democrat – trumps these principles,” the two men said. “We plan to work through our networks, and to reach out to all Americans, regardless of partisan or ideological affiliation, to build a movement that demands that our government return to those principles upon which our nation was founded.”

As a means to gauge the seriousness of current candidates for the Office of the President, the AFA unveiled a "Freedom Pledge," based on the principles outlined in its legislative package, which it is issuing to all Presidential candidates of both parties to sign.

Congressman Ron Paul, who has announced his candidacy for the Presidency, has signed the pledge, and the AFA will continue to work with the campaigns of all other candidates of both parties to secure their signatures, especially Republican aspirants.

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The American Freedom Agenda: The Nation's Best Soft Diplomacy with Bob Barr and Bruce Fein, Chairman, American Freedom Agenda.
http://fora.tv/2007/07/31...

Commission on Presidential Debates - http://www.debates.org/pa...
National Ballot Access - http://www.directdemocrac...
Voters for none of the above - http://nota.org/
Black Box Voting - http://www.blackboxvoting...

I'm glad to see the WSJ online has picked up on this. I posted a thread on this last Thursday based on a blog by Glen Greenwald (I got the link through LewRockwell.com). This is the article:
http://www.salon.com/opin...

Trevor Lyman is the most prominent person involved in this from the Revolution, though others have contributed.

If you have some extra cash, this is where to donate:
http://www.actblue.com/pa...

They are over $320,000 as of the time of this comment.

Sad thing is most Obama supporters will try and justify his vote for the amendment saying that he voted for it so that he could work against it much like Bob Barr's reason for voting for the patriot act.

…I won’t waste both our time trying to present much explanation. In short, I would suggest this is the kind of outreach and collaboration which promises to bear more fruit than snarky polemics and snippy soundbites. Here is something I posted on another thread somewhat relevant to this topic:

To my mind it is too early for a true revolutionary to decide where to place a vote that may take place in November. It is not too early to discuss who is with us and who is against us; to get our minds right and help those of right mind; to pursue right purpose with right action.

We are not able to divine the future...but right here, right now if we keep our aims high, the right end will be achieved.

I say we don't focus on policy, or even principled differences. Rather, there are those awakening and those who still sleep. There are those who think and those complacent to allow others to do the thinking for them. You see the difference isn’t really left and right at this point; and our mission is beyond that polemic.

As those of good faith and revolutionary spirit come together as colleagues to accomplish real reclamation of rights, I trust that our memories of the true differences between the ‘boot stamping on a human face’ vs. the blue sky which free debate and inquiry promises will ultimately allow OUR fundamental principles to secure the blessings of liberty with the help of our new friends from the left.

From the one who warned us of the stifling power and influence of the Military-Industrial Complex:

“May we pursue the right, without self-righteousness. May we know unity, without conformity. May we grow in strength, without pride in self. May we, in all our dealings with all people of the earth, ever speak truth and serve justice.”

--- Dwight D. Eisenhower

I maintain that Obama's supporters, given the correct information, can be a valuable asset to the Campaign for Liberty. Spread this to all Obama supporters. It's apparent that most neocons care little about their loss of freedoms. It's up to us.

Let's focus on issues and grow our numbers. We need to get out and about and talk to people about issues... these issues cut accross all boundaries!

Check out the website, you can click the Donate button to find out more... over $311,000 raised!!!

http://www.thestrangebedf...

Mike
"Fire Team for Freedom" and "Operation Daily Paul"
on revolutionbroadcasting.com
or visit www.mikeandjake.com